Interview: Forging the Future of LiveOps at Wargaming

1) Could you start by going through the course and its specifics? 

Our course will be focusing on LiveOps. In short, Live games are a product of the 21st century and the LiveOps of that game obeys the fundamental principles of marketing, sales, operations, and computer and data science. 

The course, Game Live Operations, is designed to equip those who take part with all the skills and knowledge they will need to start on their journey in the gaming industry in this specific field. The course will require about 8 hours of time each week and will be taught in the form of video lectures, online group feedback sessions, and practical tasks. The best part of the course: it’s completely free. 

This course can just be the start though: some of the brightest prospects will be offered a 6-month paid internship in Vilnius, Prague, or Nicosia to dive even further into LiveOps at a multinational game dev. 

So, if you’re interested—and even if you have no experience or are just leaving university—this could be your chance to get into our industry and, ultimately, become part of our team at Wargaming! 

2) Could you tell us a little about yourself as the course author? 

Sure. I’ve been working in the games industry for more than 10 years and currently am the LiveOps Director at Wargaming. During my time at Wargaming, I’ve launched a data warehouse, real-time targeted promotion solutions, and an operational toolset, as well as being part of the launch team for World of Tanks Blitz. I’ve also established revenue streams and operations frameworks based on value delivery, value promotion, and value capture. Right now, I lead the LiveOps and Operations Management teams, which are truly multinational and spread across six of our offices. 

3) What will be taught on the course? 

The program, first and foremost, will give you the confidence you need to create added value to games via a player-centric operational framework. We’ll also help prepare you for success with unique tools and insights, teaching you to apply LiveOps techniques, create LiveOps events, and engage influencers to grow your game. 

Additionally, we’ll provide you with the foundations of LiveOps and key operational areas, which will allow you to deliver effective LiveOps decision-making. The course will also cover value creation, offer insights into key challenges faced by LiveOps teams today, and enhance your operational skills. 

4) What type of candidates are you looking for? 

Passionate people; to us, that’s very important. But if you were to ask me for a list, prospective candidates should be analytical thinkers, have an eye for detail, creative, boast developed communication skills and be able to defend their thoughts, positions, and ideas. Each candidate will be required to complete a test task and record some answers on video in English to apply for the course. As an international company, English is the common language at Wargaming, and the course will be taught in English. 

5) You touched on LiveOps briefly, can you describe the field in a bit more detail? 

Game live operations, or Game LiveOps, as a discipline lies at the heart of live services actions. It changes the player experience after the game goes live, or the game receives updates without needing to release a new version. Gone are the days when developing a game, uploading it to a platform, and enjoying life was a sustainable business model for a game with a long lifespan. LiveOps has become an integral part of any free-to-play game and must be carefully planned, starting with a design and ending with a go-to-market strategy. Games-as-a-Service transformed boxed games into living, organic games that are constantly evolving, and LiveOps can deliver a fresh experience to players every day.

Let’s imagine for a moment that you’re in charge of a theme park. Your job is to ensure that new visitors never get lost, regular guests are always offered something new and any visitors who are about to leave suddenly find new reasons to stay. This is exactly the scope of work conducted by LiveOps, but instead it’s around a live game.

6) Can I apply if I’m not based in Vilnius, Nicosia, or Prague?  

Of course, you can! However, the opportunities of paid internships and future job offers mentioned earlier can only be made to those who can legally be employed in those locations. However, the course and its qualification are open to everyone! 

7) A qualification? What do you mean? 

Everyone who presents their final project and finishes the course will receive a course completion certificate issued by Wargaming Forge! 

8) Any final words? 

Good luck to everyone who is going to apply! If you are interested in applying for the course (or just would like a bit more information), you can visit our website and subscribe or follow us to stay updated. This way you’ll be the first to know when the application period is starting. We look forward to seeing you on the course and sharing our knowledge with you! After all, you’re the future of our industry!