Briefly introduce yourself: what do you do at Gameforge and how long have you been part of the Gameforge team?

My name is Martina, I’m a Team Lead in Community Management and have been working at Gameforge since November 2008.
I started as a community manager, rather quickly became a trainer for new community managers and have been a team lead in Community Management since the end of 2009.

Did you move to Karlsruhe for this job? How was the move and your new start?

I moved from North Rhine-Westphalia to Karlsruhe – it was a huge change for me because I grew up in the countryside. The distance made looking for an apartment in Karlsruhe difficult, but then things fell into place surprisingly fast.
The move itself was somewhat stressful with two cats moaning for 550 km – but after the first few days in the new home, we soon became accustomed to things.
My first days were great – I was warmly welcomed into the company, and my colleagues were always there to offer help or advice.

Describe your typical working day.

I first need my morning coffee, then I check my emails, read through forums and have a look in the ticket system. This can take a while now that I’m managing a community again. This entails answering questions, solving problems and making an announcement every now and then.
Afterwards, it depends on what questions and concerns my colleagues have, and this makes up a large part of my job. I’m essentially a leader, coach and sparring partner for my co-workers. They sometimes come to me to blow off steam when things aren’t running smoothly somewhere.
Since each day depends on what’s currently happening in our games, we don’t really have such a thing as a ‘typical day’. But this also means it’s never boring!

Can you name your most common task?

There I’d say coaching is probably the best way to describe it.

What is the most enjoyable thing about your job?

I have the most fun working with people from all different cultures – be they colleagues or players.
I also really enjoy how much variety there is to the job. As I said before, each day is different, and you never know how your day is going to go.

What makes you and your position indispensable for Gameforge?

I wouldn’t say I’m indispensable for Gameforge but rather the position I fill. However, I’ve gathered quite a lot of experience over the years based on the different areas I’ve worked in – and experience and knowledge are always valuable.

Why did you decide on this career, exactly?

I first heard of Gameforge in 2006 through playing the game Bitefight. Since I was so active in the forums as a player and I had a lot of fun communicating with the other players, I decided to apply for the volunteer team.
I was accepted, then progressed through all the team ranks to Game Admin and had direct contact to the then community manager, Phelan (now the Chief Officer of Customers and HR). At the annual teamler event in 2008, we had a chat about the job as a community manager. I really liked the idea and what he was telling me, so I applied.

After a job interview, I was hired.
In the end, the teamwork and what I learned about the job of a community manager is why I made the decision. I’m someone who likes to communicate and am glad to help wherever possible and/or needed. Those are all reasons I enjoy it even when there are days when nothing goes as planned. 

Which three words describe the collaboration in your team?

Teamwork, cohesion, flexibility. We all pull together when it matters!

What qualities does an applicant need to have to be successful in your department, both in terms of the job and in terms of the team?

Experience with player communities is an important point, and an applicant should also have a certain affinity for online games.

You also need a ‘thick skin’ and can’t be someone who is easily rattled.

Social skills are also very important – we spend most of the day communicating with people from around the globe across all our platforms, and they aren’t always in a good mood and are sometimes just looking to complain.

To get along with the team, you just have to be yourself – we’re a bunch of oddballs, and we always welcome new co-workers with open arms.

In your opinion, what makes Gameforge special as an employer?

For me, being at Gameforge feels a little like family. I’ve known many colleagues for several years now. We discuss our private lives and occasionally meet outside of working hours to do something together – even if it’s just meeting up to chat on a park bench. 😊
I also think it’s great how we keep our hierarchies so flat. You can introduce your own ideas, and it’s relatively flexible. Of course there are internal guidelines, but especially in the area of community management you have to quickly veer to the left or right when a middle-of-the-road approach simply won’t do.
It’s also great how we’re constantly provided drinks, breakfast, lunch and snacks.

I forgot about the cakes… and the cookies!

What do you wish for Gameforge’s future?

I wish Gameforge many more successful years – and a new game which blows up.

What games are you privately most interested in?

In my private life, I like games I can play alone.
I have a foible for simulation and strategy games but also really like building games.
I generally like things which are more relaxed – you couldn’t pay me to play a MOBA! 

And now for an inside story: What is your personal highlight at Gameforge?

My personal highlights were the two company trips to Andalusia.
It was simply amazing, an extended weekend celebrating with colleagues, and the foam party with cocktails on the beach was unforgettable. Or the event where we split into groups to build our owns boats and sailed out to sea on them.

Why do you like working in Karlsruhe and what’s your favourite location here?

Karlsruhe has everything you need: a lot of shops, nice excursion destinations and a beautiful palace.
My favourite place is the green area in the Citypark, but I also like the palace garden, of course!

What are you interested in outside of work?

I watch a lot of television series and like to read a good book now and then, and play video games basically every day.

What do you still want to do or achieve in life?

I absolutely want to visit New Zealand, and I would like to see the northern lights. If I’ll actually do it – I don’t know; I don’t like sitting through long flights.

Imagine Gameforge were a party. What would your responsibilities be before, during and/or after the party?

I am pretty sure I’d be responsible for clean-up :D 

On a scale of 1 to 10 – how crazy are you?

I’d put myself at a solid 8!