Jam City gets a Shakeup with New CEO Josh Yguado

Yes, it’s true: Jam City, the beloved mobile game developer, has replaced Chris DeWolfe as CEO. DeWolfe, who co-founded MySpace and was CEO of Jam City since 2014, has stepped aside to work on his new startup, Plai Labs. Who took the reins? None other than Josh Yguado, the former COO of FoxNext.

Who Is Josh Yguado?

If you don’t know Josh Yguado, you should. He’s been in the game business since the olden days of MySpace in 2005 and rose to head of FoxNext’s game studio in 2017. Turns out he knows his stuff. His two most recent – and successful – projects under FoxNext were Alien: Isolation and the Marvel Strike Force mobile game.

What Does This Mean for Jam City?

Jam City is already well-known for hits like Cookie Jam and PandaPop. They have a bunch of other titles in the works, some of which should be releasing soon. But what does Yguado’s appointment mean for the company’s future? Let’s take a look at some of his most likely ambitions:

• A focus on mobile gaming innovation: This isn’t hard to guess – mobile gaming is one of the hottest markets in the world, and Yguado is aware of its potential. If Jam City wants to stay ahead of the competition, they’ll need to innovate and stay at the forefront of mobile gaming trends.
• Global expansion: No one has completely tapped into the East Asian and South American markets yet, and consider this Yguado’s chance to do so. Jam City may start focusing on international development and outreach.
• Development partnerships: One of the highlights of Yguado’s career was his involvement with FoxNext’s acquisition of Cold Iron Studios, which went on to work on the recently announced Alien: Blackout game. Perhaps Jam City will start courting other studios in the same vein.

Are You Ready for Change?

Only time will tell what changes Josh Yguado will bring to Jam City and whether they result in success. But in the meantime, why not grab a bowl of popcorn and watch the show? It’ll be interesting to see what happens next.