Community used to mean a forum someone in marketing checked once a week. Now it's the second product. The Discord server, the Reddit, the official Twitch chat, the in-game guilds — these are where the game actually lives between sessions. The teams who understand this have community managers who are as senior as their engineering leads.
Modern community work isn't about replies-per-hour. It's about reading the room — knowing when a frustration is about to spill into a review-bomb, knowing which superfan to invite to the next playtest, knowing how to translate 'players are unhappy' into a specific actionable signal for the dev team. Done well, it's the single highest-leverage role in a live studio.
“Your community is your second product. Treat it that way.”
The shift is structural. Studios that treat community as a cost center have brittle relationships with their players. Studios that treat it as an extension of design have armies of advocates who defend the game in their own networks long before anyone official needs to.
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Rare's community team helped salvage a rough launch by being everywhere — Twitch, Discord, the in-game inn — and treating fan creators as collaborators. The game's identity is co-written with the community via lore events and 'pirate of the year' programs.
↳ Community work compounds. The fans who stuck through the bad year became the loudest voices when the good years came.
Every meaningful update goes to a community-wide poll. 75% approval threshold. The team has the technical right to override the polls and almost never does. Players feel like co-owners.
↳ Democratic content is slow but durable. A vote you lose builds more trust than a feature you win without one.
A two-year-old game that exploded because of streamer + Discord-community dynamics, not marketing. Innersloth's tiny team responded by making moderation tools, releasing free updates, and never trying to capitalize aggressively on the moment.
↳ When the community gives you a gift, don't immediately try to monetize the gift.
Community Manager / Director of Community. At larger studios this splits into Discord lead, social lead, content creator partnerships, and player council coordinators.
The role has shifted from forum moderation to product strategy. Here's what the strongest community teams in the industry have figured out — and what the rest are still getting wrong.
What happens inside a studio when a game explodes past every projection on launch day? Jeremy Fielding, Community Manager and Narrative Coordinator at Stunlock Studios, was there when V Rising hit 150,000 concurrent Steam players — and he w…
Guests: Karin Johnson: Co-founder of Magic Potion Games (Veteran of Club Penguin and Fortnite)Hege Tokerud: CEO/Founder of Aiba (Cybersecurity and AI moderation specialist) Episode Summary In this strategic primer for GDC 2026, we sit down…
I started Amir Satvat’s Games Community because I saw members of the games community losing their jobs and needing help. I remembered everything I had gone through trying to get into the industry and thought I could do something with the skill sets I had. It all began with our first resource, now one of 13, which was a games jobs workbook. - Amir Satvat
If you’ve been following the industry lately, you know we’re at a fascinating crossroads. We’re seeing record-breaking anticipation for massive titles, but we're also seeing that "safe" AAA bets aren't always guaranteed anymore. As we sit here in March 2026, just days away from GDC in San Francisco, the message is louder than ever: You can’t fix a broken community after it’s already built.
In this episode of Player Driven, Greg Posner sits down with Laura Norwicke Hall, Senior Player Support Specialist at Schell Games, to unpack what modern player experience really looks like when games scale.
🎧 Episode Description (Hook + Intro)What if the biggest leaps in gaming don’t happen at global mega-conferences, but in regional rooms where developers, vendors, and communities connect in a meaningful way? In this episode of Player Driven…
Episode OverviewWhat does it take to build a shooter that can handle millions of players and still keep people coming back for more? In this episode, Greg is joined by Thad Sasser, a veteran designer whose career has touched some of the mos…
Episode SummaryIn this episode of Player Driven, Greg talks with Keith Pape, founder of YellowPike Media, about how to build authentic, lasting connections between studios, players, and communities.
In this episode of Player Driven, Greg talks with Joe Pace, VP at ASICS Ventures, about the company’s surprising leap into virtual reality with DISC, a brand-new competitive sport built for Meta Quest.
Episode Overview: In this episode, Greg Posner interviews Fiene Ziegler, Senior Community Management Specialist at InnoGames.
Community is on the rise. Whether you're a seasoned Community Manager or just starting out, fostering a safe, engaging, and compliant online space is more critical than ever. This post dives into key best practices, drawing insights from industry leaders in kids' gaming and online safety.
In a world where players expect instant answers and unforgettable moments, how do you scale support without sacrificing community?We sat down with Heidi Christine (CMO and Head of Community at Pixels) and Conor McGinley (CS Lead at Twin Harbor Interactive) to find out. Whether you're a live service veteran or just starting your first Discord server, this episode from the Player Driven podcast drops a ton of actionable insights. Let's break them down.
In a world where players expect instant answers and unforgettable moments, how do you scale support without sacrificing community?We sat down with Heidi Christine (CMO and Head of Community at Pixels) and Conor McGinley (CS Lead at Twin Harbor Interactive) to find out. Whether you're a live service veteran or just starting your first Discord server, this episode from the Player Driven podcast drops a ton of actionable insights. Let's break them down.
Episode Summary: In this insightful episode, Greg sits with Tim Smith to discuss COHEZION, a community-focused tool designed to streamline player engagement and community analytics.
If there’s one thing that separates thriving studios from the ones that struggle, it’s communication. Whether you're running an indie project, managing a live-service game, or just trying to build a career in the gaming industry, how you connect with others makes all the difference.
Player experience isn’t just about answering tickets or troubleshooting issues, it’s about fostering trust, creating connections, and ensuring every player feels valued. At Player Driven, we believe that exceptional player support is the foundation of a thriving gaming community. To help studios create a better player experience, we’re outlining key best practices that drive engagement, satisfaction, and long-term loyalty.
A game’s success isn’t just about its mechanics, visuals, or story, it’s about the community behind it. The best games don’t just have players, they have loyal, engaged communities that support and grow with them. But thriving communities don’t happen by accident. They require structure, clear expectations, and, most importantly, community guidelines.
Over the course of many episodes, the Player Driven podcast has brought together industry experts, thought leaders, and practitioners to discuss key trends and challenges in the gaming world. From fostering inclusive communities to leveraging cutting-edge technology, these conversations have revealed valuable insights for anyone involved in the gaming ecosystem. Whether you are a game developer, community manager, or simply curious about the dynamics of the gaming industry, this blog post unpacks the essential learnings from the podcast.
The Unsung Backbone of Gaming: Server Hosting In the world of online gaming, server hosting is the foundation that makes multiplayer experiences possible. While often overlooked, the complexity and importance of this infrastructure cannot be overstated. Yet, server hosting has long been a daunting challenge for players and developers alike, requiring a level of technical expertise that many simply don’t have. As gaming becomes more inclusive and diverse, the conversation around server hosting is shifting. It’s no longer just about technical efficiency—it’s about accessibility, privacy, and creating safe spaces for players to connect.
Episode Overview: In this episode of Player Driven, Greg talks with Gareth Weatherley, the Senior Customer Relations Manager at Pearl Abyss.
Why Community Matters in Gaming In today's gaming landscape, a strong community isn’t just a nice-to-have—it's essential. Building a loyal player base fuels creativity, drives user engagement, and ensures long-term success. Just like Midwest communities thrive by coming together, gaming communities have the power to amplify a game's reach and impact.
Episode Overview: In this episode, Greg Posner interviews Fiene Ziegler, Senior Community Management Specialist at InnoGames.
Greg sits down with Catherine Litvaitis, a seasoned community manager with experience at Mouldbreaker Interactive, Armor Games Studios, and Paradox Interactive.
Structured courses, instructor feedback on studio briefs, and a credential scored by working operators. The L01 primer is free with an account.
Every piece of content in this pillar you finish earns credits toward your Community level. See the full system at /level-up.