This week is the turn of Véronique Bouffard, Community Developer on Rainbow Six, to tell us about her job and the best ways to get started.
Can you describe your job at Ubisoft?
My job as a community developer is to act as a spokesperson for both the players and the game I’m working on. The team turns to me to know what our players think about the game or to announce important news. I help them identify the changes the community would like to see. I’m also responsible for helping the community grow on social networks like Facebook, Twitch, Snapchat, Discord, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram!
What is a typical day like for you?
When I get to work, the first thing I do is to meet with the community managers to find out what people said on social media about our game the day before.
I prioritize each topic and share the information with the game developers. If one of the topics is a problem that the players encountered, we call a meeting with everyone we need to discuss solutions. Then I make sure the players are informed of the solution we found.
Once I have a bit of time, I can work on different community projects, which can include contests, infographics, live streaming and videos. I also plan activities with streamers, YouTubers and other content creators for events such as E3, the Six Invitational, Paris Games Week, etc.
What do you love most about your job?
This job requires you to be strategic, but you can also be super creative. Those are two things I enjoy, and I love the fact that I can do them both on a daily basis.
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome?
A few months ago, I was told that I would be going to Brazil to present Ubisoft’s new game, Roller Champions! When I got there, my goal was to meet with players and the media to talk about the game, which is set to be released next year.
It was a great challenge for me, because I had less than two weeks to plan my trip and prepare for the interviews. But luckily that didn’t stop me, because it turned out to be one of the best experiences of my career. I even shared my experience in a vlog for the video game section of RDS, a French-language sports channel.
What type of education do you need for this job?
I would suggest a degree in communications, marketing or multimedia.
If you want to work for a video game company, it’s important you understand the different steps involved in making a game, so it’s a good idea to take a few video game design courses too, whether it’s a certificate or a specialized graduate diploma (D.E.S.S.). That’s what I did.
Also, you can check out different Game Jams and sign up with friends. There’s no better way than a bit of practical experience to learn everything involved in making a video game!
What was the moment that made you say, “I want to work in the video game industry”? Who was your mentor/coach at the time?
I knew I wanted to work in the video game industry when I created my first game with Pixelles. It was a very simple game, but I loved every step of it.
My friends in high school didn’t really like video games, so we hardly ever talked about gaming. My experience with Pixelles let me meet people who shared my passion. It was great because it was as though I could finally express that part of my personality.
Rebecca Cohen-Palacios, one of the co-founders of Pixelles, has been and still is a great inspiration for me.
Do you have any advice for young people who are thinking of getting started in this profession?
I think that the best advice I can give is to start creating a community, or to join one. Here are three simple steps to get you started.
Step 1: Find a topic you’re passionate about. It can be anything—a video game, streaming on Twitch, dogs, hockey, whatever! But choose wisely, because this topic will be at the heart of your community.
Step 2: Once you’ve found your topic, the second step is getting in touch with others who share your passion. Social networks can help you with this. You can join an existing group or create your own group and invite people.
Step 3: At this point, your goal is to grow your network and moderate it. You can do this in different ways. For example, you can create events, organize online and in-person meet-ups, or post funny and interesting stuff. It’s up to you to decide what your community would like to see!
Just keep in mind that everything you post should be related to the topic you chose at the beginning. Apart from that, the only limit is your imagination!
Want to know more about career opportunities at Ubisoft Montreal? Take a look at your career!
