Niantic Office Hours: How to Succeed at Remote Game Development

The event

Conventional wisdom tells us that game-making depends on the free-flowing exchange of ideas, an environment that enables us to think clearly and creatively, and a lot of sessions grouped around a whiteboard.

So what happens when we have to swap our standard in-person setup for a distributed network of kitchen tables and bed-cum-desks, only linked through our (semi-reliable) internet connections and grainy video calls?

Offices are beginning to reopen, but remote working looks set to stay in some form. And while many freelancers and studios have been operating this way for a while, plenty of us are still getting to grips with it.

To help us all figure out how to thrive in the new age of distributed game development, we've brought together a few industry pros to share their hard-won lessons. We'll be quizzing Adam Campbell (Azoomee, POC in Play), Robyn Bremner (ustwo games) and Naaila Clements (Dovetail Games) on the processes and principles to adopt and the ones to ditch.

We're hosting this virtual event in collaboration with the brilliant Women in Games and Ada's List. Women in Games is a not-for-profit organisation that seeks a games industry, culture and community free of gender discrimination, where full equality of opportunity, treatment and conditions empowers all women to achieve their full potential. Ada's List is a global network of women/non-binary people who are committed to changing communities, our workplaces and the tech industry for the better.

The speakers

• Adam Campbell, Director of Product at Azoomee and Co-Founder of POC in Play: Adam manages the product development strategy for kids instant gaming and VOD apps across mobile and smart TV platforms globally. With a production operation that usually runs from Azoomee's London-based studio and the recent acquisition of Berlin-based Da Vinci Kids, Adam and his team have devised strategies to manage various processes remotely.
• Robyn Bremner, Lead Producer at ustwo games: Robyn is an industry veteran, having been in the games industry for ~14 years. She is currently working on ustwo games' upcoming unannounced new IP. She has managed remote teams before and helped the ustwo team transition from being mostly in-office to being fully remote during COVID.
• Naaila Clements, Lead Development Manager at Dovetail Games: Naaila is responsible for overseeing the scheduling and development for Dovetail Games' Fishing Franchise. She’s currently managing an entirely remote team of developers who have been communicating effectively online to drive the latest updates and releases forward.

The event will be moderated by George Buckenham, our London Studio's Lead Game Developer.

The logistics

We'll be hosting this event on Zoom, so please do join at 6:30pm to catch the full talk.

• 6:30pm: Moderated panel discussion with our speakers
• 7:15-7:30pm: Audience Q&A

The series

Niantic is proud to be partnering with YSYS, Ada's List and Women in Games to bring you Niantic Office Hours.

Why?

We know our industry needs to do far more to welcome in women and minority groups, and – crucially – to help them thrive once they're here. We started Niantic Office Hours to extend the support we provide to our employees outside of our walls and into the UK games and tech community.

What?

Niantic Office Hours is a series of events ranging from panel discussions on how to advance your career, to interactive workshops that let you develop and share your craft with likeminded peers. Each event is for women (no matter how you identify as a woman), non-binary and non-gender confirming individuals, and minority groups.

We collaborate with one or more of our partners for each event to help reach these groups and curate valuable experiences. Tickets are free, and there are a limited number available to make sure all attendees get value from the sessions.

What's next?

We'll be hosting a Niantic Office Hours event once every two to three months. You can keep an eye on what's coming up via our Eventbrite page.

More about Niantic

Niantic is the world’s leading AR technology company, sparking creative and engaging journeys in the real world. Our products inspire outdoor exploration, exercise, and meaningful social interaction.

Originally formed at Google in 2011, we became an independent company in 2015 with a strong group of investors including Nintendo, The Pokémon Company, and Alsop Louie Partners. Our current titles include pioneering global-control game Ingress, record-breaking AR game Pokémon GO, and recently released third title, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite.

Our London HQ is home to a variety of teams, from Games to AR R&D. We're always on the lookout for talented individuals to join us, so please check out our careers page for opportunities.