Today’s guest is Sofia Pettersson, Community manager at Apog Labs in Malmö, Sweden. Sofia’s journey into the games industry is both personal and inspiring—after a major life upheaval, she found her way into community management, combining her passion for creativity with a growing interest in games.

We chat about her non-linear path to the games industry, what it’s like building community for a game still in development, and how her hobbies as an artist—painting, sewing, and more—give her a creative edge at work.

Sofia also discusses the platforms she’s using (hint: TikTok is key), the challenge of always producing fresh content, and the differences between nurturing a player community and supporting an internal team. She shares how her outsider perspective helps her appreciate her colleagues’ work and her thoughts on Sweden’s humble-but-thriving game dev culture.

Games mentioned in this episode:

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Today’s guest is Henri Bazire, who leads community work as Social Media Editor at ARTE, the French-German TV network with a dedicated video games division. Henri’s path into community management is far from traditional—he started in molecular biology before pivoting into marketing and eventually landing an internship at Ubisoft, where his passion for the games industry took root.

We talk about what it takes to enter the games industry from a non-gaming background, and the emotional, strategic challenges of working on games that tackle heavy subjects—like Wednesdays, a narrative game about recovery after sexual abuse. Henri shares how he handled potential backlash, navigated platform-specific audience reactions (X vs. Bluesky), and why authenticity matters when discussing taboo topics through games.

We also dive into how Henri stays sharp in his role: from Discord groups to free GDC talks on YouTube.

Games mentioned in this episode:

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Today’s guest is Nora Mattsson, a first-time community manager, 2D artist, and CEO at Studio Downstairs, a small indie game studio based in Sweden. Nora and her team are currently developing Find or Be Found, an asymmetric co-op horror game inspired by titles like Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes and Amnesia.

In this episode, Nora discusses her multifaceted role within the studio, highlighting the challenges and rewards of community management within an indie environment. She shares insights into building early communities around game prototypes, the strategic use of platforms like itch.io and Discord, and leveraging smaller content creators for impactful outreach.

Nora also provides practical tips for first-time community managers, emphasizing patience, careful observation of successful studios, and the importance of engaging genuinely with your community.

Games mentioned in this episode:

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Today’s guest is Dennis Abe, a community manager at King in Sweden. Dennis has held various roles in the video game industry, including time in Japan as a game designer and esports commentator. His unconventional journey—from awkward introvert and indie game studio intern in Tokyo to respected community manager—reflects the power of curiosity, persistence, and community-building.

We chat about the value of setting boundaries as a community manager, how to separate personal and professional identities, and why internal communication within game studios is just as critical as player engagement. Dennis shares actionable tips for newcomers to the industry and highlights what makes communities like Supercell’s and Landfall’s so impactful.

Dennis also tells the story of launching a VR game showcase, driven by player passion, and how that initiative helped shape broader industry practices.

Games mentioned in this episode:

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Today’s guest is Nicolas Nottin, a seasoned community developer with over 15 years of experience in the video game industry. Nico is currently the Lead Community Developer at Tribo Games in Germany. His career spans major studios including Square Enix, Creative Assembly, and InnoGames, where he’s cultivated deep expertise in building and managing vibrant gaming communities.

We chat about the distinction between community development and management, how to build a player base before a product launches, and the crucial role of empathy in community work. Nico shares how his background in UX informs his approach to community strategy, and reflects on the evolving skill set needed for today’s community professionals.

Nico also offers practical advice for new community managers, including why LiveOps games offer a rich learning ground, the value of making mistakes, and how small teams can foster rapid iteration and close collaboration.

Games mentioned in this episode:

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Today’s guest is Hichem Taleb, a seasoned community professional experienced in managing communities for notable games like Lego Builder’s Journey, Microsoft Flight Simulator, and Ghost Recon Wildlands. Currently, Hichem provides mentorship and consulting to indie studios and solo developers.

In this episode, we define the role of a Community Marketing Manager, a blend of community management, marketing, and diverse responsibilities common in indie studios. Hichem shares insights into his professional growth, from his start in customer support at Ubisoft to deeper community engagement roles.

Hichem also provides practical marketing advice for indie developers on effectively promoting their games, discussing the value of cross-promotion, and learning from the experiences of others, particularly from projects that did not meet expectations.

Games mentioned in this episode:

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Today’s guest is Thomas Schramm, Community Manager at Sky E Red in Germany, where he’s helping shape the launch of their debut game, Battle Frontier. Thomas’s path into the games industry is anything but typical—what began as a childhood hobby in online Halo communities eventually turned into a full-time career in community management.

We talk about what it’s like to build a community from scratch when your game hasn’t even launched yet, the strategic (and very human) work that goes into early-stage community development, and the unique challenges of community-building in a startup environment.

Thomas also opens up about dealing with unemployment in the games industry, learning new skills to stay competitive, and the evolving, often ambiguous nature of community management roles—especially at indie studios.

Games mentioned in this episode:

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Today’s guest is Erik Jakobsson, a community manager at Paradox Interactive in Sweden, where he leads a team of ambassadors. Erik's journey into the gaming industry is unique—he started by running a fan Discord server that was eventually acquired by Paradox, leading to his first role in community management.

We chat about growing and moderating large online communities, the challenges of keeping a Discord server healthy, and how community managers can positively impact player engagement and sentiment.

Erik also shares insights on recruiting ambassadors, managing multilingual communities, and the evolving role of community management in the games industry.

Games mentioned in this episode:

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Today’s guest is Kayla Goullaud, an experienced community manager who has worked on EverQuest 2, Forza Motorsport, and the Forza Horizon franchise. She also spent years with the Xbox Live Policy and Enforcement team, tackling everything from player bans to community safety.

We chat about the complexities of game community management, the challenges of player moderation, and the importance of context in enforcement decisions. Kayla shares insights on breaking into the industry, the evolving role of community managers, and why people remain the most valuable data point in gaming communities.

Games mentioned in this episode:

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This is a very short episode to announce that we've reached the end of season one.

SEASON TWO IS COMING SOON!

Thank you to everybody involved. Thank you to the eight guests who gave very freely and generously of their time to be on the show.

Thank you for listening and thank you to anybody who helped share the word about what I'm doing with the Community Lounge.

Make sure to SUBSCRIBE in your podcasting app. That way, you'll be notified as soon as Season 2 is available. in early 2025.