As the head of our narrative designers all over the world, she strives to create a space where they can shine and “grow as artists and designers”, and it’s thanks to Stephanie and her team that our stories and characters are rich and three-dimensional!
Read on to find out more about narrative design and why this is her dream job below!
Hi, Stephanie! Tell us about yourself.
I’m a Canadian who has spent the past 9 years living in Europe – Stockholm, Berlin and now Paris. I have worked in the games industry for a decade and before that I had been working as an entrepreneur and comedy writer in Toronto.
My favorite things to do outside of work are gardening, cooking, yoga, board games, cycling, hiking, and traveling. Oh and my very favorite – deep-diving storytelling in TV, films, books, and games.
What is your role, and what do you enjoy most about your job?
My role at Gameloft is as the global narrative director, and yes, it’s my dream job. :)
It involves working with the narrative for all of our games, both legacy and in development. What that looks like in practice is a lot of meetings with game teams to discuss the story, world, and characters of the game. We have a lot of laughs with teams all over the world – Barcelona to Bucharest to Vietnam.
From there, a narrative designer on the team will actually develop characters and world lore as well as all of the text and narrative design elements. Or in the case of working with one of our brand partners—Disney for example—deep diving into their story worlds, characters, and lore. And then sculpting out a new place within that rich texture to make our own mark.
Another favorite part of my job is overseeing a global team of extraordinarily talented narrative designers and making sure they can shine. I am a huge believer in a playful and low ego workplace. It is extremely important that the team feels like they can be themselves and make mistakes and be honest with each other. Because we work creatively, it is important that we are able to give real feedback, have writer’s rooms, and help each other grow as artists and designers.
What are some of your most memorable moments at Gameloft?
Definitely the narrative game jam in Paris in 2019. The narrative team (based in NYC) came to Paris to make games with our in-house innovation lab. It was an amazing week and we were able to invent four completely new narrative game experiences.
I have really enjoyed traveling (before Covid) to Oxford, Montreal, NYC, and Toronto for narrative workshops and meeting the teams. And of course hanging out with my Parisian colleagues for board games nights, a drink after work, parties, or some fabulous Parisian lunches.
What advice do you have for people, but especially women, who want to work in gaming in a similar role?
When I look at the narrative team, we are an odd bunch where no one has taken the same path to becoming a narrative designer. If you are interested in narrative design, follow that instinct! When we hire, a deep passion, low ego, ability to collaborate, and talent are the things I am looking for.
I think for women specifically you should get very good at marching to the beat of your own drum. Be yourself. Follow your interests. Do the job to the best of your ability in your own way. Connect with other people who inspire you and develop your integrity.
Learn as much as you can in each role you take and push yourself into areas you can excel and grow. There is always a path. And if your journey is anything like mine, you will meet the most amazing people and have so many fun adventures!
If you’re looking for a “playful and low ego workplace”, check out all our job opportunities in our studios around the world here! Stay tuned for another edition of Humans Behind the Game!
