Mike Wilson (executive)

Wilson delivering a keynote address at the 2022 Game Developers Conference[1]

Michael S. Wilson[2] (born 1970) is an American business executive, video game producer, and film-maker. Beginning his career at DWANGO as Vice President of Development before being hired to lead marketing and publishing at id Software in 1995, Wilson has subsequently co-founded multiple independent video game publishers, including Gathering of Developers, Gamecock Media Group, Devolver Digital, Good Shepherd Entertainment, and DeepWell DTx.

Wilson has been a featured speaker at South by Southwest,[3] Reboot Red,[4] Reboot Blue, E3, the International Games Summit on Mental Health Awareness,[5] Game Developers Conference,[6] and many more, and is a vocal advocate for mental health in games, and self-care and unionization in the world of independent game development. In 2019, he called on the industry to start grappling with the reality of video game addiction and begin taking active measures to curb its effects through "being more intentional about the content we create."[7]

Wilson has served as a partner and frontman for Devolver Digital since co-founding the company in 2009 and concurrently served as Chief Creative Officer for Good Shepherd Entertainment from 2012 through 2020.[8] He also currently sits on the advisory board of Take This, a non-profit dedicated to raising awareness about mental health issues for video game professionals within the industry.[9]

In 2019, Wilson co-founded Transcend Victoria, a Victoria, British Columbia-based entertainment company dedicated to creating "immediate, interactive art" designed to bring people offline and together in shared physical spaces.[10]

Wilson served as the co-founder and co-chief executive officer of DeepWell DTx, a video game publisher and developer.[11]

Wilson left DeepWell DTx in 2023.[12][13] He currently serves as an executive officer at Medicinal Media, which he co-founded with Melissa Wilson.[14]

  1. ^ "Mike Wilson (Devolver Digital)". Game Developers Conference. Retrieved 2022-06-05.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Deal Better Drugs: Gaming Addiction and Nutrition". SXSW 2021 Schedule. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  4. ^ "Speakers". Reboot Develop Red 2020. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  5. ^ "Successful game industry pros talk about their struggles with depression". VentureBeat. 2020-10-07. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  6. ^ "Publisher Opens Its GDC Space to Developers Stranded by Trump's Travel Ban". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  7. ^ Calvin, Alex (4 November 2019). "Devolver's Wilson says it's time to take more responsibility about video game addiction". pcgamesinsider.biz. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  8. ^ "Michael (Mike) Wilson".
  9. ^ "It's time to talk about mental illness in indie development". Engadget. 4 April 2018. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  10. ^ ""If we're going to be drug dealers, let's not literally mine for addicts"". GamesIndustry.biz. 3 November 2019. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  11. ^ "New Video Game Company DeepWell DTx Unites Games Vets & Medical Experts to Harness the Therapeutic Power of Interactive Entertainment". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved 2022-05-19.
  12. ^ Rousseau, Jeffrey (8 May 2024). "Writer". games industry.biz. Games Industry. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  13. ^ Rousseau, Jeff (8 May 2024). "Mike Wilson leaves DeepWell".
  14. ^ Takahashi, Dean (2023-05-01). "Medicinal Media highlights links between games and healing". VentureBeat. Retrieved 2024-05-06.