Bogdan Bodea has always been passionate about video games, and our Platform Operations Manager has worked in submissions, marketing, and QA at Gameloft over the past fourteen years!
Find out what it's been like for Bogdan to grow up with Gameloft and his varied roles throughout the years.
What are your responsibilities as the Platform Operations Manager?
Basically, I supervise games to make sure they’re delivered on time and in top quality while following all platform requirements.
I’m also the main point of contact for stakeholders for diverse topics related to the platforms for the games under my responsibility.
How did you come to be at Gameloft?
I was studying Computer and Information Technology at the University of Bucharest when I applied to join Gameloft back in 2006, and I remember the options to work in the gaming industry were quite limited at the time. But I really wanted to work for a gaming company because I was quite passionate about video games, and I thought how cool it would be to actually play the games before they were released and to learn more about how they were made.
My first job was on the Submissions team, and they help me grow and learn more about the day-to-day activities. I really liked making custom banners and screenshots, so they nicknamed me “The Painter.” After that, I needed a new challenge and moved to the QA department where I discovered I loved finding bugs and other problems. But I couldn’t stay away from image editing and when I saw a job opening on the Marketing team, I went directly to HR to ask for more details.
I managed to get the job, and for one amazing year, I learned a lot about video and image editing and played a lot of Gameloft games to get the best screenshots. But finding bugs was always more fun, so I moved back to the QA department as a QA Analyst and was involved in making the list of requirements for different platforms.
Each time a new operating system was released, we were eager to find out more about the features and how to test them. But at one point testing wasn’t enough for me, so I moved to help the production teams. With the help of other teams across the world, we’ve been able to deliver some amazing games and features to our users.
How have you grown professionally and personally over the years at Gameloft?
I’ve grown a lot professionally throughout the years. I’ve had the chance to work in different teams, and I’ve learned a lot from my direct managers and the people I work with each day. I also have a lot more knowledge of different platforms, which is always good to have!
Personally, I’ve been able to meet and work with a lot of people from different countries and cultures, which has taught me how to adapt my communication style for different situations.
I’m constantly growing and learning, but most importantly, I’ve managed to learn from my mistakes. We all make them!
What does an average day look like?
What I like most about my current position is this constant dynamic approach for every situation. Every day is different, but my day usually starts with a cup of coffee (I’m quite a huge fan of this drink) followed by checking game KPIs. If something looks odd, I take a closer look. If everything looks good, I check the schedule for upcoming game releases or updates and review everything before giving the go-ahead to make them live.
The rest is the usual meetings and catch-ups with the game teams and following up on other projects. At the end of the day, I look up user reviews and feedback to see what the community thinks and if they’re happy with our latest and new game releases.
What was one of your favorite projects?
I have a lot of favorite projects, and it’s hard to choose just one. Each of them were unique, and I liked them for different reasons, but Earthworm Jim on the Nintendo DS and LEGO Legacy: Heroes Unboxed stand out.
I remember playing Earthworm Jim when I was a kid, and this was the first project I tested when I joined the QA team. It was amazing to work on a new platform and a game I played and loved in my childhood. LEGO Legacy: Heroes Unboxed is one of the latest games we released this year, and I’m a big LEGO fan. I love being able to play with sets I’ve had since childhood in-game, and I’m happy that I was able to be part of the team that delivered this game to our players.
What do you enjoy most about working at Gameloft?
I like working in the gaming industry, the games, and the people I work with. It’s been an amazing experience so far. But most of all, I enjoy being able to work with the people from the QA, production, and service teams who have grown up with Gameloft like me. It’s nice being able to deliver games together and remembering all the fun we had for previous game releases.
What advice do you have for those wanting to grow and succeed in a similar role?
My advice is to find something you’re passionate about. Try to find that one thing that makes you want to go to the office each day. It’s for sure not always fun and games, but try to look for opportunities inside your company. If you try and do your best, people will notice and give you the chance to grow.
How has the industry evolved, and what do you hope to achieve in the future with Gameloft?
I remember when we submitted Java games to different carriers around the world, we spent hours renaming hundreds of files manually. We ended up making a tool to rename them automatically, and now you can simply submit a game at the click of a button!
We’ve also gone from two-color displays to millions of colors, and we’ve evolved so much and have delivered amazing games to the mobile platform.
I hope to continue being a part of teams that create and deliver games that people will love and sharing the journey we take to release them with the community.
What would you like to say to the community for the new year?
It’s been a difficult year for many of us trying to adapt and work from home. I miss the meetings and events, but I want to thank you for playing our games and our teams for being able to release them on time despite all the challenges this year. Thank you and a happy New Year!
If you're as passionate about games as Bogdan, be sure to check out all our job opportunities in our studios around the world here! See you tomorrow for another edition of The Vault!
