After a remarkable 36-year journey in the video game industry, Brian Raffel, the co-founder of the renowned Madison, Wisconsin-based development studio Raven Software, has officially announced his retirement.
Raffel's departure marks the end of an incredible era for the studio he helped build from the ground up. Over the course of nearly four decades, Raven Software evolved from its early days collaborating alongside id Software on beloved classic shooters like Heretic and Hexen, to becoming a powerhouse developer handling some of the biggest intellectual properties in global entertainment.
Under Raffel's veteran leadership, the studio's impressive portfolio expanded to include major video game adaptations for the Star Wars, Star Trek, and Marvel universes. Most recently, Raven Software has served as a crucial development pillar for the blockbuster Call of Duty franchise, cementing Raffel's enduring legacy as a foundational figure in modern gaming history.