Sean Taylor

Hi, I'm Sean 👋.

I've been making games and interactive amusements for 25-year.

Professional Highlights

• BAFTA-winning Executive Producer with 25 years’ experience delivering award-winning games across console, mobile, web and emerging platforms.
• 100+ games delivered to market, credits include Grand Theft Auto and Crackdown 3.
• Built the UK’s national games innovation centre from the ground up - delivering 177 R&D projects, £85M in economic impact and a 16x return on public investment in five years.

Work With Me

As a consultant and advisor, I help good people do great things. I've spent my career thinking about what makes a great games and how the internet is changing their consumption and distribution. If you're looking for a partner to plot strategies or prototype pilots projects, please reach out: sean [at] seantaylor [dot] work.

Professional Timeline

Chief Product Officer @ 🤐 (2024-Present)

Building the infrastructure to make the intersection of brands, games and social platforms playable and profitable.

Independent Consultant & Strategic Advisor (2023-Present)

Providing specialist consultancy and strategic advisory to the games industry, public sector, and higher education in the UK and MENA.

Executive Director, InGAME - Abertay University (2018 - 2024)

Headhunted to establish and lead InGAME (Innovation for Games and Media Enterprise), the UK’s national research and innovation centre for video games, backed by £5.3M in UK Government funding. InGAME’s mission was to drive sustainable growth and innovation across Scotland’s games industry.

Transformed InGAME from concept to national impact by:

• Defining the vision and delivering a strategic R&D programme.
• Leading a cross-functional team and cultivating a culture of agility and excellence.
• Establishing a co-development model uniting government, academia, and industry.
• Engaging senior stakeholders across public funders, universities, and global studios.
• Driving systemic innovation to boost Scotland’s creative economy and global standing.

InGAME impacts include:

• 177 R&D projects delivered.
• 16x ROI on public investment (£85M in gross value added).
• 175 jobs created and 2,500+ professionals up-skilled.
• 52% studio headcount growth (2018–2023).
• £500M in inward investment into Scottish games studios (2018-2023).

The Economic Impact of InGAME, an economic impact analysis report by Biggar Economics.

Executive Producer, The Producers (2015-2018)

Operated a boutique consultancy providing production and strategic advisory to media startups, indie studios, games education providers and international entertainment publishers.

Executive Producer, Denki (2006-2015)

Led the development and live ops of 100+ casual games across interactive TV, mobile and console using a bespoke production model and dynamic talent pipeline.

• Select IPs: Quarrel, Crackdown 3, Denki Blocks!
• Select Brands: DreamWorks, LEGO, Mind Candy, Pixar.
• Select Platforms: Sky TV, DirecTV, iOS, Android, PlayStation, Xbox.

Director of Mobile Development, DC Studios (2005-2006)

Directed design, production, and live operations of licensed mobile games for partners including Lucasfilm, NASCAR and Fox Broadcasting.

Digital Producer, MediaCo (2001-2005)

Produced interactive marketing campaigns for clients including 3M, Heineken, Reebok and Nestlé.

Game Designer, DMA Design (1998-2000)

Designed concepts, levels, and characters for AAA titles including Tanktics (Interplay) and Grand Theft Auto 2 (Rockstar Games).

Quality Assurance Engineer, DMA Design (1996-1998)

Tested AAA titles including Grand Theft Auto (BMG Interactive) and Body Harvest (Midway).

Awards & Honours

BAFTA (The British Academy of Film and Television Arts)

• BAFTA Scotland: Best Game - Quarrel (Winner, 2011)
• BAFTA Games: Best Mobile & Handheld - Quarrel (Nominee, 2012)

TIGA (The Independent Game Developers’ Association)

• Best Game - Quarrel (Winner, 2012)
• Best Social Game - Quarrel (Winner, 2012)
• Best Serious Game - Quarrel (Winner, 2012)
• Excellence in Games Research - InGAME, Abertay University (Winner, 2021)
• Best Education Initiative - Games Fusion Project, UAL (Winner, 2019)

Publications & Presentations

Select Publications

• Punk Playthings: Provocations for 21st Century Game Makers - CRC Press, 2017
• Stop Just Making Stuff! Listening, Co-creation and Sustainability in Indie Game Development - Participations Journal, 2013

Select Talks

• Making Gender Equity and Parity a Lasting Reality - UK Science & Innovation Network's UK-Italy Women in Games Symposium (2018)
• Cultivating Creative Ecosystems - China Cultural Industry Forum (2019)
• Enabling Equality in Games Education and Research - Develop Conference (2019)
• Creative clusters, and next steps for growth and innovation - Westminster Media Forum Policy Conference (2020)
• Next steps for developing the UK creative industries - Westminster Media Forum Policy Conference (2023)
• Game Tech is Transforming The World! - SXSW (2023)
• Growing the Scottish Games Ecosystem - Dubai Game Expo (2023)
• Developing Local Talent Pipelines - Gaming Matters Dubai (2024)