Yuga Labs Names Michael Figge CEO As Greg Solano Takes Board Chairman Role Today

TLDR

• Michael Figge took over as Yuga Labs CEO after serving as chief product officer.
• Greg Solano moved from CEO to chairman of the board after about two years in the role.
• Figge said he had already been chief executive for a few weeks before the announcement.
• Yuga Labs is still building Otherside, its project with player-owned worlds and real currencies.
• Solano became CEO in February 2024 after Daniel Alegre exited the company.

Yuga Labs has named Michael Figge as chief executive, while Greg Solano moved to chairman of the board. The change shifts daily leadership to a longtime product executive. It also marks another management change at the company behind Bored Ape Yacht Club.

The move comes as Yuga Labs keeps building Otherside, its metaverse project. The company is tying its next phase to product execution and user growth. That focus sat at the center of Thursday’s announcement.

Michael Figge moves into the top role

Solano announced the leadership change on Thursday in a post on X. He said Figge had already served as chief executive for a few weeks. That showed the handover had started before the public update. The company presented the move as part of its next operating phase.

Figge joined Yuga Labs in 2021, according to his LinkedIn profile. He most recently held the chief product officer role. His work centered on product planning and delivery during a key period for Otherside. That background made him a central figure in Yuga’s current product strategy.

Solano praised Figge in direct terms. He wrote, “Figge is the absolute best person for the job.” Solano also said Figge thinks long term and pushes for product quality. He added that Figge knows how to turn a vision into a working product.

Greg Solano returns to chairman and creative work

Solano took the chief executive role in February 2024. He stepped in after Daniel Alegre left the company. Alegre, a former Activision Blizzard executive, had led Yuga Labs for 10 months. That handover returned one of Yuga’s founders to the chief executive post.

Solano is a Yuga Labs co-founder and is known online as Garga. He said he will remain involved as chairman of the board. That role keeps him close to the company’s direction and growth. It also gives him a formal board position during Yuga’s next stage.

He also said the shift changes where he spends his time. Solano wrote, “Creative direction, writing, and figuring out insane ideas is still where I do my best work.” He added that Figge’s appointment lets him return to that work. His message said the company will still have his support.

Otherside stays at the center of the company plan

Yuga Labs tied the management change to its long-running Otherside project. The company describes Otherside as a “metaRPG” with player-owned worlds and real currencies. It also says thousands can play together in real time. Otherside remains one of Yuga Labs’ main bets beyond its NFT brands.

Figge said the platform needs more users as development continues. He wrote, “With Otherside, we’re developing a world class social platform for digital ownership and crypto.” His post linked product work with broader adoption. He framed the project as both a game space and a social platform.

He also outlined how players may use the platform. Figge said people will explore Otherdeeds, compete for resources, and build their own experiences. He added that Yuga Labs must grow its user base. Those plans point to a wider push for community activity inside Otherside.

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