BUILDING FUTURE- PROOF TEAMS WHILE


NURTURING PEOPLE By Carmen Martino, People Operations Manager at Playstack


A


s Playstack celebrates its tenth birthday this year, and as I look back on almost eight years with the company, one of the clearest lessons I have learnt


is that building a sustainable business depends as much on the choices we make in selecting and growing talent as it does on the games we discover and publish. While we firmly believe that industry experience is invaluable, particularly in specialised roles, we also try to recruit with an open mind towards people who can bring fresh perspectives, transferable skills and different ways of thinking. My own path into games reflects that philosophy. I


hold a degree in Linguistics, a Master’s in Economics, and most recently completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Organisational Psychology (my career began in hospitality). None of those experiences pointed directly towards people’s operations in games, yet I discovered far more of those skills transferred than I had expected and have shaped the way I approach recruitment. Familiar CVs can feel reassuring, but only hiring people who


have followed similar paths risks creating teams that think alike and miss opportunities for fresh ideas. Games are creative as well as technological products, so they benefit from people who approach challenges from different perspectives. At Playstack, we think about diversity in a broader way: beyond gender, culture and identity, we embrace different educational backgrounds and professional experiences. This does not mean game knowledge is never essential. A senior


publishing or marketing leader may need a detailed understanding of platforms, launch cycles and the market. However, at a junior level, or in roles where skills transfer readily, it is worth looking beyond previous games employment and focusing on qualities such as curiosity, judgement, collaboration and the willingness to learn. People often worry that someone from outside the industry may


take longer to onboard. Sometimes they will, but if they bring a fresh perspective, challenge assumptions the team has stopped noticing it makes, or understands an audience differently, that contribution may prove far more valuable than a slightly faster start. We have also seen that people do not always develop in the direction anyone first expected. Someone may join in one function, discover a


30 | MCV/DEVELOP September/October 2026


strength in another and contribute in ways that would never have been visible. That only happens when a company, and the people within it, invest time, listen properly and give others space and confidence to grow. At Playstack, that means thoughtful onboarding, supportive


managers, learning budgets, peer mentoring and honest career conversations. It also means creating opportunities for people to move across disciplines as they grow, rather than treating their first role as a permanent destination. Thanks to this investment, employees gain skills, confidence and


direction, while the business develops people who embody its culture, collaborate effectively across teams and are more likely to build long- term careers within the same company. Our high employee retention rate reflects the value of investing in people over the long term. For anyone considering a career in games, don’t be afraid to follow


your ambitions and dreams rather than compromise with what feels like the obvious path. Equally, let your personality and unique experiences come through in your CV instead of presenting a version of yourself that feels neutral. By recognising transferable skills, investing in development and


giving people room to grow, games businesses can build stronger teams and widen the industry’s talent pool. That requires confidence to hire for potential as well as experience, but the long-term benefits for retention, creativity and resilience are substantial.


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