30 SPOTLIGHT
under 30 2024
SAM HAMILTON-JONES Sam Hamilton-Jones, Business Developer at Fanatical, talks to Vince Pavey about his journey through the games industry, and how awards can help boost the confidence in young people
When you got the 30 Under 30 award back in 2020, you were described as ‘the voice of Fanatical’, and you’ve recently gone back to the company in a new role. How has your voice at Fanatical changed? It’s always nice to be recognised for your work, especially when it relates to an industry that you’re really passionate about. In my early days at Fanatical, I was in front of camera for our YouTube channel and running the Fanatical Blog – and though I’ve moved into a new area with Business Development, that ‘voice’ is still focused on the same goal… helping talented developers and publishers showcase their games to bigger audiences.
You started out as a journalist, then went into content and PR, and are now a business developer. Which is your favourite? It’s been quite the journey! There’s always been some connection to video games wherever I’ve worked and whatever role I’ve been in. I love writing and communicating with audiences and other businesses, and being part of an in-house marketing and PR team for a games company offered a unique perspective I’d never had before, but I’m also really enjoying the world of ‘biz dev’ as there are a lot of similarities and transferable skills. With the opportunities I’ve had to collaborate with some of the biggest names and some really creative people, I’ve got to say that they’re all favourites!
You were nominated for ‘Newcomer of the Year’ by the Midlands Media Awards half a decade before you got into the 30 Under 30. A lot of young people deal with imposter syndrome. Did you? … and if so, did the awards attention boost your confidence in yourself?
I picked up a couple of nominations as a young journalist, which was nice, but the 30 Under 30 accolade was certainly the first that made me think ‘Awesome, I’ve been recognised in an industry I love’. Even now, imposter syndrome creeps in – you begin to wonder how you compare to others, and I feel for anyone else who goes through this, it’s much more common than you think.
... the 30 Under 30 accolade was certainly the first that made me think ‘Awesome, I’ve been recognised in an industry I love.’
I’m just so pleased for others who I was fortunate to be named amongst in the class of 2020; people like Ben Maltz-Jones who has had great success with the Larian Studios social team and got to be a part of Baldur’s Gate 3, and Shay Thompson who is smashing it with presenting and was part of the recent Gamescom coverage… the list goes on! It was definitely a confidence boost being listed, and I hope I get to be a part of this industry for many years to come and see even more talented folks break through.
30 under 30 2024
13
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36