After moving countries and changing careers, Julia found herself working in her dream field at Gameloft Barcelona! She’s been working there for 3 years and counting and hasn’t looked back since.
Read on to find out more about Julia, her cats, and what she loves most about her job!
Hi, Julia! Tell us about yourself.
My name is Julia, although the community knows me as Mina, and I’m a game community manager for Asphalt 9: Legends. I was a gamer from a very young age, and I remember playing the Commodore C64 with my brother!
Nowadays, I’m still a gamer—I grew up as a PC gamer, but these days I play more on my PlayStation or Nintendo Switch. On top of that, I do love board and tabletop games, including Dungeons & Dragons and Magic the Gathering.
One thing that I probably love as much as gaming is… winning. I’m a very competitive player which sometimes leads to rather funny situations.
I have a soft spot for movies, with horror probably being my favorite genre (and kind of a guilty pleasure). Recently, I’ve been a bit obsessed with a Korean cinema, especially with the movies by Na Hong-Jin.
Apart from that, I’m crazy about my cats - Gus & Peach (even though one of them is a little devil), and I hate coriander with a passion.
I do love games, but my path to work in gaming was not that straightforward.
I studied law, and for a few years I worked in a tax company as a VAT specialist. It was an interesting experience, but a few years in the office made me realize that it’s not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I did dream of working in gaming, however I wasn’t sure what I could do with my lawyer background.
Long story short, I packed my bags and moved to Barcelona to pursue a new career path, and after a few years working in start-ups, I found a job in my dream field – gaming!
What is your role, and what do you enjoy most about your job?
I love, love, love working in gaming. I do enjoy working in an environment where there is no dress code, where people are more laid back (do not confuse it with being lazy), and where I can share my passion for gaming.
And being community manager is insanely fun! I have the privilege to communicate a lot with the gamers, resolve their issues, and simply get to know them better and their stories. I adore the Asphalt 9: Legends community and stand by them through thick and thin. I would love to send here special greetings to all the Asphalt 9: Legends Discord users & moderators!
On top of that, it’s a very creative job where you can have a lot of fun creating new campaigns for social media.
What are some of your most memorable moments at Gameloft?
I think the most memorable moment was going to Gamescom in Cologne for the Asphalt Esport Series finals. It was fantastic to finally meet in real life some players who I’ve known for years, watching them play, and being a part of this experience.
What advice do you have for people, but especially women, who want to work in gaming in a similar role?
I guess the moral of my story is: don't give up on your dream, and don't be afraid to take risks. I know it’s cliché, but in the end, this is what has helped me to be where I am right now. And once you’re in, you won’t regret it!
We're currently looking for a game community manger for Disney Magic Kingdoms at Gameloft Toronto! You can apply and find all our other job opportunities here! Stay tuned next week for another edition of Humans Behind the Game!
