Chaosium, the publisher of Call of Cthulhu, RuneQuest and the brand new Age of Vikings, has a new CEO.
Neil Robinson has been Chaosium’s chief operating officer and is now the chief executive officer. That’s a promotion to the top of the company, and the new Chaosium has never had a CEO until today.
The publisher’s long-time Marketing Director, Brian Holland, has been appointed as the new Executive Producer for RPGs. According to the announcement, Holland’s new responsibilities will involve leading the strategy for the company’s extensive portfolio of roleplaying games. He will work with creative teams to deliver products for all game lines.
This key position was held for the past 14 months by industry veteran Mike Mearls. Mearls is leaving for the publishing giant Asmodee. However, he will reportedly maintain ties with the publisher, continuing to consult on several projects. Notably, he will continue his collaboration with Chaosium Creative Director Jeff Richard on the development of a new edition of RuneQuest.
The publisher is also investing heavily in its versatile Basic Roleplaying (BRP) system. Following the recent launch of Age of Vikings, Jason Durall will now serve as the full-time Creative Director for Basic Roleplaying. Durall, who previously worked on the RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha line, will now focus exclusively on expanding the BRP system alongside editor Mike Curry.
With Creative Director Jeff Richard’s attention now centred on the next iteration of RuneQuest, Chaosium Vice President Michael O’Brien is stepping in as the Producer for RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha. O’Brien will oversee the release of further products for the current edition of the popular fantasy RPG.
Chaosium also announced the creation of a new full-time role to engage with its player base. Bridgett Jeffries has been hired as the company’s first Community Manager, tasked with serving as a liaison between the development teams and the game’s active fan communities on platforms such as Discord and social media.
The company has also formalised two recent additions to its production team. Maciej Górkowski joins as Production Manager, bringing experience from the board game sector to coordinate the publisher’s printing and manufacturing processes. Dan Zappone has also been officially welcomed as an Assistant Editor and Graphic Design Specialist, having already contributed to recent releases like the Basic Roleplaying Gamemaster Pack and Age of Vikings.
These comprehensive staff changes suggest a deliberate strategy by Chaosium to strengthen its core RPG lines, streamline production, and foster a closer relationship with its global community of players. It’s doing so at a time of dramatic change in international trade, logistics, economic and even national security. It’s also Chaosium’s 50th birthday, and if you’re feeling brav,e you could press the “Wish Chaosium…” celebration button.
