The Chief Technology Officer (CTO) plays a central role in shaping the success of any games company. Technology is at the heart of how games are created, scaled, and delivered to millions of players worldwide. Having spent more than twenty years in executive search, and with deep experience of hiring CTOs and senior engineering leaders for games companies, I have seen how a great CTO can transform a studio’s capabilities and ambitions. At Neon River we have placed technology leaders for companies such as King, Zeptolab, and Wooga, helping them scale engineering teams and ship world-class products.
Why the CTO role is so important in games
The CTO is the executive who defines and delivers the technical vision of a games company. They decide how to structure engineering teams, what technologies to adopt, and how to balance short-term delivery with long-term scalability. In an industry where tools, platforms, and player expectations evolve rapidly, the CTO ensures that a company’s technology strategy remains competitive. A great CTO helps the studio to innovate, to ship reliably, and to empower its creative teams.
How the role changes with company size
The responsibilities of a CTO vary significantly depending on the scale of the business. In an early-stage studio the CTO is often deeply hands-on, writing code, setting up infrastructure, and working closely with small teams to build the first version of the product. As companies grow, the role becomes more about management and strategy. At scale, the CTO may spend less time in the codebase and more time setting technical direction, building leadership teams, and aligning engineering priorities with commercial strategy. Knowing when and how to make that transition is one of the hardest aspects of the role.
Visionary leaders and strong operators
Finding a CTO who is both a product visionary and a strong operator is extremely challenging. Many gifted strategists need the support of a highly capable VP Engineering to ensure delivery at scale. The best CTOs are able to inspire through vision while also surrounding themselves with operational leaders who excel at execution. A strong partnership between a visionary CTO and a pragmatic VP Engineering is often the foundation of successful large games companies.
The engineer’s engineer
One common trait among the most effective CTOs is that they are respected as “an engineer’s engineer.” These are leaders who have risen through the ranks from individual contributor to engineering leader. They combine technical depth with practical management experience, and they are able to coach teams from direct experience. Their credibility comes not only from their title but from the fact that they understand the realities of building software and can guide teams through complex technical challenges.
AI and the future of engineering
Artificial intelligence is beginning to reshape the work of engineering teams in games. Generative AI tools are being used to create code, automate testing, and accelerate prototyping. AI-driven analytics can highlight performance issues or optimise backend systems at scale. For CTOs, this shift brings both opportunity and responsibility. They must decide which AI tools to integrate, how to manage intellectual property and security risks, and how to ensure their teams are prepared for a world where human engineers and AI systems collaborate. The strongest CTOs today are those who can embrace these tools without losing sight of the creative and technical craft that defines great games.
Our experience of hiring CTOs
At Neon River, we have helped many games companies hire outstanding CTOs and VP Engineering leaders. Our track record includes placing technology executives at global leaders such as King, Zeptolab, and Wooga. These searches have given us a nuanced understanding of what makes a great games CTO: someone who can combine technical excellence with strategic vision, who can scale teams internationally, and who can guide companies through technological shifts like the rise of AI or the move to live services.
Beyond CTOs, we also recruit the senior engineering leaders who report to them. This includes VP Engineering roles, technical directors, and specialist leaders in areas such as infrastructure, data, and tools. These hires ensure that technology organisations are strong at every level, not just at the top.
Closing thoughts
Hiring a CTO is one of the most important decisions a games company can make. The role changes as a company grows, but the need for strong technical leadership remains constant. The best CTOs inspire confidence through their vision, their technical grounding, and their ability to build world-class teams. They know when to be hands-on and when to step back, when to push innovation and when to focus on execution.
At Neon River we understand how rare and valuable these leaders are. With our deep experience in both games and technology, and our track record of placing CTOs and engineering leaders, we are well positioned to help companies find the right technology leader to power their next stage of growth.
About the author
I’m Peter Franks, the founder of Neon River, an executive search firm specialising in hiring senior leaders for games and technology companies. I have over 20 years of headhunting experience and have helped some of the world’s most successful games businesses hire exceptional technology and product leaders. You can reach me at peter@neonriver.com