Creative leader & game maker
Christine Brownell
I believe great games and great teams are built the same way: through collaboration, curiosity, trust, and the courage to keep iterating until we get it right.
20+ yearsshaping games, teams and strategy across the industry
VP of Designat LEGO Digital Play, helping to define the future of digital play for the LEGO brand
BAFTA jurorBAFTA Games Awards juries for Game Design (2023 and 2026) and Evolving Game (2025)
Photo: Jessica Shumway Photography
About
I’m a senior creative leader with more than 20 years of experience shaping games, teams and strategy across the industry, from World of Warcraft and The Sims to the rise of VR, mobile free to play and multiplayer UGC experiences.
I care deeply about how creativity happens. I love developing concepts from a spark to a fully realised idea, and making sure teams stay inspired and aligned through that (sometimes messy!) process.
What I focus on
- Designing emotionally resonant experiences that bring joy to players
- Connecting creative vision with strategic direction in a way teams can rally around
- Leading creative teams with empathy and a strong sense of purpose
- Turning ambiguity into focus, meaningful next steps and momentum
- Building collaborative, high-trust teams where people can do their best work
Selected work
A few of the games I’ve helped make.
Scopely · Creative Director
Temple Run: Puzzle Adventure
A new way to experience the stories and characters of Temple Run, made for Apple Arcade.
EA Playfish · Creative Director
The Sims Social
The Sims reimagined as a social game, made with the Playfish team in London.
EA Maxis · Senior Game Designer
The Sims 4
Game design with the Sims team at Maxis, helping to bring The Sims 4 to life.
Blizzard Entertainment · Quest Designer
World of Warcraft
Where my design career began: quest design on the original World of Warcraft.
Today I lead design at LEGO Digital Play, after roles at Sumo Digital, PlayStation London Studio and Media Molecule. See the full career history.
Career
- 2025 – nowLEGO Digital PlayVP of Design. Previously Senior Design Director, Games.London
- 2024 – 2025Sumo DigitalDirector of Live OpsLondon
- 2023 – 2024PlayStation London StudioGame DirectorLondon
- 2022 – 2023Media MoleculeFranchise Design DirectorSurrey
- 2019 – 2022ScopelyCreative DirectorLondon
- 2013 – 2020Christine Brownell CreativeFounder and Creative DirectorGame content and system design for clients including Google, Electronic Arts and Oculus.Miami / Fort Lauderdale
- 2008 – 2012Electronic ArtsCreative Director at Playfish. Previously Senior Game Designer at Maxis.London and Redwood City, California
- 2006 – 2008Perpetual EntertainmentLead World DesignerSan Francisco Bay Area
- 2005 – 2006NetDevilLead Content Designer. Previously Content Designer.Louisville, Colorado
- 2003 – 2005Blizzard EntertainmentQuest Designer. Previously QA Software Analyst.Irvine, California
Education: B.A. in Art (Graphic Design), California State University, Long Beach. Certifications: Certified Scrum Product Owner, Certified ScrumMaster.
Writing
Essays on making games and building a career in the industry.
Three-part series · 2018
Harsh Realities of the Game Industry
The less-told truths of professional game development, and what they mean for anyone hoping to build a career in it.
Essay · 2019
Finding a New Path: How I Survived a Game Industry Layoff
A personal account of an early-career layoff, and the path it opened up afterwards.
Craft · 2018
Five Ways to Improve Brainstorm Meetings (for Game Designers!)
Practical ways to run brainstorms that produce more and better ideas.
Mentoring & juries
Time I give back to the industry and the people coming into it.
BAFTA
Awards juror
Juror for the BAFTA Games Awards in Game Design (2023 and 2026) and Evolving Game (2025), and for the BAFTA Young Game Designer Awards (2024).
Since 2022
Limit Break mentor
Mentoring through Limit Break, the mentorship programme for marginalised people working in the UK games industry.
2015 – 2020
Earlier mentoring
Gap-year mentor with Year On, mentor and speaker at Miami Dade College’s MAGIC programme, and Interactive Media committee member for the Grace Hopper Conference.
What colleagues say
From recommendations on my LinkedIn profile.
“Christine is an exceptional leader whose guidance and mentorship greatly enriched our team dynamics and propelled our project forward with clear direction and decisiveness.”
James BraceCo-Founder, CEO & Creative Director at Twisted Works
“Christine is without a doubt one of the best people and professionals I have ever worked with.”
Gerardo Martínez CabreraGame Designer Expert & Product Manager at Playtika
“Christine is a crisp and detailed thinker, who always begins her process from the point of view of the player.”
Charles LondonVP, Creative at Scopely