Firaxis Games, the studio behind the beloved Civilization franchise, has recently undergone a major shakeup. Take-Two Interactive, the publisher of the Civilization series, has announced the appointment of Heather Hazen as the new studio head, while two notable leaders, Steve Martin and Jake Solomon, have left the company.
Hazen has been the Chief Operating Officer of Firaxis since 2020 and has extensive experience in the gaming industry, having served as executive producer on Fortnite, Plants vs. Zombies, and Bejeweled. She is excited to lead the studio and take the Civilization franchise to new heights for its millions of players around the world.
Martin and Solomon have been with Firaxis for 25 and 23 years, respectively. Martin left without comment, but 2K President David Ismailer expressed his gratitude for the long-time leader. Solomon, however, is embarking on a new creative journey, as he said on Twitter that working on the games at Firaxis fulfilled two lifelong dreams.
In addition to continuing to support Marvel’s Midnight Suns with post-launch content, Firaxis will also be working on the next entry in the Civilization franchise. Creative director Ed Beach, who led design on Civilization VI, will be leading the project.
Take-Two has made it clear that Firaxis is still dedicated to building the best strategy games on the planet. With the new studio head and the Civilization franchise in the works, the future looks bright for the beloved developer. Fans of the series can look forward to the next installment in the Civilization series and the continued success of Firaxis Games.