Candela Ayala Vizán – Womenize! – Inspiring Stories
Womenize! – Inspiring Stories is our weekly series featuring inspirational individuals from games and tech. For this edition, we talked to Candela Ayala Vizán, Partner & Influencer Manager at Gameforge. She speaks about how her passion for online gaming communities led her from being a player of Gameforge games to building a long-term career there, evolving from community management into partnership and influencer roles while embracing growth, adaptability, and meaningful human connection. Read more about Candela here:
Hi Candela! What initially drew you to the gaming industry, and how did your early experiences shape your decision to build your career at Gameforge?
I’m a millennial and grew up in Spain. When I was around nine years old, I got my first PC with Monkey Island, and it completely changed how I saw entertainment. I went from spending most of my time outside to discovering these immersive fantasy worlds where you could shape your own experience.
Later on, I came across browser games and started playing OGame, which was actually one of Gameforge’s titles. That was the moment I realised that the connections I was building online were just as meaningful, if not more so, than the ones around me offline. To this day, one of my closest friends is someone I met in universe 46 of OGame Spain.
At the time, online communities were growing quickly, and I could see there was an opportunity to turn that passion into a career. Gameforge was building its community teams internationally, often recruiting directly through forums. I was already part of the community, so applying felt like a natural step. I got the role and moved to Karlsruhe, which was a big leap, but one that shaped everything that came after.
You’ve spent many years evolving within Gameforge, moving from community work into partnerships. When you think about that journey, what has changed the most in how you see your own role in shaping player and creator experiences?
The biggest change is how I think about scale and impact. As a Community Manager, I was in very direct contact with players. I spent a lot of time listening, understanding their needs and acting as a bridge between the community and the game team. That connection is still incredibly valuable, especially for long-running games with very dedicated player bases.
A key shift happened when I started working on new game launches. With established titles, you already have a community and clear communication channels. With new games, that foundation doesn’t exist yet. That’s where I started to see the difference between community management and community development. It’s not just about maintaining a relationship, but about helping to build it from the ground up, often in collaboration with marketing and PR efforts that reach beyond the existing player base.
In 2022, I got the chance to transition into my current position as a Partner and Influencer Manager. In this role, that idea of community development continues, just through different tools. Working with creators and partners allows us to reach new audiences in a more personal and relatable way. It’s not about stepping away from direct player interaction, but about complementing it and expanding how players discover and connect with a game.
What has staying in one company for such a long time taught you about growth, purpose, and what would you tell someone still trying to find that sense of direction and stability in their career?
One of the biggest lessons for me is that growth doesn’t always mean changing companies. It can also mean evolving within the same environment.
At Gameforge, I’ve had the opportunity to constantly adapt, whether that’s through new platforms, new games or entirely new roles. Over my 15 years in the company, I’ve learned so much from colleagues across different departments and gained a much deeper understanding of how community insights can influence many areas of the business.
When I first started, I packed everything up and moved to Germany without really knowing what to expect. Looking back, trusting that decision and staying open to change made all the difference. This industry moves very quickly, and there is always something new to learn or explore. Gameforge has been a place where I could keep growing and trying new things while still enjoying what I do. That’s not something to take for granted and it’s a big part of why I’ve stayed for so long.
For anyone still trying to find their direction: passion and curiosity go a long way. If you’re in an environment that supports that, there will always be something new to put your hands on and opportunities to grow, even if you don’t change companies.