Charlie Wen, a Marvel veteran who also helped design Kratos for God of War, is joining Epic Games as its new Chief Creative Officer. He is replacing Donald Mustard, who announced his departure last week.
“Excited to share that I embarked on a new adventure as Chief Creative Officer (CCO) of Epic Games. Deeply grateful to everyone who has come alongside me thus far. The journey ahead promises to be truly epic!” Wen wrote in a post announcing the move.
Excited to share that I embarked on a new adventure as Chief Creative Officer (CCO) of Epic Games.
Deeply grateful to everyone who has come alongside me thus far. The journey ahead promises to be truly epic! #EpicGames #fortnite #ue5 #mcu #godofwar #metaverse #videogames pic.twitter.com/nND73BGekB
— Charlie Wen (@imcharliewen) September 11, 2023
As Chief Creative Officer, Wen will be one of the main architects of Fortnite, which became a pop culture behemoth under Mustard, finding ways to weave in characters from the likes of Star Wars, Marvel, Street Fighter, God of War, John Wick, and much more.
Mustard also served as the face for that story, becoming well-known to fans for frequently teasing upcoming developments. He could occasionally be seen in some big movies too, with cameo roles in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, The Matrix Resurrections, and Avengers: Endgame.
Mustard announced his departure on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) last week, writing that he’s “excited to spend time with my wife and family and am forever grateful for [Epic Games CEO] @timsweeney and the Epic Games family.”
You can read his full statement below.
After an incredible adventure, I will be retiring from my role as Chief Creative Officer at Epic this month.
I have enjoyed nearly 25 years in the game industry collaborating with some of the most talented people ever and I am so proud of what we have made together. From the… pic.twitter.com/9KJT9Jg2jr
— Donald Mustard (@DonaldMustard) September 8, 2023
In 2005, Mustard founded Salt Lake City-based studio Chair Entertainment, which released its first game, Undertow, for Xbox 360’s Live Arcade service in 2007.
Chair was acquired by Epic Games in 2008 and there, Mustard would direct beloved 2009 Metroidvania Shadow Complex (today’s news might be a little deflating for those still holding out hope for the sequel). Chair also developed the mobile-based Infinity Blade trilogy for Epic.
In his statement, Mustard noted that he “can’t wait to now share in the future of Fortnite as a player alongside all of you,” and added the current team is working on some “huge, jaw dropping, amazing things.”
Wen, for his part, was the visual development supervisor for Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger, and The Avengers, making him a major creative driver behind Marvel’s distinct look. He should be well-served by his experience in his role within Epic, which includes working with a large number of licenses.
Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she’s not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.
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