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Q & A with Ben

Tell us about your career.
I've been a key contributor in AAA game development for 20 years, getting my start with the highly acclaimed Day of Defeat. After selling and transitioning the game to Valve in 2002, I began my time at The Guildhall where I started as a consultant and wound up a student. Upon graduating, I quickly rose through the ranks at Sony Computer Entertainment and Electronic Arts by working on high profile content, eventually becoming an international brand evangelist. After serving as a Lead Designer for Premium content on Battlefield 4 I left to start Fugitive Games, where we leveraged a successful Kickstarter to build Into the Stars, one of the first games to ship using Unreal Engine 4. After spending a year leading the zombie-survival title Just Survive, I transitioned to take on the most exciting and unique opportunity of my career at Zenimax Online. I have experience in a full range of project scopes from small modifications to $100 million blockbusters.

What is the best part about your current position?
Working on a franchise I've loved for over a decade and bringing new experiences to that fan base.

How did you first become interested in a career in gaming?
I've been playing games since a very young age, but it was not until high school that I discovered the joy of creating unique environments and interactions. My love for user-created content eventually led me to the mod community where I worked on the Half-Life mod Day of Defeat for several years. After a brief stint working for Valve I returned to college but never lost my passion for games. Because of this I found myself at the Guildhall, where making games is more than a hobby... it defines your existence.

What is the most interesting or enjoyable thing that you have gotten to do in your career?
Traveling around the world, speaking to media and fans about our games.

Why did you choose to get your education from the Guildhall?
As both a consultant and intern for the Guildhall, I saw firsthand the benefits of attendance and determined that it was an excellent approach to solidifying a career in game development.

How did the Guildhall prepare you for your career in gaming?
The Guildhall allowed me to work with diverse teams that closely resemble those in actual studios and provided a rich curriculum that charged my communication and development skills.

What impact has the Guildhall had on your life?
It truly changed my life by getting me back into an industry I'd always dreamed of calling my own.

What is the greatest piece of advice you've ever been given?
To be firm in your vision but flexible in its implementation. Game development requires one to be open to change at every avenue, so think high-level and don't fret about the little stuff.