Team17 has paid tribute to its late co-founder Martyn Brown in a recent blog post over on its website.
Martyn Brown passed away last December, aged 58, prompting an immediate outpouring of tributes from those who had grown up playing and loving the games he helped put together at the iocnTeam17.
The blog post features a heartfelt statement from the developer and publisher calling Brown “an integral part of the early success of Team17” and “a driving force at our Wakefield studio until he left in 2011”.
It goes on to credit him with bringing together the majority of the programmers who would produce some of the company’s including Full Contact, Alien Breed, and Project X, and also labels Brown “an integral part” of Team17’s publishing operation, recalling his incredible knack for spotting talented and passionate developers such as the Worms developer Andy Davidson.
In addition to the above, the blog also collects a bunch of different memories from those who had the chance to get to know Brown and work alongside him, including his fellow Team17 co-founder Debbie Bestwick, Alien Breed programmer Andreas Tadic, the Worms musician Bjørn Lynne, and several other friends and former colleagues.
Speaking about her old business partner, Bestwick (who is still a part of the company as a non-executive director) shared the following statement:
“Fond farewell to an absolute genius and my BFF from 1987-1991. Here’s are a couple of my favourite stories. Project X was so bloody difficult, we had to do QA as well as make the game. At the time, the car not to own was a Scoda, and Martyn thought it would be hilarious to list me on the high score ranking beneath a Scoda owner. The cheat codes he put in games were so not politically correct, but at that time it was just about excusable. To this day I get asked about those cheat codes! Seeing Worms at ECTS for the first time and then we all headed to the pub at the end of the day and Martyn losing Andy Davidson’s contact details. To this day Tim Smith and Marcus Dyson thank you for connecting. We always did the grand national bets at ECTS and to this day I swear Martyn gave the wrong piece of paper over! I could share hundreds of stories. Goodbye my friend and sorry we never said goodbye properly. I missed you so much and love you forever.
If you’d like, you can read the rest of the blog now on Team17’s website.
Brown’s family also suggests that those who want to pay tribute to Brown in their own way should consider making a donation to the Dog’s Trust — a charity that was close to the developer’s heart and that is dedicated to the rehoming and well-being of dogs within the UK.
Go on.... treat yourself to a new game.
2 Comments
It’s really touching to see Team17 honoring Martyn Brown like this. He was such a pivotal figure in shaping the games we grew up with, and it’s clear from the memories shared that he had a profound impact on everyone around him. The stories about his humor and creativity, especially those cheeky cheat codes, really capture the essence of what made him special. It’s a reminder of how much personality and heart went into the games we loved, like Worms and Alien Breed.
Losing someone who contributed so much to the gaming community is tough, but it’s great to see his legacy being celebrated. Also, donating to the Dog’s Trust is a lovely way to honor him—definitely a fitting tribute for someone who clearly had a big heart. Rest in peace, Martyn. Your genius and spirit will always be remembered in the gaming world.
It’s always tough to lose someone who shaped our gaming memories. Martyn Brown sounds like he was not just a genius but also a genuinely fun person to be around. The stories about his cheeky humor and the way he connected people really hit home. It’s wild to think about how many iconic games came from his vision, like Worms and Alien Breed.
I can’t help but smile thinking about those early days of gaming, where every cheat code felt like a secret handshake among friends. It’s clear he left a huge mark on Team17 and the gaming community as a whole. Sending love to his family and friends—donating to a cause he cared about is a beautiful way to honor his memory. Rest in peace, Martyn. You’ll be missed but never forgotten.