[This is our third Q&A in an ongoing series profiling various jobs in the games industry. Please check out the previous two, here and here. Also peruse our Careers section for more.]
IndustryGamers: What attracted you to the game industry and producing games in particular?
Lyndsay Pearson: When I started college I had imagined I would get into movies; specifically into modeling, animation and special effects. In my senior year I attended the Game Developer’s Conference and saw just how exciting the video game industry was. The games industry is constantly pushing the envelope on not only visuals but storyline, technology, processes – it’s a very exciting place to be. After that it was clear that I really wanted to be in the games industry somehow. I started as a game tester and after getting a chance to work with the development team, I found that production was the perfect place for me. I learned that producers are the people that get the artists, engineers, designers and every portion of the team to work together and make a game. The first game that I moved into a production role on was The Sims Makin’ Magic and I loved it. I’ve now been working on The Sims franchise since then and most recently worked on The Sims 3 World Adventures.
IG: What's your day-to-day like as a video game producer?
LP: A lot of my job is what we like to call “fire-fighting.” I spend most of my day helping make calls about priorities, design direction and scoping work loads. As we get further along a big part of my job is to evaluate the game and ensure it is the best it can possibly be. I also work with a lot of other teams in the studio to make sure we’re making the game we need to make and that we’re showing it off in the best way possible. I really enjoy how much I get to interface with so many different elements of the game and teams involved.
IG: What kind of education is required to be a producer in the games business?
LP: Something I’ve found really exciting about production is the fact that so many of our producers come from such different backgrounds. I was trained as a modeler, but I work with producers that have been trained as scientists, business people, teachers, writers and our very different backgrounds really come through to make very unique experiences in the game. Anytime we discuss features or new game elements we often have somebody around that is an expert in the matter. Since The Sims is all about simulating life, you can imagine the possibilities of gameplay experiences to explore.
IG: What are your essential skills and tools of the trade?
LP: Communication is essential for any portion of game development – but especially valuable for production. Sometimes we have to translate a designer’s vision into a technical requirements list with an engineer, or other similar situations. We have to predict the future in some ways, because we have to anticipate how a design on paper will play out when it’s actually working on a computer and if our fans will like it. How will they see it? Our tools are not very glamourous; we use a lot of excel spreadsheets actually. Each team is unique though, so on each project there are different tools producers need to pick up. We have tools for managing assets, managing tuning – all sorts of elements that producers and designers need to be able to pick up and master often without a lot of background and information. Producers are also the team cheerleaders, the people that motivate the team and get them through the rough spots. It’s a tough job but is so much fun.
IG: What's the most challenging and the most fun aspect of your job?
LP: The most challenging part of my job is facing unknown territory. We are forging new ground with any game we make and no matter how much experience you have, there’s always a new challenge and new problem to solve. It’s the scary part of making games, but it’s a wonderful challenge to undertake. It’s a chance to create new processes, new technology and new experiences, which leads directly into the most fun! Meeting and talking to the fans and players of our games is so exciting. I love sitting down with a fan to talk about their favorite feature or the secret they found or to just hear feedback. The excitement and enjoyment we can give them with a game is so rewarding.
IG: Are there many opportunities in this field?
LP: The entertainment field is huge and the games industry is no different. There are definitely opportunities out there. The games industry has really grown – it’s not just about PC or console games anymore. There are opportunities for social network games, mobile games – things that weren’t’ around just a few years ago.
IG: What's the typical pay range for video game producers?
[Editor's note: EA did not want to divulge any salary information. However, it goes without saying that pay will vary widely with experience. According to PayScale, video game producers just starting out will get somewhere between $40-$60K, whereas a veteran with more than 10 years of experience could earn well into six figures.]
IG: What advice do you have for aspiring game producers?
LP: First of all – play A LOT of games. Every game you play will teach you something. Secondly – be excited about it and be patient. It may take awhile to get where you want to go, but if your heart is in it and you really push for it, there are opportunities to be had and it’s certainly worth it. As game producers, we get to do something not very many people do – we make people happy and offer them a chance to escape, to play and to be entertained. It’s difficult and challenging, but when the game is done and you can walk into a store and see it on the shelf or check it out online, it’s all worth it.
IG: Thanks, Lyndsay.
