[2020] crash the CM -> crash the Producer

Hello Slayers!

Man, how time flies. It doesn’t seem like that long ago that Dauntless went into Open Beta. And it feels like just mere moments before that, I was joining the Phoenix Labs team on their unannounced project (which wasn’t even named Dauntless yet!) So I guess it stands to reason that it doesn’t feel like that much longer ago that I was globetrotting to work on esports projects and the marketing campaigns for a ton of other games. And all that - It just blurs right in with my time at EA. Which, I guess, I should round out by remembering my first foray into the industry with my friends at Garage Games. They’d found me about to graduate from school and working at a local GameStop near my alma mater. Feels like just a year or two ago.

But, if I look at a calendar, it’s been eleven years. Eleven years working in community, marketing, and spending time with the awesome, inspiring, moving, and passionate gamers that come with it. Being a voice for player feedback and the stories of gamers for eleven years has been a joy — and thankful to all of you for being a part of the journey.

Late last year, I was tapped to begin working on the Hunt Pass system in a producer role. This means helping to get everything out the door and shepherding the creative spark that lies at the heart of every design through the challenging realities of game development. It was challenging, fun, and rewarding. So, when I was offered the chance to continue doing so fulltime, I jumped at it.

This isn’t to say that it was an easy choice. It would mean stepping away from my role as Lead Community Manager, and spending less time with all of you in the places that we meet and talk. But it was also an opportunity to bring my perspective (and yours, by proxy) to the process of the Hunt Pass and other aspects of Dauntless’ development.

It is in that spirit that I am transitioning from my role as Lead Community Manager and into the role of Associate Producer. Of course, I’ll still be around the community (just like any other Phoenix Labs developer) and I will definitely be reading all of your comments about Hunt Pass with rapt attention. But the day-to-day management of the community will pass on to /u/phx-shae and bunheadwhat. If you have pressing questions about the community or need to get someone’s immediate attention, please let them know.

Here’s to hoping I’ll see you in Ramsgate for Season 3 and beyond!

Clear Skies

crash7800

aka Ian Tornay

Associate Broducer