Former Avalanche Studios Chief Natalie Francis Joins Massive Entertainment as Managing Director

Natalie Francis is joining Massive Entertainment as managing director, effective October 1st. Francis previously served as chief development officer at Avalanche Studios and held the role of head of studio operations and development at DICE.

At Massive Entertainment, Francis will lead the Ubisoft-owned studio known for developing Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora and Star Wars Outlaws. She replaces Thomas Andren, who recently moved into the role of general manager for the creative network.

"Massive Entertainment has an extraordinary history, built by incredibly talented people and a culture that cares deeply about craft and quality," Francis said in the announcement. "I'm excited to build on that foundation and help create the conditions for the studio and its people to thrive in its next chapter."

Christoph Hartmann, general manager for Creative House 2, praised Francis's qualifications for the position. "Natalie's extensive experience bringing talented, multidisciplinary teams together around a clear creative and business vision makes her ideally suited to lead Massive into its next chapter. Her track record of delivering ambitious player experiences while connecting long-term strategy with operational excellence provides a strong foundation for the studio and its talented teams moving forward."

The move comes as Massive Entertainment navigates significant staffing changes. In October 2025, Ubisoft offered a voluntary buyout to staff across multiple studios including Massive. In January 2026, the company confirmed plans to make 55 people redundant at both Massive Entertainment and Ubisoft Stockholm following the voluntary program's completion.

Massive Entertainment is currently developing Tom Clancy's The Division 2 and the forthcoming Tom Clancy's The Division 3.