Ben shares his tips on getting into the commercial side of games, what’s great about working at Genba, and the office quote that’s haunting him…
Tell us a bit about what your job involves as Genba’s Senior Commercial Manager.
My job at Genba involves managing some of the key relationships we have with our retail and publishing partners. This includes overseeing new releases with the help of the operations team, setting up promotions and a fair bit of business development, looking at the new and exciting areas of the ever-changing games industry.
What’s your all-time favourite quote?
‘Ben, why haven’t you done your expenses yet?’
How can it not be my favourite, I hear it every day!
What are some great things about working at Genba?
There are lots of great things. I’d have to say the people first and foremost though. We have a great team here and everyone works extremely hard to make sure we are delivering a game-changing service for our clients. I also really enjoy meeting our partners around Europe and attending events like Gamescom and GDC.
What game have you most enjoyed helping to launch during your time at Genba, and why?
That’s a great question. There are so many games that have launched during my time here at Genba it’s difficult to pick one specifically. I really enjoyed working on the hugely successful Monster Hunter World and have a soft spot for Bandai Namco and Paradox titles as I think they’re really interesting. As a big football fan, I also love seeing Football Manager release as it’s a fantastic game with a cult following. Oh, and Two Point Hospital. See, so many! Argghh.
What are your top 3 favourite Podcasts or Books?
Podcasts – I’d go for Black Hands, The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, and Serial.
Books – I am Pilgrim, Kane and Abel, To Kill a Mockingbird.
What advice would you give to someone looking to get into the commercial side of the games industry?
My advice first and foremost would be to be approachable and personable. The commercial side of the games industry is very much about relationship management and making sure you have a great connection with whoever you’re dealing with, whether that be a publisher, a developer or a retailer. You also need to be able to take the rough with the smooth. Things don’t always go your way (I’m getting grey hair for a reason!) and it’s about how you react in certain situations. That said, it’s also a very rewarding and exciting place to be!
