Nexon M, the US-based subsidiary of Korean juggernaut Nexon, is following up the publication of its latest title Path of War with what's looking set to be a bumper year.
Mobile game tie-ins to the Xbox FPS franchise Titanfall are also in the works, while strategy title DomiNations continues to perform well.
On top of all this, the Emeryville, CA-based firm is currently hiring.
As such, we reached out to Recruiter Richard Diaz-Villanueva for insights into company culture, what he looks for in applicants, and advice for anyone wanting to break into the industry.
PocketGamer.biz: Could you give us some background on Nexon M and what you do?
Richard Diaz-Villanueva: Nexon M is mobile game publisher based in the SF Bay Area.
We focus on publishing triple-A mobile games and have launched a variety of titles including one of our most successful games, DomiNations, and the newly-released Path of War.
We will also be releasing mobile games tied to the epic sci-fi universe of Titanfall later this year.
We partner with some of the world’s best developers, including Big Huge Games, Envision, Shiver, and Respawn Entertainment, to make unique and fun games that can entertain players for years!
Does the name Nexon M sound familiar? That's because Nexon M is the mobile division of the Nexon Group, one of the largest online gaming companies in the world.
Our free-to-play experience can be traced to our roots as a subsidiary of Nexon Corp. As Korea’s largest game company and one of the ten largest game companies in the world,
Nexon is known for having created the first free-to-play games in the early 2000′s and has multiple live games which recently passed their 10-year anniversaries.
I've been the Recruiter at Nexon M since June 2014, and previously with Nexon America since 2009.
I work with a talented and dedicated HR team and partner with my awesome hiring managers in strategizing recruitment efforts in order to find top talent to join our teams.
What specific areas/disciplines are you currently hiring in?
We are hiring in the following areas: Marketing, Engineering, User Acquisition. Visit our jobs page for a list of our openings.
We are hiring in the following areas: Marketing, Engineering, User Acquisition.Richard Diaz-Villanueva
As you're overseeing recruitment at Nexon M, what do you look for in candidates?
We’re always looking for incredible talent - both new to mobile and experienced veterans - that want to join us on our exciting journey. We don’t just want to fill positions; we want to partner with people.
We’re very proud to have a team that’s as diverse as our games, and we are strongly committed to creating a working environment that allows all of our employees to flourish and grow.
If you’re as passionate about mobile gaming as we are, join us! If you're a fan of Nexon, that's a big plus!
Why do you think Nexon M/Emeryville is a good place to work? How will you be trying to encourage a strong company culture?
We are located in our awesome new studio in the beautiful San Francisco East Bay Area. Our team includes experts in their fields and we are believers in NEXON’s mission in creating fun and engaging games.
We're still in startup mode and growing rapidly. The teams are small which feel like our second family and the casual, friendly and collaborative work environment helps foster and build on ideas to make our games even better.
We have a 'fun committee' that plans out internal events for the company throughout the year.
So far, we've had a fantastic holiday party, potlucks, and mini-parties for every game launch! A great opportunity for career growth and development are all part of what makes Nexon M a great place to work.
What advice would you have for someone trying to get into the games industry?
Everyone has a different story on how they entered the games industry. Some start working in a local video game retail store, others sign up and participate in public game testing, and others go to school.
Internships are a great way to enter the industry. Apply to internships with a great cover letter showing your love for games.
From marketing to engineering, there are so many areas you can be a part of within the games industry.
Whichever route you take, just show interest and passion towards the genre or platform of games you're into. Find what intrigues you the most. If you understand that making video games is an art, you're halfway there.
For a full list of vacancies, you can visit Nexon M's jobs page.
