Interview

How to get a job at Mediatonic

Recruitment Manager Jake Kimber shares insights

How to get a job at Mediatonic

UK developer Mediatonic is certainly not a one-trick pony.

With titles spanning many different genres, platforms and business models - from PC and console cult hit Hatoful Boyfriend to Square Enix-published F2P mobile RPG Heavenstrike Rivals - it's rare to see a developer with such a varied portfolio.

Mediatonic has studios in London and Brighton, and is currently looking to fill vacant positions in both.

As such, PocketGamer.biz reached out to Recruitment Manager Jake Kimber to learn more about current vacancies, company culture and tips on breaking into the games industry.

PocketGamer.biz: Could you give us some background on Mediatonic and what you do/are currently working on?

Jake Kimber: Mediatonic is an independent developer with studios in London and Brighton.

We’ve been in business for close to 12 years, have grown every year and now we have more than 100 happy, hardworking people under our roof.

We work on a wide range of different projects; but a common theme that often ties our games together is a love of story and character. We work hard to create games that have a real personality and soul.

At any one time, we’re normally working on three different projects.

A common theme that often ties our games together is a love of story and character.
Jake Kimber

Most are unannounced at this time - however, our latest project is Fable Fortune, will be going into closed beta this week!

It’s a unique card game that plays on a lot of the lore and humour in the Fable IP.

Our previous titles include Heavenstrike Rivals, Amateur Surgeon, Foul Play and the infamous Hatoful Boyfriend. We like to make games that we like to play!

What specific areas/disciplines are you currently hiring in?

At the moment, we’re looking for a range of roles across our two studios, including:

Principal Engineer: We’re looking for an exceptional individual to come in and spearhead the engineering team on one of our studio’s titles.

Business Development Manager: We partner with companies all over the world. Help support, foster and create the best opportunities for the studio.

Senior Game Designer: Our games involve many complex and technical design challenges. Lead a team of designers on new pitches and existing projects.

We’re always on the lookout for talented individuals at all ranges of experience, so even if you don’t see a job that fits you on our list, please do pop in your CV regardless!

All the details are available on our website.

As you're overseeing recruitment at Mediatonic, what do you look for in candidates?

Culture fit is by far the most important thing we look for.

As a company, we’ve grown slowly and steadily over a long period of time. We see the team here very much as a family, we care about each other and we want to preserve that culture in our studio.

Mediatonic's Brighton studio

At the end of the day, life is too short to deal with arrogance, politics, or egos - particularly at work. When you genuinely like and have fun with the people you work with, it makes everything better.

It’s always good to see candidates who have gone the extra mile with a more personal application.
Jake Kimber

When applying, it’s always good to see candidates who have gone the extra mile, researched the company and put in a more personal application.

Why do you think Mediatonic is a good place to work? How will you be trying to encourage a strong company culture?

At Mediatonic, your work will make a direct impact on the success of our games and our company.

The teams working on our projects are typically between 20 and 40 people. All of the team working on a project are encouraged to get involved with feedback, thoughts and ideas.

Teams take on ownership of their game projects, with a very flat management structure.

The size of our teams means that every person on the team is making a huge and meaningful contribution to the project.

Room for some downtime at the Brighton studio

At the same time, the projects we work on are typically very high profile; so your work will be seen and played by millions of people.

In addition; we work on a wide variety of games and genres - there’s always something new to work on or learn.

Having been around for 12 years, the studio has a strong culture and identity that has grown over time. For us, it’s all about the people who work here.

Every Friday, we finish a little early and host a Show and Tell.
Jake Kimber

We run a wide range of activities both inside and outside of work including game jams, board game nights, life drawing, company lunches, karaoke parties, movie nights, Laser Quest, bowling, etc.

Every Friday, we finish a little early and host a Show and Tell, with different members of the team showing what they’ve been working on while we enjoy a few drinks to round off the week.

What advice would you have for someone trying to get into the games industry?

There are a lot of great university courses out there which support a wide range of different disciplines, so if you’re a student or in school, that’s a great place to start.

Universally good advice: start working on games now in your own time. Draw, take on hobby projects, write code, get involved in the modding community, go to talks, read books, absorb yourself in the industry, be proactive.

Build a portfolio of clear examples which demonstrate your passion, then start applying for roles and don’t give up!

Getting your first break can be hard, but once you’re in, it’s a good place to be. Good luck!

You can see all Mediatonic vacancies on its jobs page.

Features Editor

Matt is really bad at playing games, but hopefully a little better at writing about them. He's Features Editor for PocketGamer.biz, and has also written for lesser publications such as IGN, VICE, and Paste Magazine.