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