Anna Donlon, head of Valorant Studios (Valorant, League of Legends, Call of Duty: Black Ops)
My Perfect Console with Simon ParkinShow Notes
My guest today is an American game producer and studio leader whose career has been shaped by a deep love of competitive shooters and more than two decades spent building some of the genre’s major titles. She began at Treyarch, where she worked as a senior producer on Call of Duty: Black Ops and Black Ops II, before joining Riot Games in 2015. There, she first helped lead League of Legends’ cosmetic content and in-game events.
She later moved into leading a new tactical shooter project, becoming Executive Producer of VALORANT and guiding the game to its launch in 2020. Today, as Head of VALORANT Studios, she oversees the franchise’s wider creative and strategic direction, while also championing initiatives such as VCT Game Changers, Riot’s programme supporting women and marginalised genders in competitive play.
LINKS
Anna Donlon – Valorant & Riot Games Valorant – official site (free to play) VCT Game Changers – Riot's programme supporting women and marginalised genders in competitive play Riot Games – official site
Anna's Perfect Console Silent Hill 2 (PS2, 2001) – Wikipedia Silent Hill 2 Remake (2024) – Steam Grand Theft Auto III (PS2, 2001) – Wikipedia Shadow of the Colossus (PS2, 2005) – Wikipedia Shadow of the Colossus Remake (2018) – PlayStation BioShock (2007) – Wikipedia Ghost of Tsushima – official site Ghost of Tsushima – PlayStation Ghost of Tsushima: Iki Island – Wikipedia
Also mentioned Kaboom! (Atari 2600) – Wikipedia ICO (PS2, 2001) – Wikipedia Red Dead Redemption 2 – Rockstar Games Arc Raiders – Steam Call of Duty: Black Ops – Wikipedia Call of Duty: Black Ops II – Wikipedia Treyarch – Wikipedia JumpStart – educational games series, Wikipedia University of California, Santa Cruz
Next week's guest Paolo Pedercini / Molleindustria – official site Future? No Thanks! – Steam (out now)
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