Epic Games hires former head of Blizzard’s Battle.net
Martin Keely, the former Senior Vice President of Battle.net and Technology Services at Blizzard, has joined Epic Games as VP and General Manager of the Epic Games Store and Epic Online Services. Keely spent seven years at Blizzard, where he contributed to the platform’s growth and development.
His move comes as Epic Games looks to strengthen its storefront and online services offerings. Keely replaces Steve Allison, who recently departed to join Saber Interactive. In his LinkedIn announcement, Keely expressed enthusiasm about “delivering new capabilities that elevate player, creator and developer experiences” and working toward “an open and sustainable gaming ecosystem.”
At Blizzard, Keely developed expertise in platform management and technology infrastructure, having overseen one of the gaming industry’s largest launchers. His appointment signals Epic’s continued investment in improving the Epic Games Store—a platform that has faced criticism regarding user experience compared to competitors like Steam.
The hire represents a strategic effort to enhance Epic’s digital storefront and online infrastructure as the company differentiates its offering through technological improvements and developer-friendly policies.