On 28th December 2024, the games industry lost one of its most beloved members, Team17 co-founder, Martyn Brown.
Martyn was an integral part of the early success of Team17 and remained a driving force at our Wakefield studio until he left in 2011. During that time, he wore many hats – Founder, Producer, Designer, Creative Director, Studio Director – making meaningful contributions not just to the games Team17 created but also to the connections made with its people and developers.
The development of Team17’s earliest games – Full Contact, Alien Breed, Project X – was handled by a small team of programmers, artists and sound designers that Martyn had brought together through his previous company 17-bit Software, whose slogan was “That bit better than the rest”. A label that could equally apply to Martyn, who was so passionate about his favourite Amiga computer that Team17 was set up to develop titles exclusively for it.
Martyn’s people skills helped unite the team to achieve greatness in those early years. The manual to the original Alien Breed credits Rico Holmes on game design but adds, with tongue in cheek, that Martyn got the project into one piece by “doing all the shouting, screaming, moaning and sweating.” These words were almost certainly written by Martyn himself who, in reality, was exceptionally well loved by his colleagues and was the glue that bonded the teams together.
Martyn, second left, with the original Team17 dev team,
powered by suspicious green fluid some time in 1990.
As Team17 expanded, it moved into third party publishing, using its good reputation with players to bring other developers’ games to the Amiga. Martyn became an integral part of this operation, using his skills to collaborate with developers all over Europe, long before the internet made remote working easy. It’s in this period that Martyn met Worms creator Andy Davidson at a trade show in 1994 and, after playing the game on the show floor, immediately offered Andy a publishing deal. Martyn loved games and knew how to spot a winner.
Even if you didn’t know Martyn’s name, you probably knew his nickname, “Spadge”, which will be familiar to Worms players as one of the default worm names, going all the way back to the original 1995 release. We were also delighted to honour Martyn in the museum content of 2024’s Worms Armageddon: Anniversary Edition, which featured some great stories about his involvement in the series and a brilliant photo (below) of Martyn in the warehouse of Team17’s old Ossett HQ. Martyn even helped out behind the scenes on this release by reuniting us with artist Rico Holmes for the documentary videos. He never stopped bringing people together to make games that bit better.
There are many stories about what made Martyn great. We can only scratch the surface, but we wanted to share some memories from the people who worked with him during the first two decades of Team17’s history, so below you will find just a few quotes detailing what Martyn meant to people....
Martyn Brown will be missed by all who knew him and we at Team17 would like to take this opportunity to recognise Martyn for his enormous contribution to the company’s history, the great games he helped produce and the people he made smile.
If anyone would like to do something that would have made Martyn smile, his family suggests that a contribution to the Dogs Trust charity would do just that.
MEMORIES OF MARTYN
"I still remember the day I got word from Martyn that there
was the go-ahead on making Full Contact, the first game that
came to spark the company, Team17, which became a vital part
of the 90's game industry and onwards. Martyn formed the team
including me, Rico Holmes and Allister Brimble and together we
enjoyed continuous success with titles that reached the top of
the games chart. Only someone like Martyn could enable such
success, very much down to his love and passion for game
development. He has through the years inspired countless more,
from individuals to businesses, small and large. His impact on
the games industry through the years has been significant. The
sheer count of people and communities he as connected is
unique. Same goes for the games and projects he has led from
scratch to success."
ANDREAS TADIC – PROGRAMMER
TEAM17 – 1990-2002
"I will always remember Martyn for giving me a chance. He had
a knack for realising potential and then bringing out the best
in people. I owe my career in game music to him. He brought
together me, Rico Holmes and Andreas Tadic to create the very
first games for Team17. He didn't always get everything right
though. In his first letter to me he suggested avoiding the
Soundtracker utility, as it was too complicated to use and I
should wait for something better. Soundtracker went on to be
the most important audio utility in gaming history. Mind you,
I didn't get everything right either. Martyn suggested to me
that it would be a very good idea to do the Worms project,
offering a royalties-only deal instead of a one-off payment.
He told me he had a good feeling about this game. I wasn't so
sure, and had some other work on at the time so turned it
down. Worms turned out to be one of Team17’s best
sellers!"
ALLISTER BRIMBLE - MUSIC & SOUND DESIGN
TEAM17–
1990-1996
"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."
DEBBIE BESTWICK – CO-FOUNDER & CEO
TEAM17 –
1990-2021
TEAM17 GROUP/EVERPLAY – 2018-PRESENT
"I've known Martyn from the very beginning of Team17. He was
quiet and dedicated to the games during work, but a very
lively and friendly person once it was time to go down the
pub! Those social skills served Martyn's career just as well
as his games knowledge. Though, speaking personally, I could
have done without him losing his company card on business
trips!"
ELAINE ROBINSON – FINANCE
TEAM17 – 1990-PRESENT
"Martyn’s passing has brought forth many stories about
shenanigans, for which he was famous, and about his reach and
dedication in the game industry, which was legendary. But the
things I appreciated most about Martyn were his kindness and
warmth. Although there are stories about me dancing on (and
falling off) tables… I’d probably not even have been out if
not for Martyn’s gentle persuasion. They say that an
introvert’s friends are just extroverts who decided to adopt
them… and Martyn certainly adopted me. He had an infectious
enthusiasm. A way of getting you to say yes to things you
might never have considered, without him ever resorting to
coercion. He got me playing Perudo, and even watching Leeds
United despite my life-long indifference to football. Things I
never expected to do. But Martyn had a genuine joi de vivre
that made every shared experience a joyful adventure. But he
was never pushy. He finally persuaded me to attend one of his
infamous Galway trips just as I had begun running
ultra-marathons, and despite the two lifestyles not being
compatible, he always invited, but never pushed me to attend
in subsequent years. Since I moved to France, we saw one
another less. And the last time I saw him, for curry in the
Cinnamon Lounge, was thanks to his persistence. For which I’ll
always be grateful. I promised him that night, that I’d go
round for a game of Tempest, one of our shared passions. It
never happened, and while I’ll carry that regret with me
forevermore… I’ll carry the love of the man, and the gratitude
for that invitation just as long."
MARCUS DYSON - PRODUCER AND (ACCORDING TO THE SUPER
SKIDMARKS CREDITS) A DUDE
TEAM17 – 1994-1997
"When I first met Martyn in 1994, my initial impression was of
a fun-loving and friendly individual with a passion for making
games. When I had to decide which game publisher to work with,
the warm, family-like atmosphere that Martyn and the team
projected made the choice easy. Martyn was willing to take a
risk on me, and that gave me the confidence to build a team
and grow beyond being a solo developer. For that, I am most
grateful. Looking back, I see that decision not only shaped my
own journey but also influenced the many people I have
employed since."
ARDEN ASPINALL - GAME DEVELOPER
TEAM17
FREELANCER - 1995-1998
"I had the pleasure of working with my friend Martyn for 25
years, through Team17, The Blast Furnace, and New Star Games,
and it genuinely was an absolute pleasure. He was charismatic,
funny, insightful, driven, creative, mischievous, and a smile
was never far from his lips. For years he seemed to know just
about everybody in the games industry, and like anyone who
knew him, he’s left me with a collection of amazing and very
funny memories from the time we spent working and travelling
together. His passing is not only a huge loss for his family
and friends, but also for the UK games industry. He leaves
behind a massive legacy in the studios he founded and
supported, a generation of game developers he guided with his
generous advice, and the many much-loved games he helped
develop that have brought joy to millions and millions of
gamers. Martyn Brown, my old friend, I’m missing you
already."
JOHN DENNIS – HEAD OF DESIGN
TEAM17 –
1997-2011
"Martyn was an important person to me in many ways. Besides
being a friend from the 17-bit Software days, he gave me my
big break in music for video games, and gave me the
opportunity to compose and produce the music for Worms, which
was an amazing experience that I will never forget. Martyn
gave me the opportunity to relocate from Norway to England,
and, as a young guy who lived and breathed two things: Games,
and Music, this was a pivotal moment in my life and has pretty
much shaped my life ever since. It would be an understatement
to say that Martyn had a great impact on how my life turned
out, and I will forever be grateful. I will never forget
Martyn and the fun times we had together."
BJØRN LYNNE – MUSIC & AUDIO
TEAM17 –
1995-2005
"Martyn is pretty much the reason I’m still in the games
industry. I was working for a company making a game for
Team17, it was getting behind, so we moved up to Wakefield and
the Team17 offices to get the game finished. The first month I
was here the company I was working for had a big VAT bill and
told us that month they would have to halve our salary. Martyn
heard about this, spoke to Mick Robinson (then Team17’s owner)
and, without anyone asking him to, decided that everyone
should be paid for the work they do and got cheques issued for
us to cover the other half. Team17 used to also be a
distributor. In the Amiga days everyone would help in the
evening filling boxes with manuals and disks. This included
Martyn, just because he was a director made no difference.
Most days (especially in the summer) we would all meet up in
the pub after work. This was mainly driven by Martyn and
really helped the company feel like working with family.
Martyn was an inclusive person; he brought people together and
welcomed everyone. It was effortless for him."
COLIN SURRIDGE – PROGRAMMER
TEAM17 –
1995-PRESENT
"Martyn gave me one of my first opportunities in the games
industry by agreeing to be interviewed for a Team17 history
piece I contributed to Retro Gamer magazine in 2005. As a
Wakefield lad I was exceptionally proud of Team17 and looked
up to Martyn, so when I became a full time journalist I would
often visit the T17 office in Ossett, whenever I visited home,
to preview new games and interview the teams. Martyn was
always very kind during those visits. He would bring me along
to pub lunches for pie & mash and a cheeky game of Perudo,
and I remember him taking time out of his day to give me a
lift home one time. I always felt very included, and when I
decided to move home in 2017, it felt very natural to join the
company where Martyn and the team had always made me feel
welcome. Martyn’s kind spirit meant a lot to me and, on a
professional level, I was always impressed by how articulate,
knowledgeable and generous he was. Although we never worked
together officially at Team17, I have always tried my best to
embody these same qualities in my own work and honour his
legacy."
ASHLEY DAY – DEVELOPER RELATIONS
TEAM17 –
2017-PRESENT
"My first thought about Martyn Brown is that twinkle in his
eye. He could make me laugh with just a look. He often had
quips, his mannerisms, his expressions, I knew it to be
special. I thought he liked making folks happy. I have a lot
to thank him for; he helped set up a company that has been my
career for 30 years. Goodbye Spadge!"
JOHN EGGETT – DESIGNER
TEAM17 – 1995-PRESENT
"I had the privilege of working with Martyn for many years, 15
of those were at Team17. He was a great person to work with,
he had an infectious sense of fun and he was fiercely loyal,
he always had your back and was one of the most generous
people that I've ever known. He also had an uncanny knack for
knowing what was going to be big in the games industry, in
many ways he was ahead of his time and his superpower was an
ability to remember conversations in great detail after
entertaining various publishers, which often resulted in
Team17 signing profitable deals. He was a force of nature and
a good friend. I will miss him greatly."
MARK BALDWIN – DESIGNER, PRODUCER, COMMUNITY MANAGER
TEAM17 – 1997-2012
"I worked at Team17 for twenty-five years, having joined way
back in 1998. One of my first memories of being there is
reading Cris Blyth’s goodbye email, in which he wrote of how
Team17 felt like a family. At many other workplaces, that
could be read insincerely – but I soon began to see the place
in much the same way. Martyn was a huge part of that. He was
at the top of the company, yet he was always incredibly
friendly, warm and so easy to talk to. In the early 2000s I
was lucky enough to lead the design of one of the Worms games.
Sitting next to him, somewhat nervously in a crowded boardroom
review, he looked down at the handheld running the game,
nudged me with his elbow and smilingly said: “It’s dead good
this innit?” – and it meant the world to me. I was happy he
was happy. Over the years I got to know him better, and I
count myself incredibly lucky to have spent time on the road
with him promoting Team17’s games in several countries. I have
so many memories full of laughter, he had a natural ability to
make things fun. He was authentically himself; a proud
Yorkshireman who loved life. He made so many games happen and
helped countless people in their careers. He’ll be missed for
a long time by those who knew him, but leaves behind an
incredible legacy and many happy memories."
KEVIN CARTHEW – HEAD OF DESIGN
TEAM17 – 1998-2023
"Martyn, or Spadge, who I’ve known for more than 30 years, is
one of my favourite people in the world. I say, “is”, because
I can’t really bring myself to write “was”. Not quite yet. Not
while Leeds United are still fighting for promotion back to
where they belong. Martyn and I used to watch the football at
Elland Road, the home of his beloved Leeds. I remember one
specific occasion. One evening, shortly after my wife and I
discovered that our new baby was going to be born with a
disability, I was sitting at home brooding. There was a knock
at the door. Standing on the doorstep was my Big Boss, the
head of Team17, Spadge. “I thought you might need your mind
taken off things, mate. Get in the car, we’re off to the
footy”, he said, brooking no argument. I turned to my wife,
she nodded her agreement, and off Spadge and I went. On the
way there we chatted about game theory and centre halves. The
game was a dreadful, cold Wednesday night draw with Derby
County. I remember it because the tedium and Martyn’s calm,
openness let me talk about what exactly was going on in my
head. He listened, offered no thoughtless advice to make
himself feel better, patted me on the shoulder as we walked
back to the car. It was what I needed. When our baby was born,
very disabled indeed – so much so that she worried some people
– he was one of the first to come to the house to welcome her.
Sorry, if you were expecting videogames and mad drinking bouts
and general Spadge infused shenanigans. There was a lot more
to the man than that. But this is one of my strongest memories
of my very dear friend, who’ll never knock on my door again
with two tickets to the match, and that is not something I’m
prepared to contend with yet."
TIM SMITH – PRODUCER
TEAM17 – 1994-1996
