If you haven't heard part one, we recommend starting there. It covers Faye's unusual path into games through a psychology degree and years as a professional circus performer, and how both shape her approach to community management today.

In this second half, Faye makes the case for open development, arguing that showing players how a game is built creates the kind of trust that lets a team survive inevitable troubles like unpopular patches or a delayed launch. She introduces her "chasm of empathy" metaphor for the gap between developers and players, and why hiring a community lead early, not six months before launch, is what builds the rickety bridge across it.

We also get into the business case for investing in a community team, Faye's tips for first-time community managers, and how she believes community management skills are best learned through mentorship.

Games mentioned in this episode:

- World of Warcraft: https://worldofwarcraft.blizzard.com/en-us/

- Final Fantasy XIV: https://store.steampowered.com/app/39210/FINAL_FANTASY_XIV_Online/

- Lord of the Rings Online: https://store.steampowered.com/app/212500/The_Lord_of_the_Rings_Online/

- EverQuest: https://store.steampowered.com/app/205710/EverQuest/

- Asheron's Call: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asheron%27s_Call

- Ghost (Fantastic Pixel Castle, unreleased): https://fantasticpixelcastle.com/

Find Faye on:

- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/fayevis/

- Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/acobi.bsky.social

- Twitter: https://x.com/ac0bi

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote – Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

Subscribe to the Community Lounge newsletter and get notified of new episodes and articles:

https://featureupvote.com/thecommunitylounge/

Julia joined us four months ago, bringing around ten years of community management experience from an unlikely path: a law degree, a stint in tax advisory, and then a pivot through marketing into community roles at Omnidrone and eight years at Gameloft on Asphalt 8 and Asphalt 9, where she rose to Global Social Portfolio Lead.

We chat about managing a community for a genre she's not personally into (she still doesn't have a driving license), her favourite CM memory from an esports tournament at Gamescom, and a funny story about a Discord ban wave that got a little out of hand.

We also discuss why community management too often gets treated as a dead-end entry-level role in gaming — and I'll let you in on a secret: if you've ever wondered why the Feature Upvote social accounts have so much personality, that's largely down to Julia.

Games mentioned in this episode:

- Titan Brawl (Shut Down): https://www.gamepressure.com/games/titan-brawl/zd4add

- Asphalt 8: https://www.gameloft.com/game/asphalt-8

- Asphalt 9: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1815780/Asphalt_Legends/

- Slay the Spire 2: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2868840/Slay_the_Spire_2/

- Slay the Spire: https://store.steampowered.com/app/646570/Slay_the_Spire/

- Dave the Diver: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1868140/DAVE_THE_DIVER/

- Orbital Blues: https://soulmuppetpublishing.itch.io/orbital-blues

Find Julia on:

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rozwens/

- Twitter: https://x.com/julerr

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote – Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

Subscribe to the Community Lounge newsletter and get notified of new episodes and articles: https://featureupvote.com/thecommunitylounge/

We chat about how her psychology degree shapes the way she thinks about online communities as cultures and societies of their own, and why understanding a community's context is the key to communicating with honesty and transparency when things go sideways. Faye also draws a great parallel between circus troupes and game development studios, and how years of "the show must go on" live-event experience taught her to stay zen when a patch needs to be delayed.

Games mentioned in this episode:

- The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past: https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Games/Super-Nintendo/The-Legend-of-Zelda-A-Link-to-the-Past-841179.html

- Lord of the Rings Online: https://store.steampowered.com/app/212500/The_Lord_of_the_Rings_Online/

- Minecraft: https://www.minecraft.net/en-us

- Roblox: https://www.roblox.com/

- Elden Ring: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1245620/ELDEN_RING/

- Fields of Mistria: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2142790/Fields_of_Mistria/

- Icarus: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1149460/ICARUS/

- Final Fantasy XIV: https://store.steampowered.com/app/39210/FINAL_FANTASY_XIV_Online/

- Palia: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2707930/Palia/

- Ghost (Fantastic Pixel Castle, unreleased): https://fantasticpixelcastle.com/

- The Binding of Isaac: https://store.steampowered.com/app/250900/The_Binding_of_Isaac_Rebirth/

Find Faye on:

- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/fayevis/

- Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/acobi.bsky.social

- Twitter: https://x.com/ac0bi

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote – Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

Subscribe to the Community Lounge newsletter and get notified of new episodes and articles: https://featureupvote.com/thecommunitylounge/

We chat about Chandler's "oil in the engine" philosophy of community management — being the translator and connective tissue between brand, product, and audience rather than a mascot or figurehead. He shares what it meant to be a community manager for the studio as much as for the players, how he helped Hogwarts Legacy build its own fandom identity distinct from the wider Wizarding World audience.

Chandler also gets into the power of listening, making broadcast content feel one-to-one, and his best advice for first-time community managers.

Games mentioned in this episode:

- Hogwarts Legacy: https://store.steampowered.com/app/990080/Hogwarts_Legacy/

- Expedition 33: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1903340/Clair_Obscur_Expedition_33/

- Final Fantasy VII Rebirth: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2909400/FINAL_FANTASY_VII_REBIRTH/

Find Chandler on:

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandler-wood/

- Website: https://www.chandler-wood.com/

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote – Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

Subscribe to the Community Lounge newsletter and get notified of new episodes and articles: https://featureupvote.com/thecommunitylounge/

We chat about what a "community growth manager" actually does, the unique challenges of managing an 800,000-strong Discord server, and how skills from archaeology translate surprisingly well to community work.

Greg also shares the story of landing his dream job working on a game he'd been covering on YouTube for years, his philosophy of constant experimentation, and why empowering community volunteers as "bastions" is one of the most effective things you can do as a community manager.

Games mentioned in this episode:

- Minecraft: https://www.minecraft.net/

- The Bazaar: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1617400/The_Bazaar/

- Rodeo Stampede: https://www.yodo1.com/rodeo-stampede

- Crossy Road: https://www.crossyroad.com/

- Train Simulator: https://store.steampowered.com/app/24010/Train_Simulator_Classic/

- Dota 2: https://store.steampowered.com/app/570/Dota_2/

- Guild Wars 2: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1284210/Guild_Wars_2/

- Overwatch 2: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2357570/Overwatch_2/

- Witcher 3: Wild Hunt: https://store.steampowered.com/app/292030/The_Witcher_3_Wild_Hunt/

- Teamfight Manager 2: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3009300/Teamfight_Manager_2

Find Greg on:

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorywcastle/

- Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/divok232.bsky.social

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote – Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

Subscribe to the Community Lounge newsletter and get notified of new episodes and articles: https://featureupvote.com/thecommunitylounge/

Danreb has over ten years in community management, starting as a volunteer moderator on GameSpot at just fourteen years old, co-founding the games media site Smashpad, and spending seven years at Glu Mobile on the Tap Sports Baseball series, including through the company's acquisition by EA.

We talk about what it's like to build a community around a game you're not personally a superfan of, and why Danreb insists on genuine one-on-one human interaction. Danreb shares how going through thirty interviews and not landing a role affected his mental health, what helped him through it, and what he'd tell anyone today who wants to get into community management.

Games mentioned in this episode:

- Tap Sports Baseball: https://news.ea.com/press-releases/press-releases-details/2022/Electronic-Arts-Launches-MLB-Tap-Sports-Baseball-2022/

- League of Legends: https://www.leagueoflegends.com/en-us/

- Grand Theft Auto: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3240220/Grand_Theft_Auto_V_Enhanced/

- Bubsy 4D: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3237970/Bubsy_4D/

- Bluey and the Quest for the Gold Pen: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4127530/Blueys_Quest_For_The_Gold_Pen/

- Forza Horizon 6: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2483190/Forza_Horizon_6/

- Mixtape: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2582320/Mixtape/

Find Danreb on:

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danreb/

- Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/danreb.bsky.social

- Website: https://gamersoutreach.org/

- Smashpad: https://smashpad.com/

- Day 0 Update Podcast: https://smashpad.com/series/day-0-update/

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote – Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

Subscribe to the Community Lounge newsletter and get notified of new episodes and articles: https://featureupvote.com/thecommunitylounge/

Orchid's path into games is one of the most unexpected on the show. She came from a family of journalists, worked in TV news in Ukraine, and only stumbled into the games industry after walking the catwalk at a local anime fashion show and striking up a friendship with a stranger from the Netherlands who happened to know some game developers.

We chat about how TV journalism skills turned out to be surprisingly useful in community management, her Ukrainian daycare story that perfectly captures her philosophy for welcoming new community members, and how she built the OddSparks Discord from scratch without being allowed to show a single frame of the game. Orchid also shares her no-nonsense advice for aspiring community managers and why she believes that when it comes to content creator outreach, knowing someone's cat's name beats a copy-pasted email every time.

Games mentioned in this episode:

- Rare Rabbits: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3966790/Rare_Rabbits__Snuggle_Haven/

- Neopets: https://www.neopets.com/

- OddSparks: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1817800/Oddsparks_An_Automation_Adventure/

- Factorio: https://store.steampowered.com/app/427520/Factorio/

- Satisfactory: https://store.steampowered.com/app/526870/Satisfactory/

- Pikmin: https://pikmin.nintendo.com/

- Dark Souls: https://store.steampowered.com/app/570940/DARK_SOULS_REMASTERED/

- Tamagotchi Plaza: https://www.bandainamcoent.com/games/tamagotchi-plaza

- No Man's Sky: https://store.steampowered.com/app/275850/No_Mans_Sky/

Find Orchid on:

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/orchidgoth/

- LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/orchidgoth

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote – Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

Subscribe to the Community Lounge newsletter and get notified of new episodes and articles: https://featureupvote.com/thecommunitylounge/

Kristoph was seconds away from becoming an English teacher before a Junior CM offer came in at the last moment. He's spent the majority of his career in the VR space, working with studios including Incuvo and VR indie publisher GameDust, and has also built up broad experience managing communities for everything from indie titles to big-brand IP, and from adult players to children.

We talk about what makes VR communities so distinct — smaller but intensely dedicated, and quick to spot anyone who doesn't really know the space (never call the headsets "goggles"). Kristoph shares how he immersed himself in VR culture, learned the hard way about motion sickness, and watched the platform shift as Meta pulled back and left its community feeling abandoned. Kristoph also walks us through his approach to revitalising a dead Discord: what to keep, what to cut, why you should expect a wave of members to leave when you start making improvements, and why that exodus is actually a good sign.

Games mentioned in this episode:

- Green Hell VR: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1782330/Green_Hell_VR/

- Batman™: Arkham VR: https://store.steampowered.com/app/502820/Batman_Arkham_VR/

- SUPERHOT VR: https://store.steampowered.com/app/617830/SUPERHOT_VR/

- Half-Life: Alyx: https://store.steampowered.com/app/546560/HalfLife_Alyx/

- Kingdom Come: Deliverance II: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1771300/Kingdom_Come_Deliverance_II/

- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1903340/Clair_Obscur_Expedition_33/

Find Kristoph on:

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krzysztof-zandecki-community/

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote – Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

Subscribe to the Community Lounge newsletter and get notified of new episodes and articles: https://featureupvote.com/thecommunitylounge/

Joshua began his journey in the games industry as a teenage Reddit moderator, building hands-on experience in community management before transitioning into PR through a degree apprenticeship. His path highlights how non-traditional routes—like volunteering and community participation—can open doors into the industry

We chat about how Joshua got started in community management at just 14, the lessons he learned from moderating large online communities, and how those skills translate into his current role in B2B PR. He shares practical advice on measuring community engagement, using data to guide decisions, and why understanding your audience is key.

We also discuss the differences between B2C and B2B community building, the evolving role of content, and even how wearing a dinosaur costume to industry events can help humanise professional spaces! 🦖

Games mentioned in this episode:

- Dreams: https://indreams.me/

- LittleBigPlanet: https://x.com/LittleBigPlanet

- Tearaway: https://tearaway.me/

- High on Life 2: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2069250/High_On_Life_2/

- Hades II: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1145350/Hades_II/

Other Shoutouts:

- Lost in Cult: https://www.lostincult.co.uk/

- Media Molecule: https://www.mediamolecule.com/

- Humble Bundle: https://www.humblebundle.com/

Find Joshua on:

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-callaghan/

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote – Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

Subscribe to the Community Lounge newsletter and get notified of new episodes and articles: https://featureupvote.com/thecommunitylounge/

Ray’s path into games began after a decade working in local government before transitioning into games journalism and eventually community management through volunteer writing and moderation work.

We chat about how skills from public sector work shaped Ray’s approach to community management, why Steam reviews have become increasingly important for a game’s visibility and success, and how community managers can turn negative reviews into positive outcomes through thoughtful engagement. Ray also shares advice for aspiring community managers on avoiding burnout, building experience through volunteer work, and navigating the challenges of today’s games industry.

Games mentioned in this episode:

- Hades II: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1145350/Hades_II/

- Blue Prince: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1569580/Blue_Prince/

- PRAGMATA: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3357650/PRAGMATA/

- The Secret of Monkey Island - Special Edition: https://store.steampowered.com/app/32360/The_Secret_of_Monkey_Island_Special_Edition/

- Tetris Effect - Connected: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1003590/Tetris_Effect_Connected/

- Sente: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1005180/Sente/

- Planted: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3448000/Planted/

Find Ray on:

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ray-willmott-90871054

- Ready Mix Consult: https://www.readymixconsult.com/

- Ready Mix Gaming: https://www.youtube.com/@ReadyMixGaming

- Curveball Games: https://x.com/Curveball_Games

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote – Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

Subscribe to the Community Lounge newsletter and get notified of new episodes and articles: https://featureupvote.com/thecommunitylounge-newsletter

Milissa’s path into games is anything but conventional. She began her career studying tuba performance at Berklee College of Music before discovering her passion for community building through online roleplay servers and virtual worlds.

We chat about how growing up in early online communities like Toontown, Neopets, RuneScape, and Habbo Hotel shaped her instincts as a community leader, and how her experience organising roleplay servers in games like Grand Theft Auto V became an unexpected foundation for a career in community management. Milissa shares her journey from volunteer moderator to customer support at Linden Lab, and eventually into community leadership roles working on Second Life and Sansar.

Games mentioned in this episode:

- Palia: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2707930/Palia/

- Toontown Rewritten: https://www.toontownrewritten.com/

- Neopets: https://www.neopets.com/

- RuneScape: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1343400/RuneScape/

- Habbo Hotel: https://www.habbo.com/

- Minecraft: https://www.minecraft.net/

- Red Dead Redemption 2: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1174180/Red_Dead_Redemption_2/

- RedM (RDR2 Roleplay Mod): https://redm.gg/

- Grounded: https://store.steampowered.com/app/962130/Grounded/

- Parkitect: https://store.steampowered.com/app/453090/Parkitect/

- GoldenEye: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GoldenEye_007

Find Milissa on:

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/milissamaxin/

- Palia Discord: https://discord.com/invite/playpalia

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote – Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

Subscribe to the Community Lounge newsletter and get notified of new episodes and articles: https://featureupvote.com/thecommunitylounge-newsletter/

Gabriel and I talk about how he even before he was officially a community manager, he would just roll up his sleeves and create the community resources he noticed were missing.

And we hear about how Gabriel came to create and run The Break Room, a private Discord server for community managers.

Games mentioned in this episode: RuneScape, Wizard Wars, Halo 3, Magicka: Wizard Wars, Questland, Squad Busters, Super Auto Pets, Marvel Snap, Silk Song

Find Gabriel on:

• Discord tag: trance. (make sure to include the trailing period)
• Twitter: https://x.com/SoundOfTrance
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanchewski/
• Bsky: https://bsky.app/profile/soundoftrance.bsky.social

The Discord servers we mentioned:

• The Break Room (for community management professionals) application form - https://forms.gle/ySGhYwyNxzA16GV67
• SMCMG Discord (for aspiring community managers) application form - https://bit.ly/3xW5J0D 

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote: Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

Chapters

• (00:00:04) - Gabriel Sanchez on Becoming a Community Manager
• (00:01:16) - How I became a Community Manager
• (00:07:18) - How a community manager got the job at Paradox Interactive
• (00:15:02) - There's a private Discord Server for Community Managers
• (00:19:37) - How to become a Community Manager in Minecraft
• (00:22:00) - How to become a community manager
• (00:22:33) - How to become a Community Manager at Apple
• (00:26:12) - 5 Tips for Becoming a Community Manager
• (00:28:30) - Gabriel On The Community Lounge

Today’s guests are Dale Stiffell and Kallum Hoy, the dynamic community duo behind Transformers: Earth Wars at Yodo1 Games. The two met while working together at Space Ape Games and have since become inseparable collaborators—often joking that they’re a “package deal.” Between them, they bring years of experience in community management, player engagement, and storytelling through live service games.

Their journeys into the industry couldn’t be more different. Dale’s path began as a teenager running one of the internet’s biggest Habbo Hotel fan sites—an experience that taught him resilience and the foundations of modern community management. Kallum’s story started in the world of pensions and finance before a chance opportunity as a volunteer moderator opened the door to game communities like RuneScape and BattleBit Remastered.

We chat about the emotional rollercoaster of seeing Transformers: Earth Wars nearly shut down and how the team found a new home at Yodo1, the importance of mental health and burnout awareness in community roles, and why empathy, transparency, and humor are the best tools for managing passionate fanbases. Dale and Kallum also share powerful lessons about teamwork, trust, and building communities that feel seen and heard—even during studio transitions and major updates.

Games mentioned in this episode:

• Transformers: Earth Wars
• BattleBit Remastered
• RuneScape
• Habbo Hotel
• League of Legends
• Dofus
• New World
• World of Warcraft
• Red Dead Redemption 2
• GTA V
• GTA 6
• Blue Prince
• Minecraft

Find Dale and Kallum on LinkedIn:

• Dale
• Kallum

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote – Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

Subscribe to the Community Lounge newsletter and get notified of new episodes and articles.

James talks about running a community where everyone is a subject matter expert, what he looks for when hiring a community manager, and why he prefers serving the community on games that he actually plays.

Games mentioned in this episode: DUCKSIDE, Sand, Hello Neighbor, Train Simulator, Flight Simulator, Dune: Spice Wars, Northgard, Wartales, Deep Rock Galactic, V Rising.

Find James on LinkedIn.

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote: Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

Chapters

• (00:00:04) - How to Manage a Community
• (00:04:07) - How I became a Community Manager
• (00:10:40) - What does it look like being the community developer for Microsoft Flight Simulator
• (00:12:11) - How I transitioned from Bordeaux to TinyBuild
• (00:17:23) - Train Simulator Community Lounge
• (00:22:43) - What Type of Community Manager Should You Pick?
• (00:25:58) - How to Do Your Job Better as a Community Manager
• (00:30:23) - Steve McAfee on Community Lounge

Christian's story into community management is unique. Christian was working as a film producer in LA, he moved to Brazil, and then he was brave enough to jump at an opportunity that let him start a new career in community management.

Games mentioned in this episode: Tribal Wars, Grepolis, Heroes of History, RuneScape, Total War, Red Dead Redemption 2

Find Christian on LinkedIn.

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote: Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

Chapters

• (00:00:00) - How Christian Jurgensen Went From Film to Community Manager
• (00:02:58) - How Much Do You Play Video Games?
• (00:03:27) - Lucky German and French guy gets job
• (00:04:12) - What is the Portuguese gaming industry like in Brazil?
• (00:06:11) - Krista on her role as a Community Manager
• (00:07:07) - The journey from community manager to community manager
• (00:09:24) - How Free to Play Games Get
• (00:12:07) - A Community Manager's
• (00:14:03) - Community Manager
• (00:17:19) - Xbox One and PlayStation 4 port
• (00:18:49) - How to learn in the gaming industry
• (00:20:12) - How 'Games Together' Integrates the Community
• (00:21:52) - 5 Tips for Community Managers
• (00:25:32) - How Film Skills Have Impact on Community Management
• (00:27:09) - Innogames' Heroes of History
• (00:28:19) - Red Dead Redemption 2
• (00:30:12) - Community Lounge

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:

• Hearts of Iron IV
• Path of Exile 2
• Supervive

Find Erik on:

• LinkedIn

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote – Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

Ellinor tells us her journey into community management - and how a crisis situation at her previous job led her - somewhat unexpectedly - into her current role as CEO.

Games mentioned in this episode: MonsterWash, Project Shoreline, Totally Accurate Battle Simulator (aka TABS), Content Warning, Passpartout 2, Deadlock, Caravan SandWitch, Dorfromantik

Find Ellinor on LinkedIn.

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote: Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

Chapters

• (00:00:00) - Meet Eleanor Bergman
• (00:02:44) - How Did I Become a Community Manager Turned Producer
• (00:04:32) - How was that your first experience in community management
• (00:07:10) - How a community manager started a studio
• (00:09:53) - How Monster Wash was started by former
• (00:13:16) - How To Make a First-Person Game
• (00:20:03) - Community Management
• (00:22:20) - What does it mean to be strict in such a community?
• (00:25:54) - How to Become a Community Manager in 2019
• (00:28:02) - Want to become a Community Manager? Here are some tips
• (00:30:00) - Eleanor Bergman on How to Play a Game

Jeremy and I chat about how community management took him from Florida to a small city in Sweden, how you learn to be a community manager, and what the upward career path for community managers can look like.

Games mentioned in this episode: V Rising, Battlerite, Shogun Showdown

Find Jeremy on:

• Discord: bearemy
• Email: jeremyf@stunlockstudios.com
• Twitter: https://x.com/JeremyBearson

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote: Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

Chapters

• (00:00:04) - How to Become a Community Manager at Stunlock Studios
• (00:07:34) - Stunlok's HQ in Hovde, Sweden
• (00:09:45) - What Do You Do To Get Better at Your Job?
• (00:12:45) - What is a Community Manager's Job?
• (00:13:56) - What Makes a Community Manager Happy?
• (00:21:10) - How to Get Out Of Your Community Manager Job
• (00:25:30) - V Rising Community Manager on What's Next
• (00:27:24) - Playing games in the real world
• (00:28:41) - What Game Have You Been Playing?
• (00:30:19) - Questions and Answers

In this episode, Victoria shares how she “accidentally” became a community manager—and ended up one of the most respected voices in the field. From moderating Discord servers to playing Among Us with politicians like AOC, her journey is packed with surprising moments and hard-earned wisdom.

This episode is full of practical insights and real talk about what it's like to be the public face of a game with millions of passionate (and vocal) players.

Victoria's book: Mastering Community Management

Games mentioned:

• Among Us
• Blue Prince

Find Victoria on:

• Twitter/X
• Bluesky
• Linkedin
• Community Dev Newsletter
• victoriatran.com

Victoria’s book: Mastering Community Management

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote – Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

In this special solo episode, I share why I created The Community Lounge podcast and how it connects to my product, Feature Upvote.

I tell the story of how the podcast become a way for me to connect with community managers, learn how they work, and provide a space to share their stories. I talk about how it all started, the lessons learnt on the way, and how feedback from the games industry helped shape Feature Upvote into what it is today.

And especially, how one person's help made Feature Upvote what it is today.

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote – Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

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:

• Atmosfar
• Airport CEO

Find Sofia on:

• LinkedIn

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote – Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

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:

• Total War: Rome II
• Total War: Attila
• RUMBLE
• Farming Simulator
• Monster Hunter

Find Nico on:

• LinkedIn

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote – Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

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:

• Wednesdays
• 30 Birds
• Gris
• Neva
• Claire Obscur: Expedition 33
• Blue Prince

Find Henri on:

• LinkedIn
• TikTok

I'm launching the brand new Community Lounge Guides: A series of practical resources designed specifically for community managers: The first one is now available: "Becoming a Community Manager: Real Life Stories"

This guide explores the diverse paths people take into community management, organised into four categories: Volunteering, Transferable Skills, Study, and Community Creators.

It features stories from real-life Community Managers who were guests on the show, like Jarvs Tasker, Christian Jürgensen, Lyn Dang, and Erik Jakobsson.

Mentioned in the show:

• Nicolas Mérouze

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote – Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise. Subscribe to the Community Lounge newsletter and get notified of new episodes and guides.

Chapters

• (00:00:00) - Introduction to Community Lounge Guides
• (00:02:42) - The Importance of Community Management Guides
• (00:04:42) - Sneak Peak at the First Guide: 'Becoming a Community Manager'

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:

• Halo
• Destiny 2
• Battle Frontier
• Final Fantasy XVI
• Pokémon TCG Live

Find Thomas on:

• LinkedIn
• X (formerly Twitter) as @Fuzzle_HC

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote – Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

We chat about how early online experiences shaped his community philosophy, the emotional toll of working in highly visible roles, and how he’s learned to protect his mental well-being after facing severe community backlash—including receiving death threats over in-game balance changes. John shares how he handles these difficult situations, the importance of empathy in community work, and why open communication between players and studios is vital.

We also talk about his involvement with Limit Break, a UK mentorship program helping underrepresented people find guidance and opportunity in the games industry, and his perspective on mentoring the next generation of community professionals. Finally, John explains what it’s like working at an agency versus a studio, and how he balances multiple clients while staying authentic and transparent.

Games mentioned in this episode:

• Age of Empires II
• RuneScape
• Gwent
• Elder Scrolls: Legends (TCG)
• Guild Wars 2
  
  

Find John on:

LinkedIn

Limit Break

Email: john@thepath.agency

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote – Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

Subscribe to the Community Lounge newsletter and get notified of new episodes and articles. 

Chapters

• (00:00:00) - John Lloyd's Journey into Community Management
• (00:08:19) - Challenges Faced as a Community Manager
• (00:22:20) - Mentorship and Community Support
• (00:28:07) - Working at The Path: A Unique Perspective
• (00:35:04) - Gaming Interests and Community Connections

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:

• EverQuest 2
• Forza Horizon 3
• Forza Horizon 4
• Forza Horizon 5
• Forza Motorsport
• Deep Rock Galactic
• Star Wars Outlaws

Find Kayla on:

• LinkedIn

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote: Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

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:

• Valorant
• Super Smash Bros. Melee
• Candy Crush Solitaire
• Squad Busters
• MoCo

Find Dennis on:

• LinkedIn
• BlueSky

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote – Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

Today’s guest is Joshua Mathews, Marketing and Social Media Manager at Doborog.
Josh has spent years in community and marketing roles across the indie games scene, working on projects ranging from Calvino Noir to Clone Drone in the Danger Zone and its VR successor Clone Drone in the Hyperdome. Before joining the industry, Josh built a following as a YouTuber spotlighting under-the-radar indie games — a passion that still fuels his work today.

We chat about how his early experiences making trailers and talking with developers shaped his approach to community management, why empathy and gut instinct can be just as important as analytics, and how players often find unexpected meanings in games. Josh also shares insights on managing diverse communities across Discord, what to watch out for when your loudest fans don’t always represent the majority, and how he balances professional marketing work with his personal creative projects — from Warhammer storytelling to Vampire: The Masquerade cosplay.

Games mentioned in this episode:

• Clone Drone in the Danger Zone
• Clone Drone in the Hyperdome
• Calvino Noir
• Still Wakes the Deep
• Battlefield 6
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Easy Delivery Co

Find Joshua on:

• LinkedIn
• TikTok
• Instagram
• YouTube – Strange Adventures

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote – Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

Subscribe to the Community Lounge newsletter

Jarvs has held several community and communications roles across the games industry, including at Raw Fury, where she worked on Dome Keeper and Blue Prince. She’s also an award-winning accessibility advocate, recently recognised at Game Dev Heroes 2025 for her work championing disabled and neurodiverse representation in games.

Her journey into the industry was anything but typical—she began her career as a drama teacher before disability forced her to step away. That experience, along with her training in behaviour management, shaped her empathetic and people-first approach to community building.

We chat about how those teaching skills translate into managing online communities, why listening and understanding can turn angry players into loyal ambassadors, and how setting clear community rules helps everyone feel safe and included. Jarvs also shares her joy at seeing the Dome Keeper community come together for a hilarious black-tie modding jam—and how that moment became one of her favourite memories as a community manager.

Finally, we dive into her current work on Modulars, a colourful and creative factory automation game from Happy Volcano, and how she balances being a marketer, writer, and accessibility lead all in one.

Games mentioned in this episode:

Dome Keeper

Blue Prince

Modulus

Death Stranding 2

Hades 2

Expedition 33

Find Jarvs on:

LinkedIn

BlueSky

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote – Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

Subscribe to the Community Lounge newsletter and get notified of new episodes and articles.

We chat about how redundancy pushed her to build something new, the challenges of setting boundaries when running your own agency, and the lessons she’s learned from juggling clients across the industry. Charis shares her unconventional path into games—from studying game art and dreaming of building environments to discovering her passion for connecting players and developers.

She also tells a touching story about being honored in-game by a small indie team she supported, how an ambitious ARG campaign went hilariously off-script, and why knowing a community’s “deep lore” is the secret to succeeding as a new community manager.

Games mentioned in this episode:

• Mechajammer
• Rainbow Six: Siege
• Pokémon Go
• League of Legends
• DEEEER Simulator

Find Charis on:

• LinkedIn
• cutteeth.co.uk

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote – Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

Subscribe to the Community Lounge newsletter and get notified of new episodes and articles.

Chapters

• (00:00:00) - Introduction and Agency Overview
• (00:02:12) - Navigating Redundancy and Starting Fresh
• (00:03:22) - Challenges of Running an Agency
• (00:06:15) - The Journey to Community Management
• (00:09:07) - Changing Perceptions of Community Managers
• (00:12:12) - Memorable Moments in Community Management
• (00:14:15) - Recognition in the Gaming Community
• (00:16:44) - Challenges in Community Management
• (00:20:26) - Learning and Adapting as a Community Manager
• (00:24:33) - Understanding Community Dynamics
• (00:26:48) - Balancing Work and Personal Life

We chat about how Vicki landed her first games job by streaming Fighting Fantasy books on YouTube, why being genuinely passionate about the games you work on matters, and the challenges of taking a lead management role that led her back to hands-on community work. Vicki also shares insights about the differences between working for developers versus publishers, the importance of honesty when you can't fix a bug, and her work on Cozy Quest: Secret Mode's annual celebration of cozy games featuring nearly 300 developers.

Games mentioned in this episode:

- Fighting Fantasy (Gamebooks): https://www.fightingfantasy.com/
- Kingdom Two Crowns: https://store.steampowered.com/app/701160/Kingdom_Two_Crowns/
- A Little to the Left: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1629520/A_Little_to_the_Left/
- Loddlenaut: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1644940/Loddlenaut/
- Winter Burrow: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3008740/Winter_Burrow/
- Sqeuakross: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2871440/Squeakross_Home_Squeak_Home/
- Everything is Crab: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3526710/Everything_is_Crab_The_Animal_Evolution_Roguelite/
- Spore: https://store.steampowered.com/app/17390/SPORE/
- Split Fiction: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2001120/Split_Fiction/
- Jurassic World Evolution 3: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2958130/Jurassic_World_Evolution_3/

Find Vicki on:

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriasteele/

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote—Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

Subscribe to the Community Lounge newsletter and get notified of new episodes and articles: https://featureupvote.com/thecommunitylounge-newsletter

Chapters

• (00:00:00) - Vicki's Journey into Community Management
• (00:07:09) - First Steps in the Gaming Industry
• (00:10:40) - Transitioning Roles and Responsibilities
• (00:13:03) - Understanding Community Management Roles
• (00:16:18) - Tips for New Community Managers
• (00:17:54) - Memorable Moments in Community Management
• (00:21:54) - Challenges Faced as a Community Manager
• (00:27:38) - Navigating Community Issues and Player Expectations
• (00:29:35) - What Vicki is Playing and Personal Favourites

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.

We talk about how as a community manager, you can support your colleagues to do their job in the best way possible while shielding them from all the unnecessary noise.

Games mentioned in this episode: The Cycle, The Cycle: Frontier, CrossFire Europe, Summoners War, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Yakuza series

Find Florian on:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/florianrohde/
• Twitter: https://x.com/FeraFlox
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/feraflox.bsky.social

Florian's blog posts on being a community manager:

• https://yager.de/2024/04/11/community-management-at-yager/
• https://yager.de/2024/09/04/what-being-a-gamer-taught-me-leadership/

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote: Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

Chapters

• (00:00:00) - The Community Lounge
• (00:00:37) - A World of Warcraft mural
• (00:02:07) - What Exactly Is Your Role as a Community Manager?
• (00:05:17) - How to become a Community Manager in the Games Industry
• (00:11:08) - What's The Difference Between Community Management for Mobile and Console Games?
• (00:13:19) - Community Management: Shield Your Clients From Toxic Feedback
• (00:18:43) - How to moderate the toxicity in the community
• (00:24:18) - 5 tips for becoming a Community Manager
• (00:29:39) - Where do you learn to do your job better?
• (00:31:21) - What Game Have You Been Playing Recently?
• (00:32:31) - Florian Roede on the Community Lounge

The Community Lounge is a podcast where community managers from video games studios and publishers tell their story of how they got into the role, talk about the challenges they face, and share tips to help other community managers.

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:

• Lego Builder’s Journey
• Microsoft Flight Simulator
• Ghost Recon Wildlands
• Earth Defense Force 4.1 Shadow of the New Despair
• Earth Defense Force 5
• Stardew Valley

Find Hichem on:

• LinkedIn
• Bluesky

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote – Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

Today's guest is Greg Cummings, Community and Content Manager at Far From Home, a Polish indie studio behind the survival game Forever Skies. Greg's journey into community management began while working full-time in retail and being a dad; he built experience through unpaid work as a content creator, streamer, and unofficial community moderator for PlayStation Access before landing his first industry role in 2021.

We chat about managing communities across time zones with a team of moderators, how Far From Home turned negative reviews into a comeback story by listening to their players, and their inspiring charity work that's raised over $50,000 for Whale and Dolphin Conservation. Greg shares practical advice on building trust with your community, managing your time effectively, and why negative reviews from engaged players are actually valuable feedback.

Shoutouts:

• Untold Tales
• Enigmatic Play
• Playstation Access
• WDC Whale and Dolphin Conservation
• War Child Charity

Find Greg On:

• Linkedin
• Bluesky

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote – Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

Subscribe to the Community Lounge newsletter and get notified of new episodes and guides.

Chapters

• (00:00:00) - Greg's History as a Community Manager
• (00:03:06) - Working for Far From Home
• (00:08:03) - Remote Work with a Global Team
• (00:13:19) - Charity Initiatives and Social Responsibility
• (00:17:17) - Handling Feedback and Reviews
• (00:21:58) - Balancing Work and Personal Life
• (00:23:58) - Why Good Moderators are Essential
• (00:28:51) - Building Trust with Your Community
• (00:35:53) - What Greg is Playing and Final Thoughts

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:

• Find or Be Found
• Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
• Amnesia
• Overwatch 2
• Psychonauts

Find Nora on:

• LinkedIn

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote – Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

We chat about why and how Carolin wrote her book on community management. And Carolin gives some great tips for people wanting to break into community management.

Games mentioned in this episode: Cyberpunk 2077, The Witcher, GWENT, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Neverwinter Nights, The Plucky Squire

Find Carolin on:

• Twitter
• Instagram
• Bluesky

The official site for "The Pocket Mentor for Game Community Management" book.

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote: Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

Chapters

• (00:00:00) - The Community Lounge
• (00:00:34) - Carolyn Burkett on Community Management
• (00:01:43) - What it means to be Lead International Community
• (00:04:37) - Gwent community manager on the role
• (00:06:37) - How I got into community management: Luck
• (00:13:42) - How to Recruit in the Film Industry
• (00:14:47) - How To Write a Community Management Book
• (00:18:06) - In the Elevator With Twitter's Community Manager
• (00:19:03) - The Pocket Mentor for Game Community Management
• (00:20:15) - What Did I Learned From Writing The Book?
• (00:24:08) - Have you received invitations to speak at events because of the book?
• (00:26:20) - The Community Manager: A Memoir
• (00:30:22) - Dragon Age: The Plucky Squire
• (00:32:37) - The Community Lounge: Carolyn's Book

Games mentioned in this episode: Summoner's War, Palia, Emberward

Find Lyn on LinkedIn.

If you are a student aspiring to be in the industry, you can find Lyn over at BobaTalks as a mentor.

The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote: Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.

Chapters

• (00:00:04) - The Community Lounge
• (00:00:45) - How I got my first job in the gaming industry straight out of
• (00:04:27) - How I got hired at Square Enix
• (00:05:53) - Community Managers: Feeling Young
• (00:07:20) - Lynn on Starting a Stream
• (00:09:08) - What Do Community Managers Need to Know
• (00:11:00) - Have You Done Physical Events?
• (00:13:18) - What is a Community Manager's Training?
• (00:16:05) - What's It Like Being a Community Manager?
• (00:18:35) - Have you had good support in the companies you worked for
• (00:21:19) - Community Management: Rules for Writing Communications
• (00:23:11) - What is a Community Manager (CM)?
• (00:24:56) - 3 Rules for Community Managers
• (00:26:18) - Don't Be Afraid to Ask Your Community
• (00:28:23) - What Should I Look For in a Community Manager?
• (00:29:28) - What game have you been playing lately?
• (00:30:52) - The Community Lounge: Linh