Joe Henson (video game designer)

Last updated
Joe Henson
Portrait of Joe Henson.png
Born
United Kingdom
Other namesIndie Game Joe
Occupation Video game designer
Notable work

Joe Henson is a British video game designer and marketing consultant. [1] [2] [3] His projects include Don't Scream [4] and Paranormal Tales . [5]

Contents

Career

Joe Henson is a game designer and marketing consultant currently serving as the Creative Gameplay and Marketing Director at British independent developer Digital Cybercherries. Henson's entry into the gaming industry was driven by his passion for video games. [6]

After leaving school at 15, Henson began working full-time as a painter and decorator in his family’s business. In his early teens, he started creating fan websites for his favorite games, which led to building connections with game developers. By his early twenties, these connections evolved into friendships, and in 2015, he helped start the indie studio Digital Cybercherries with his close friends. [7]

While working in the family business, Henson continued to contribute to Digital Cybercherries. His work contributed to projects like New Retro Arcade: Neon [8] and Hypercharge: Unboxed . [9] [10]

In 2020, he transitioned fully into the gaming industry by founding his own company, Indie Game Joe, where he assists indie developers with marketing their games while maintaining his role at Digital Cybercherries.

Henson's first commercial game, Don't Scream , was released in Steam Early Access for Microsoft Windows in October 2023. [11] In 2022, Henson announced that his game, Paranormal Tales would be published and co-developed by Digital Cybercherries. Paranormal Tales is slated for a 2024 release. [12]

Accolades

In 2019, Henson was nominated for Community Manager of the Year at the Social Media Marketing Awards UK. [13] In 2024, he won a Shorty Award for Best Launch Campaign for his work on Don't Scream. [14]

Games

TitleReleasedRole(s)
New Retro Arcade: Neon 2016Marketing director
Hypercharge: Unboxed 2020Creative gameplay and marketing director
Don't Scream 2023Founder and game designer
Paranormal Tales UpcomingFounder and creative gameplay designer

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References

  1. Henson, Joe (February 9, 2022). "The Ultimate Guide - How to Respond to Negative Reviews on Steam and why Customer Relations is Important". Game Developer. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
  2. "Digital Cybercherries' Joe Henson reflects on the variety of experiences crammed into Free Radical's beloved shooter". GamesIndustry. June 6, 2024. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  3. PFISTERER, NICK (April 24, 2024). "Don't Scream: How a small team is leveraging Unreal to deliver dynamic scares". Unreal Source. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  4. Stuart, Keith (October 31, 2023). "Little monsters: why indie developers make the best horror games". The Guardian . Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  5. Cripe, Michael (December 1, 2023). "Why Bethesda Responding to Starfield's Steam Reviews Is Part of a Rising Games Industry Trend". IGN . Retrieved February 11, 2024.
  6. Addison, Luke (June 30, 2024). "Hypercharge: Unboxed's Joe Henson Talks the Game, Mental Health, a PS5 Release and the Future". Fandomwire. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  7. Cichacki, Shaun (June 7, 2024). "Joe Henson Dishes On Hypercharge: Unboxed's Success & Inspirations". The Escapist . Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  8. Jagneaux, David (May 2, 2016). "NewRetroArcade: Neon' Drips Nostalgia With Multiplayer and Expanded Customization on Vive". UploadVR . Retrieved February 11, 2024.
  9. Denzer, TJ (August 31, 2022). "Hypercharge: Unboxed devs on the game's origins & persevering through setbacks". Shack News . Retrieved February 11, 2024.
  10. Paprocki, Matt (June 7, 2019). "'Hypercharge: Unboxed' Is Toy Story, But With Guns - Lots Of Guns". Forbes . Retrieved February 11, 2024.
  11. "Don't Scream: Official Early Access Release Date Trailer". IGN . October 24, 2023. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  12. McKenzie, Theodore (November 10, 2022). "UE5-Powered Horror Paranormal Tales Will Be Published by Digital Cybercherries". 80 Level. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  13. "Community Manager of the Year (Shortlist Announced)". SocialDay. September 12, 2019. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  14. "16TH ANNUAL WINNERS AND HONOREES". ShortyAwards. May 22, 2024. Retrieved July 12, 2024.