Womenize! – Inspiring Stories is our weekly series featuring inspirational individuals from games and tech. For this edition we talked to Eva Piatrushina, Live Designer at Sharkmob. She speaks about her transition into AAA game development and her role as a Live Designer, emphasizing the importance of player-focused design, balancing creativity with data, and fostering community through mentorship and collaboration. Read more about Eva here:
Hi Eva! What key moments or decisions helped you transition into AAA development, and were there any challenges or lessons along the way that helped shape your approach as a designer?

In 2019, I saw an advertisement for the first Game Design course from a major AAA PC game development studio. For some reason, in that moment, I felt like it was my destiny. I got accepted into a program, and after it was chosen to get an internship, in the end, I got a full-time job.

The biggest advice I can give is that there are many amazing opportunities, but you should be open and actively looking for them. How? Use social media and make meaningful connections.

Both mathematicians and game designers are looking for the right solution in their jobs. There might be more than one way to solve the problem. A degree in Mathematics and Computer science gives understanding about how the software product (might be a game) is produced, gives a skill to learn new things faster, and how to think analytically.

One of my favorite mentors taught me a valuable skill to read correctly. Some people underestimate the power of proper reading.

When I started my GameDev journey, not everyone supported me. This was a good way to learn who your true friends are and who is not. The closest people will support your dreams and plans.

At the beginning of my career, the biggest challenge was the epidemic and the lockdown. Now I know how to work remotely, not to panic when the world is in crisis, and make friends without seeing someone in person.

As a Live Designer working on Exoborne, you’re responsible for keeping the player experience fresh and engaging over time. What excites you most about building live game systems, and how do you balance creativity with data-driven design?

Games are made for players. My favorite part of my work is seeing people’s reaction and the feedback. Of course, the positive feedback makes you happy and smiling, while the negative gives you room for improvement and valuable lessons.

When I design something in the game, I always keep in mind players’ expectations and needs. You don’t make a game for yourself, you make it for someone. Thinking about them is in the first place.

Creativity is good when it’s in the right place. Sometimes, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel. In other cases, being extra creative can be a risk that can help to be outstanding among multiple projects.

Data can be different from numbers in the dashboard to people’s reviews. The ability to analyse the data is a separate skill. As a designer, you need to find your own approach to design. Some trust numbers more, while others believe in their own gut feeling. The best advice is to try to decide what works for you and your project.

You’ve mentored aspiring designers, volunteered at events, and helped shape local game dev communities. What drives you to give back, and how has mentorship influenced your own growth as a designer and leader? 

One of my mottoes in life is “Sharing is caring”. I share my knowledge and time with people around me to make the world a better place. I believe that together as a GameDev community, we can achieve way more. People need people.

Back in the day, I had people who supported me at the beginning of my career, so I want to continue this act of kindness. When you start mentoring people, you realize how many things you can do or just know. It helps to boost your confidence. Not only do your mentees learn something new, but you also learn something from them.

Thanks for this interview, Eva!

Eva’s links: LinkedIn

Womenize! – Inspiring Stories Feature by Madeleine Egger