Game Designer for mobile titles Employee Interview | SEGA Careers Site

EMPLOYEE INTERVIEWS

Game Designer

A Game Designer who takes in player feedback to create even better games

Joined in 2023

Game Designer O.C.K.

＼ Career Path ／

Majored in German Literature. Did cheerleading and managed a karate club in university, wanting to try new things.

Upon joining SEGA, managed login bonuses, gacha drop rates, and other large-scale mobile game data operations.

Currently working on UI design, matchmaking systems, and multilingual support for a new title.

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Q1
What I Studied

During college, I majored in German Literature, with a focus on works related to modern German society and war. Outside of my studies, I joined a cheerleading club and was a manager for the karate club. Despite having no prior experience in either, I saw college as my last chance to step outside my comfort zone. I was also especially passionate about the German language, and my monthlong solo trip across Europe continues to inspire my work today.

Q2
Why I Joined SEGA

SEGA holds a special place in my heart as the company that sparked my lifelong passion for video games. My dad got me into gaming at a young age with NiGHTS on the SEGA Saturn. SEGA's efforts to revive classic IPs also showed a rare willingness to take risks. That spirit resonated with me, and I decided to join because I felt I could truly grow here.

Q3
My First Assignments at SEGA

My first role involved configuring data for mobile titles. This included managing login bonuses and premium character lineups. Because the game had been live for years, there was so much going on, that making sure every single little piece of data showed up in-game proved quite the challenge. After tons of studying our manuals and getting help from the higher-ups, I gradually came to handle ops independently.

Q4
Biggest Surprise After Joining SEGA

I always assumed that working in the game industry meant long hours and a constant grind. Once I actually entered the industry, my view of it became much more positive. I could usually leave work on time, and it was easy to take time off when unexpected personal commitments came up. Whenever I ran into problems, my senior colleagues always made time to help, even when they were busy. We have a strong culture of teamwork, with people supporting one another instead of trying to handle things alone.

I conduct daily one-on-one meetings with new employees as a mentor, providing work-related support and checking in on their well-being.

Q5
Current Duties

Until recently, I worked on mobile games, adjusting the matchmaking and UI and designing new features. One particularly memorable project was implementing Arabic language support, which took about a year to complete. I coordinated with programmers, artists, translation vendors, and native-speaking staff to implement UI changes that accommodated right-to-left text and some pretty complex grammar. Since then, I've shifted to a new role, applying what I've learned up to now.

Q6
Motivation and Successes

The most rewarding part of my job is hearing positive feedback about new features that we've implemented. When we announced Arabic language support, a lot of people commented on our international social media accounts, with many players expressing gratitude. I was so thrilled to see the overwhelmingly positive response that I stayed up late reading their posts. I showed this feedback to the team, and we shared some well-deserved good vibes after all our hard work.

Q7
Future Goals

My goal is to become a manager who stays close to day-to-day operations and supports the team. Currently, I serve as a mentor for new hires and make a conscious effort to support not only their progress with tasks, but also how they are adapting to the team and their overall well-being. I aim to be approachable and reliable—the first person people turn to when they're having a hard time. To achieve that, I need to grow as a game designer and improve my overall level of knowledge and decision-making skills.

Q8
SEGA's Appeal

What I love about SEGA is how the company values each employee's passions and fosters a culture of mutual respect. Everyone has different tastes in games, and even if you're not familiar with SEGA titles, you'll fit right in if you're passionate about games. People at SEGA are approachable, regardless of rank. Even new employees feel comfortable inviting managers to lunch. Here, people can talk openly, be themselves, and work with peace of mind.

Q9
Message to Applicants

Don't worry if you don't have any prior experience in game development. I majored in German Literature and didn't formally study game development. Even so, I've loved games since I was a child and always dreamed of seeing my name in the credits. I look forward to working with anyone who can bring their own unique background and passion for games to SEGA.

Q10
A Recent Highlight

There was a time when things weren't going well for me, both at work and in my personal life. I was feeling a little discouraged. That's when I reread a letter from my mother. It included words of encouragement, including a line saying I could always come get a hug whenever I needed one. I normally don't show my vulnerable side to my family, but the moment I read those words, I couldn't stop crying. Since then, I've come to realize that it's okay to lean on my family when I'm going through a difficult time.