Team17 co-founder Martyn Brown dies aged 57
gamesindustry.bizGames industry veteran Martyn Brown has died aged 57.
He spent more than 35 years working in video games and is best known for his time at Team17, which he co-founded in 1990. During his time at the publisher and developer, Brown helped direct, produce and create more than 50 video games, including the iconic Worms and Alien Breed series.
In the years since Team17, Brown formed consultancy group Insight For Hire, and has supported studios including Double Eleven, Exient and New Star Games. He also helped set-up Activision's mobile studio The Blast Furnace in Leeds in 2012.
Outside of working with studios directly, he was an influential figure in forming the North of England networking group Game Republic in 2003.
He is survived by his children Jack, Harry and step-daughter Darcy, and wife Heather.
"Martyn passed away peacefully in his sleep at 8:17am, 28th of December, 2024 surrounded by family, following a prolonged battle with a series of strokes," Jack Brown wrote. "Know that he went out on his own terms listening to his favourite music and surrounded by loved ones."
Numerous tributes have been posted by industry friends and colleagues over the past two days.
"Martyn was such a friendly, funny person," wrote Game Republic MD Jamie Sefton and shared with GamesIndustry.biz.
"He was the first to welcome me into Game Republic - which he co-founded in 2003 - and was so generous with his help, advice and contacts. We shared a love of arcade machines and also Leeds United football club and watched many matches together. We gave Martyn our GR Games Legend award just a few weeks ago and he was so pleased to receive it. Martyn was a Yorkshire and industry legend not just for Team17 but also for his incredible support and help for many more developers and people in games. RIP my friend.”
Cooperative Innovations CEO Simon Barrett said that he'd become close friends with Martyn Brown over the past 19 years, and that it's the person the industry will miss the most.
"We had some amazing
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