Level Ex, creators of industry-leading video games for doctors, announced today the hiring of former Atari Chief Operating Officer, Todd Shallbetter, as Senior Vice President, Technology Partnerships. Shallbetter will be leading strategic partnerships with global platform providers and technology companies, including virtual reality and augmented reality hardware and software manufacturers.
Shallbetter brings to Level Ex decades of operating experience from the business side of entertainment and games, having served at Atari for 14 years—first as Head of Digital Strategy and Distribution, then as the Chief Operating Officer, during which he oversaw business development, marketing, and operations functions. He expanded the brand’s reach to over 160 countries through multi-year distribution and licensing deals and grew Atari’s user base by tens of millions of players through its recent titles. Prior to Atari, Shallbetter worked in live entertainment—managing touring businesses for marquee entertainers, including Tina Turner, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and the Harlem Globetrotters—then shifted to managing entertainment merchandising entities.
“With his broad relationships across the video games industry, Todd is exceedingly qualified to identify best-in-class game technologies and help Level Ex unleash them onto the field of medicine,” said Sam Glassenberg, Founder and CEO of Level Ex. “Level Ex has consistently attracted top talent from the games industry across a range of disciplines: art, production, game design, and development. With Todd joining, that roster expands to include business and operations leadership.”
Shallbetter echoed Glassenberg’s enthusiasm:
“I had been following Level Ex closely, so when the opportunity came up to work for them, it was a resounding yes. The caliber of the team is incredible, with standout executives and game developers. They make fun video games to improve physician performance, turning entertainment into a credible tool for learning in ways nobody else has done before. I’m thrilled to push this important mission into new markets.”
Shallbetter joins Level Ex on the heels of tremendous growth. As one of the fastest growing independent video game studios, Level Ex is projected to double their employees in 2019; to date, Level Ex has announced $15M in Seed and Series A financing. The company has released three game titles—Airway Ex, Gastro Ex, and Pulm Ex—with a fourth launching later this month: Cardio Ex. Multiple games are currently in development.
Level Ex’s team unites talent from top game studios—including Electronic Arts, Activision, LucasArts, Telltale Games, and Warner Bros Interactive—with expert physicians and surgeons from leading academic hospitals to develop the company’s medical video games.
