Disney Mobile Games SVP and GM Chris Heatherly has left the company after 14 years to join NBCUniversal as EVP for its Worldwide Games and Digital Platforms division.

In his new role he’ll be responsible for creating games and digital content for mobile, console and PC platforms that take advantage of the company’s franchises. The company owns shows 12 Monkeys and Killjoys, as well as numerous other IP.

Heatherly will officially start his new job on 30 September. He will report directly to NBCUniversal Brand Development President Vince Klaseus.

Heatherly had served as SVP and GM for Disney’s games and apps business, and led operations for titles such as Star Wars Commander, Inside Out: Thought Bubbles and Disney Emoji Blitz. He’s also worked in console on titles such as Star Wars Battlefront.

Job losses

The news comes as Disney has been making cuts to its games divisions. This week it let go 250 staff from its consumer products and interactive media division.

Around half of these, 125 employees, were from its Bellevue studio that was responsible for Marvel: Avengers Alliance. That game and its sequel were shut down earlier this month.

Disney also closed Disney Infinity developer Avalanche Software in May, while online services for the game on mobile and PC will be shut down as of 30 September.

While Disney closes down many of its internal games development operations, it has experienced success by licensing its impressive portfolio of IP.

Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes has helped push EA Mobile's revenues to $165 million, while LINE's Disney Tsum Tsum amassed some 60 million downloads as of June 2016.