Haden Blackman steps down as head of 2K’s Hangar 13

Haden Blackman, the longtime head of Hangar 13, is stepping down from his role and leaving 2K. That’s a big change for the studio that has been making Mafia games for Take-Two Interactive’s 2K label.

Nick Baynes, studio head of Hangar 13 Brighton in the United Kingdom, will take over as the new head of the studio, 2K announced.

Blackman, a former LucasArts game creator, started Hangar 13 in Novato, California, in 2014. Blackman’s team oversaw the production of the acclaimed title Mafia III. It was a buggy game, but I loved the story. The studio also published a remake of the original Mafia trilogy. As it expanded, Hangar 13 opened a new studio location in Brighton, England, in 2018.

Here’s the internal communication released by 2K.

Hello team,

It’s with mixed emotions that I share with you several leadership updates from Hangar 13.

Haden Blackman is stepping down as Studio Head of Hangar 13, and is leaving the company to pursue his passion at a new endeavor. We are grateful for Haden’s leadership in establishing Hangar 13, building and uniting teams in Novato, Brighton and Czech, and releasing multiple studio-defining Mafia games and collections. What Haden helped build will continue to carry forward and grow for years to come. We support all of our employees pursuing their passions, and we wish nothing but the best for him in what’s next.

Nick Baynes, Studio Head of Hangar 13 Brighton will take over as Studio Head of Hangar 13. With 30 years of industry leadership experience, Nick joined Hangar 13 in 2018 to establish Hangar 13 Brighton, and has spent the last four years growing the team, building up the studio’s capabilities, and launching terrific projects like Mafia: Definitive Edition and the Mafia Trilogy.

I hope you’ll join me in thanking Haden and wishing him the best, and congratulating Nick on a well-deserved promotion. While change can be challenging, it can also breed new opportunities and success.

We are confident the studio is in great hands heading into the multiple projects currently under way, and the team has 2K’s full support.

2K