Remedy Entertainment, best known for narrative-rich single player games like Control and Alan Wake 2, has got itself a new CEO. His name is Jean-Charles Gaudechon, a former EA executive and senior vice president of fantasy sports betting platform Sleeper.
While at EA, Gaudechon spent 2012-2013 as studio head and executive producer at EA’s free-to-play studio, helping to direct live service development at the industry giant. He’d later return to the company after a stint away, concluding his EA career as vice president and group GM of EA Asia Studios.
Fast forward to March 2024, and he’d help found the “sports super app” Sleeper, on which users can draft fantasy sports teams and make “sleeper picks” (bets) on athletes performances, team performances, etc. He is now the CEO of Remedy, quite the stark shift indeed.
If you’ve not played Control before, check out Eurogamer’s video on it here!Watch on YouTube
This news, announced on the Remedy investors website, came alongside a statement by Remedy Chairman of the Board of Directors Henri Österlund. He wrote: “I am delighted to announce the appointment of Jean-Charles (JC) Gaudechon to lead Remedy into a phase of profitable growth. His proven history in growing gaming franchises and successfully leading international studios is an excellent fit to the current stage of Remedy’s business. Under JC’s leadership, we are well-positioned to significantly accelerate growth, guide Remedy towards greater independence through self-publishing, and deliver sustained value to our players, partners, and shareholders”
Gaudechon also added his own statement to investors, the wider company, and world as the new CEO: “I’m excited and honored to join Remedy at a pivotal time,” Gaudechon wrote. “The studio has a unique creative identity and a strong pipeline. My commitment is to protect what makes it special, deliver exceptional games, and scale Remedy in a way that builds lasting value. Remedy has the voice and the ambition to be a pillar of the industry’s future. We will stay close to players, earn their time and trust, and strengthen our independence in how we build and publish our games, while continuing to work closely with the partners who have supported us along the way. I will be moving to Finland with my family and I’m incredibly excited about getting to work directly with the team at the studio.”
Who knows, perhaps Gaudechon will be some sort of fiscal Ted Lasso, coming in and keeping what’s beloved about Remedy intact while bringing in that ever-elusive growth. It is no secret that Remedy Entertainment is indeed in need of more money. Alan Wake 2, while adored and critically acclaimed, didn’t make a profit until well after its release. Recently, its cooperative shooter FBC Firebreak missed the mark to such a degree that Remedy had to issue a profit warning to investors. It is perhaps little mystery that investors would welcome a growth-focused CEO into their arms.