Crytek Strengthens Leadership: Hannes Seifert Appointed as Co-CEO

Crytek, the studio behind the Crysis franchise, has made a significant addition to its leadership team. The company announced that gaming industry veteran Hannes Seifert will join as co-CEO starting January 1, 2026.

Focus on Production and Publishing

According to the announcement, Hannes Seifert will focus on Game Production and Publishing operations. Crytek founder and CEO Avni Yerli will continue to oversee the company’s strategic direction and future development. Seifert joins the senior management team alongside COO Christopher Schmitz, CTO Clive Gratton, and CFO Volker Vorbrodt.

With nearly 40 years of industry experience as a founder and director at companies including Rockstar Games, Deep Silver, and IO Interactive, Seifert returns to a game development studio after spending eight years in publishing at Riot Games.

“A Strong Step Towards Sustainable Growth”

Commenting on his appointment, Hannes Seifert stated: “After 38 years in the gaming industry, it is an honor to become part of a company I have always greatly admired for its games, technology, and values. I look forward to supporting the teams in providing players around the world with the best action experiences, and I thank Avni for his trust in me.”

Crytek Founder and CEO Avni Yerli described the appointment as a crucial move to strengthen the company’s market position and accelerate growth: “By expanding our management team, we want to strengthen and further grow Crytek’s position in the market. In particular, we will drive growth on a global scale with our publishing and game services. The continued success of Hunt: Showdown 1896 and our commitment to developing CRYENGINE form a strong foundation for our company’s future. As the new co-CEO, Hannes will set the course for sustainable growth.”

Current Focus: Hunt: Showdown and CRYENGINE

The announcement emphasized that the company’s current focus remains on developing and publishing the award-winning live-service game Hunt: Showdown 1896, which reached 10 million players this fall, as well as the in-house CRYENGINE. The company also reminded fans that it shared a 2026 roadmap in November and that one of the game’s most popular events, Post Malone’s Murder Circus, returns on December 11, 2025.

Founded in 1999 by the Yerli brothers, Crytek is known for globally successful titles including Far Cry, the Crysis series, and Hunt: Showdown. Recently, the studio made headlines with the disappointing news that Crysis 4’s development has been shelved.