RECRUITER HOT SEAT Leamington Spa’s Playground Games is beginning a new chapter. CEO Trevor Williamson why that matters to you
What differentiates Playground from other developers? I think there are a few things about Playground which stand out. Firstly, everything and everyone at Playground has a focus on quality. Gav [Raeburn] and Ralph [Fulton] strive for excellence in everything they do, and that drives through into our processes, workflows and creative decision- making. A lot of games companies are technology-led – in other words, they make creative decisions with reference to what their tech is able to do. That’s not how we work at
Playground – we are constantly challenging what we do and striving to do everything better. That is a very rewarding environment. Our close relationship with
Microsoft obviously puts us in a somewhat privileged position. We are well funded and that in itself creates opportunity for what we are able to achieve with our new game. There are only a handful of independent developers worldwide working on showcase Xbox One titles, so it’s great to be part of that group. The other thing which stands out is
the way we recruit. We do not have a traditional recruitment or HR team. Our recruitment is led out by our discipline leads and their management teams. That is pretty onerous on them, but it works really well for both the company and prospective hires. At interview, candidates always get to meet the people they will be working with, and usually a few of the directors too. That makes our recruitment process very transparent.
How many staff are you currently looking to take on? We are currently looking to add about 25 new people to our team, although some of those are contract roles. They are across all disciplines – programming, art and design – but there are also a few specialist roles which we realised we needed after Forza Horizon was completed.
What perks or privileges are available to staff at the studio? We offer a good remuneration package. Our salaries and benefits are very competitive, but I think what stands out is our ongoing commitment to our staff. There’s no point hiring the best people and then not looking after them. And that goes for their families too. A lot of our staff moved from outside the area, outside of the UK in some cases, so we try to help them integrate. Simple stuff, like running a Facebook group for partners, pub evenings and so on. We just had our summer barbecue and everyone brought their kids along. It was mayhem.
What should aspiring developers do with their CV to get to an interview? It’s always worth checking our website for open positions. We always keep that current. If you are interested in applying for one of the roles, then you should drop your CV into our
tellmemore@playground-games.com inbox. That is our recruitment ‘clearing house’ and is sorted numerous times a day. The CV and covering email will be passed onto the appropriate discipline
GET THAT JOB
Development specialists offer advice on how you can bag that career leap
THIS MONTH: PROJECT LEAD
“My best advice for seeking out a project lead role is to learn the craft of making video games in another discipline first. Learn programming or 3D modelling or animation or something else that will let you become a valuable member on a team making games. “You’ll learn the entire process of how games are
made, how to work on a team and how your chosen discipline fits into the puzzle. You’ll also learn the ins and outs of the technology that your company uses to make games. “All of this information is invaluable
when you step into the shoes of the team leader. You’ll have a working knowledge of team structure, process and technology at your disposal.”
Brad Muir, Project Lead, Double Fine Productions 56 | OCTOBER 2013 SIX-SECOND STUDIO SPOTLIGHT
Roll7 started life as a digital agency that realised after four years that its “games IP was way more commercially viable and fun than gun for hire work,” says creative director John Ribbins
Based in New Cross, London, its staff is currently about 10 people
Its directors are Simon Bennett, Tom Hegarty and Ribbins
Roll7 strives to develop “hard as nails, retro pixely goodness – games that hark back to our youth in the 80s”
It currently develops for PC, Mac, PS Vita and iOS
OlliOlli, its 2D skateboarding platformer, hits PS Vita exclusively this Christmas. Next year it has one further confirmed game.
www.roll7.co.uk
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