Introduce yourself: What do you do at Gameforge and how long have you been part of the Quality-Assurance team?

I’m Nedim, and I’ve been working here since 2014. I started out as a Quality Assurance Specialist testing our games and websites. Since mid-2021, I’m now a QA Team Lead and lead a small team which deals with test automation and mobile product testing.
 

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

Yes, I moved from Aachen to Karlsruhe. Moving into the shared company housing for the first few months gave me time to look for my own apartment and made the move a lot more convenient.
 

Describe your typical working day.

In the morning, there’s a short meeting with the team where we briefly address what we did the day before and set a plan for what we need to get done today. After that, it can vary drastically based on whatever the day brings. This could include tasks like discussing schedules for upcoming projects, fixing problems which are hindering the work of my team, or reporting to other departments about our current status and sharing my team’s results. When I get time, I like to help out with the automation, myself.
 

Can you name your most common task?

Most of my time is spent planing projects and how to allocate resources.
 

What is the most enjoyable thing about your job?

Just working together with my team is probably what I enjoy most. It’s nice being able to fool around with them from time to time. With nice colleagues, even the most boring working day can still be wonderful.
 

What makes you and your position indispensable for Gameforge?

We in QA are the last stop before the game goes out to the players. The things that we don’t find will, sooner or later, be found by the players. When you see what does still get through to the players, you don’t want to imagine what it would be like without us.
 

What made you decide to pursue this career?

As my studies drew to a close, I thought about whether I would want to work in the career that I studied for. But I soon realised in an internship that it wasn’t really for me. So I asked myself what it is that I truly enjoy doing, and that’s playing video games. I then looked at what sorts of positions are available in the industry and I came across Quality Assurance. A short while later, I applied and got the job.
 

Which three words describe the collaboration in your team?

Open, helpful and entertaining.
 

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?

First and foremost, a person needs to have a basic understanding of computers and video games. And of course, you should also have a passion for video games. Otherwise, you should be able to handle sudden changes and be a bit of a ‘gallows humour’ kind of person. In QA, it’s your job to find things you would hope wouldn’t be there at all. So it’s very helpful to go about things with a sense of humour.
 

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

The people. Generally, the majority of my friends here in Karlsruhe work for Gameforge, and we also get to chill here after work and have beers, watch films and play games together. The atmosphere here is just great.
 

What do you wish for Gameforge’s future?

I wish Gameforge many more years of success with their game titles in the future. Not least of all for personal reasons. It’s always a great feeling to see something you’ve worked on be a success and for people to like it.
 

What games are you privately interested in most?

My favourite game series is without a doubt Zelda, but otherwise I like to play a lot of different types of games: action, adventure, shooters, RPGs and strategy or city-building games, a little bit of everything. The only genre I actively avoid are probably MOBAs.
 

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

There’s a lot to choose from. Maybe the Star Wars cinema trips, or the BBQ evenings, which are always fantastic.
 

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

Mainly because Gameforge is based here. But I also like how the city is relatively compact and that you can get anywhere quickly by bike or on foot without any problems. My favourite place would probably be Gottesaue Palace.
 

What are you interested in outside of work?

As a total cliché, gaming. But I do also like to play a round of table tennis, go out with friends or watch films and TV shows.
 

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

First to secure a living for myself, then just enjoy life.
 

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

My job would be to ensure that everything we’ll need for the party gets checked before it begins. Who’s checking that the sound system is working? Is someone checking that none of the ingredients going into the food are spoiled? Is there anyone checking that people, even when they’re drunk, won’t be stumbling over random objects every two meters and tripping over loose cables?
During the party, I’d have to ensure that when complaints come in, there is someone there to look into the issues.
After the party, I’d have to do a review of what went wrong and see to it that it doesn’t happen again next time.
 

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

7.5 – I think you probably need to be at least a 5 to work here!