Cory Ledesma

“I’ve known Cory for quite a few years but only recently had the privilege of working with him on his team. His experience and guidance gave me new perspectives and made me a more competent and well-rounded Producer. Cory works with a level of confidence and professionalism that is admirable. He commands the attention of a room with ease and always keeps a cool head under pressure, never allowing the incompetence or ego of others to effect the quality of the final product. Often in production, we find ourselves spending more time with our coworkers than our own families. Having someone like Cory on your team and a part of your day to day makes your work life more enjoyable and rewarding, even on the bad days. He is an invaluable asset to any team he is a part of and will raise the bar to then undoubtedly surpass it. Cory is an amazing Executive Producer and leader and an even better person and friend. I look forward to working with Cory again in the future.”

“Cory is an exceptional Executive Producer and one of the brightest leaders that I have ever worked with. I have had the pleasure of working on Cory's team for the past two years, producing innovative and award winning products. Cory serves as a motivational mentor to his team and possesses an unshakable confidence that makes others look towards him when a path forward is needed. Cory has a brilliant mind for crafting best in class products and experiences, is able to tackle complex technically issues fearlessly and is constantly cultivating his team members for success. For any team in need of an Executive Producer, Cory has my highest recommendation. ”

“Effective managers are hard to come by, and any company that employs Cory has one. He has been a fantastic manager to work with; his ability to empower his team, be a leader, and handle any issues that come his way professionally are all great qualities. In particular, he handles tight deadlines and tough business challenges effortlessly. I had the pleasure of working with Cory for almost 2 years in my role as HR Manager and hope to work with him again in the future.”

“It was a pleasure working w/ Mr. Ledesma. One of his greatest skill-set is the ability to not only communicate clearly but effectively. Combine that with his knowledge in the F2P mobile space. He'll make a great addition to any team. Best of luck to your new venture.”

“If you're in need of a highly detailed, personable, and effective person to manage the production or creative development of your projects, Cory is perfect for the job. Aside from knowing his stuff, he has one of the best optimistic personalities I have worked with which positively impacts his team. I have seen Cory excel at everything from contract details to creative copywriting. He is eager to take on any task and believes there is always a way to get things done well, even if it at first seems impossible. Working with Cory is a joy, and I think he would be a great asset to any team! ”

“I had the pleasure of working with Cory as both a designer on his team and in digital marketing. Cory's mind for game design is unmatched. He's extremely detail-oriented, and is fearless in pushing the envelope towards innovation in what he oversees. As the Creative Director of a AAA franchise for many years, Cory showed time and time again that he was the right man for the job both as a leader and a mentor. Cory fully understands and embraces how marketing development efforts build an unbreakable bond with fans of his games, which ultimately leads to loyal influencers that continue to praise his efforts long after his projects are complete. Bottom line, he's a caring, passionate mentor and colleague to all who have had the luxury to work with and under him. ”

“Quite frankly, I would not be where I am in my career, in my life, were it not for Cory Ledesma. In 2005, I was toiling away in QA trying to figure out what the hell I was going to do with my life. I was a recent college graduate (big shout out to CSUN; go Matadors!) and was, for lack of a better word, aimless. The one thing that I knew for sure was that I wanted out of QA in a big way. Cory reached out to me and gave me what so many people are desperate for – an opportunity. Cory saw something in me that no one else did at the time. Cory wanted me to join him in product management and assist him on the WWE franchise (at that time the game was going by the name SmackDown Vs. RAW). I was gob smacked. I could not believe what was happening. A few months later I was out of QA and working under Cory on the design team. Within a matter of months I had gone from working in QA to working side by side with this man, designing features and modes for one of my favorite games. Cory did that for me. I'm telling this story because it’s a perfect encapsulation of Cory's character. Cory is a good man in all respects and will instantly increase the value of any company/team/studio that he chooses to work for. I had the pleasure of working with Cory on 9 AAA WWE games, all of which shipped on time. For anyone reading this, I cannot recommend Cory highly enough! I miss working with him and wish that we still were. I seriously envy whomever gets the opportunity to do so in the future. ”

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Cory both at THQ and at 2K. His knowledge, dedication and positive personality – and his ability to bring a team together - allowed him to be a highly successful Creative Director. Our marketing team could always count on Cory to deliver to the highest standards, whether it was collaboration on a press event (Cory always presented the game wonderfully), in-game additions and improvements, and general production insight. I highly recommend Cory, he would be an amazing addition to any team. ”

“I've had the great pleasure of working with Cory on the past two iterations of the WWE Games franchise at THQ and 2K Sports. Cory was the creative leader that was the heart and soul of the WWE video game franchise. Cory is a passionate Creative Director with a true love for creating games as well as playing them. Cory believes in developing and empowering employees by bringing together excellent team members to produce great games. Cory set the vision for the studio and created an open creative environment for all of us on the team to excel and strive to make every iteration of WWE, realize it's fullest potential. Cory is a dedicated manager that is not only dedicated to the project, but to his team as well. Cory's open door policy also made him accessible and encouraging, and he was a great resource for those times when I needed someone to bounce ideas off of, and required assistance with direction and vision. Cory brings a strong leadership and creative vision to his team, instills confidence across all disciplines, along with exceptional business acumen. Always a consummate professional, it would be a privilege for me to have an opportunity to work with him again. ”

“It was a solid work experience when we worked together in the past. Cory knew what he was after and could articulate his needs and wishes for the project. He is a bright person who can think quickly and roll with all the punches that the entertainment world can throw. If you need a creative director with vision and talent for what is important... Cory is your man. ”

“Cory was a beacon of common-sense, practicality, and rationality on a very difficult project. With a strict deadline, new hardware, and an untested new team, his attributes on the publisher-side were greatly appreciated by everyone at the developer. Cory has amazing passion for the WWE (née WWF) license, and good insights into what makes gameplay work for the property. It was a pleasure working with Cory, even when we were crunching hard for final deliverables. He's a champ.”

“Cory is an amazing creative director. From the time we started working together he was always open to new ideas and was a terrific partner to the marketing and PR groups. He's a great brand advocate, very dedicated and someone you can always count on. He's a solid contributor and we had a lot of fun making tons of cash for our company and partners.”

“I worked with Cory for eight iterations of WWE, three hand helds, and several other projects, and Cory has always been passionate and focused about bringing to the WWE Universe the best possible simulation combat games possible. He has a great attention to detail and is driven to bring these details alive in each iteration or game he works on. He has a practical approach to managing the process that is driven by the resources and constraints of working on an annual release. Cory always expected more from himself and his team and always welcomed the challenge of pushing the bar higher. Cory has high standards and great expectations and that is the way it should be when you are trying to bring the fantasies of the WWE Universe into a video game.”

“I miss working with Cory Ledesma. That's because he was an extraordinarily passionate Creative Director who managed to not only play a role in every aspect of the (perennial hit) WWE Games series, but actually bring positive change and improvement at every step of the way. I worked with Cory in a marketing capacity, where he displayed a phenomenal knowledge and familiarity with not only the WWE Games and the WWE itself, but with the specific quirks, desires and preferences of our unique fanbase. Of course, Cory was fantastic on the mic and on camera, and a huge asset in promoting the games he worked so hard on, but what really impressed me was the way he synthesized the desires of the fanbase with more mainstream marketing concerns and brand best practices to create a new, fun game experience that appealed to all of our diverse audiences every single year. While I never reported directly to Cory or even worked within his Product Development group, I watched enough of the process (and have followed the history of the games long enough) to know that he was a tremendous asset to the team. In the face of apathy from THQ executives and drastically dwindling resources, Cory made the absolute most out of what he was given, inspiring his team to continue innovating even in the face of THQ's bankruptcy, while maintaining superb relationships with a studio separated from the publisher by a language and an ocean. Cory would be a tremendous addition to any team, as his passion and skill for organization, management and sticking to a clear creative vision, are characteristics that are necessary but too often lacking in professionals in this line of work.”

“Cory is as passionate as they come. He's detail-oriented and driven by the desire to make the best possible games he can. Regardless of the product, his need to give fans what they want is the ideal ask for someone in charge of creating entertainment. It doesn't hurt that he's personable and highly creative as well!”

“Cory Ledesma and I worked together on the WWE franchise. While I worked with Cory he remained devoted to creating a higher level of gaming with each release in the franchise. His attention to quality and detail showed in all aspects of his work.Cory has always been a pleasure to work with.”