TBS Gets Snyder For GameTap

Time Warner subsidiary Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. has announced that it has appointed Stuart Snyder as general manager of GameTap. Snyder will be in charge of the day-to-day management of the marketing, programming, development and distribution of GameTap, the 'all you can eat' PC-based monthly subscription game service which launches to consumers in October. GameTap, which was recently the subject of an in-depth interview on Gamasutra, and which has initially announced licensees including classic and newer games from Activision, Atari, Midway, Namco, Sega, Taito, Ubisoft and Vivendi Universal Games, and is now listing its full list of launch games on its website, also recently revealed 'original programming', in the form of short-form videos which play on the GameTap network and are available to subscribers. Snyder most recently served as president and CEO of Cinar Corporation, an animation, live-action and education production/distribution company based in Montreal, Canada. He also co-founded family entertainment company Turnstile Entertainment, where he will retain his ownership interest and board seat, served as President and COO of WWF Entertainment, Inc, and formerly worked at Turner building its home entertainment division. “GameTap is an all-new entertainment experience built on what is also a new business model for our company, so the experience and qualities we looked for in a leader are both varied and highly specific," said Dennis Quinn, executive vice president of business development for TBS. "Stuart's professional expertise in content creation, marketing and managing innovation is unusual in its breadth and distinction, and frankly ideal for the GameTap product and work environment.” [UPDATE - 10/04/05, 9.49am - Added information on Snyder's continuing relationship at Turnstile.]