Biography
Since 1995, Mike Wilson has been an executive at the forefront of new media development, video game production and publishing, independent filmmaking, and Internet marketing. Widely regarded as a pioneer and leading expert in development and marketing to the $65 billion computer and video game audience, Wilson has been featured in such high-profile publications as the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, New York Daily News, LA Times, USA Today, TechCrunch, Wired, and Texas Monthly.
From 2009-2020, Mike served as co-founder and frontman of independent production and publishing powerhouse Devolver Digital, as well as serving as co-founder and CCO for Devolver-offshoot Good Shepherd Entertainment from 2012-2020. Between these two labels, Wilson executive produced more than 100 original successful independent game IP's, including a string of hits that most recently included Fall Guys, John Wick:Hex, My Friend Pedro, Hotline Miami 1 & 2, Gris, Enter the Gungeon, and the Shadow Warrior franchise.
In 2010, Mike co-produced and played the lead role in the feature comedy Austin High, starring opposite global YouTube sensation Adriene Mishler of Yoga With Adriene fame.
In 2009, Mike formed a digital video and computer game publishing company called Devolver Digital with his longtime business partner Harry Miller. The company has thusfar released Serious Sam HD:The First Encounter and Serious Sam HD: The Second Encounter for PC and XBLA. These remakes of games Wilson and Miller helped make successful in 2001 and 2002 have set the stage for the true sequel to the series, Serious Sam 3, now in development by Croteam for release on PC and major consoles in 2011.
In 2006, Wilson and his former GodGames partners Harry Miller and Rick Stults formed Gamecock Media Group, another large scale, artist-first independent videogame production and publishing company working with independent studios from around the world. Before being acquired by Southpeak in late 2008, Gamecock launched 10 titles on nearly every platform in existence, including Mushroom Men for the Wii and Nintendo DS, Dementium:The Ward for Nintendo DS, Legendary for PC and XBOX 360, and Hail to the Chimp for Sony PS3 and XBOX 360 among others.
From Jan 2002 to November 2004, Mike worked dual roles in gaming and film. He served as Executive Vice President of Artists and Repertoire for Take Two Interactive's Gathering label, leveraging his reputation with game developers worldwide to attract new talent and franchises to the label he started in 1998. During the same time, he produced his first feature film; an independent documentary entitled Burning Man: Beyond Black Rock for his production company, Gone Off Deep Productions, LLC. Burning Man:Beyond Black Rock was released by Warner Music in the summer of 2006.
In August 2001, Wilson co-founded SubstanceTV, a DVD-based video magazine devoted to short films and documentaries. As publisher, he cultivated relationships with filmmakers around the world and contributed to the production of numerous short documentaries.
As co-founder of Gathering of Developers (GodGames) and CEO from 1998 to 2001, Wilson created and established one of the most highly regarded worldwide brands in the crowded, rapidly-consolidating computer game publishing industry in the span of only two years. Gathering of Developers was sold to New York-based publisher Take Two Interactive (TTWO) in May of 2000.
Prior to the Gathering's creation, he co-founded and was named CEO of ION Storm, where he managed the creation and launch of one of the most high-profile game company brands in computer game industry history. He negotiated one of the most lucrative publishing contracts ever for the startup development team led by industry legend John Romero, and helped grow the organization from 8 to 88 employees during 1997.
Mike's reputation for innovative marketing and distribution strategies was cemented during his tenure as Vice President of Marketing and Distribution for id Software, one of the most successful independent game developers in the world. From 1995 to December of 1996, he managed the company's business and marketing affairs, overseeing its publishing relationships with GT Interactive (GTIS) and Activision (ATVI), while establishing distribution for id's self-publishing efforts. He also directly managed the launch of the mega hit Quake series, as well as many products in the best-selling DOOM series.
Wilson entered the game industry in 1995, spending six months as Vice President of Development at IVS/DWANGO, the first nationwide online gaming service. During this time, he managed the company's growth from a single-server, 4-man operation in Houston, TX, to a nationwide franchise operating in 22 markets in less than 6 months, establishing a foothold for the pioneering service that still exists today.
Mike studied PR and Journalism at Louisiana State University, and has been a featured speaker at major industry events and conferences including E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo), SXSW, GDC, (Game Developer's Conference), Reboot, SPA (Software Publishers Association) and others.
