Winning a Game Quality Award is all about recognition from peers who understand the impact quality professionals have on creating exceptional player experiences. We caught up with David Jenkins, Release Manager at Aonic, after his win to talk about his career journey, advice for aspiring QA professionals, and why it’s more important than ever to champion the value of game quality.
GQ: Congratulations on your Game Quality Award! How did it feel to win?
DJ: Honestly, I was surprised, delighted and completely over the moon. It’s genuinely the first individual award I’ve won in the games industry, so it means a huge amount to me.
GQ: Tell us about your current role and your journey into game quality.
DJ: I’m currently a Release Manager at Aonic, working on Megabit Publishing titles. My role covers a bit of everything, which is something I really enjoy.
My career started in Xbox Certification before moving to Sega Europe. From there I became Release Manager at Curve Digital, later Head of Quality at Roll7, and then spent some time freelancing while also launching a podcast and working closely with both Inter Games and GameQuality.org. Eventually, I joined Aonic, where I’ve continued building on everything I’ve learned throughout my career.
Like many people, I originally wanted to get into QA because I wanted to work in games. Even after more than a decade, it’s still one of the most common entry points into the industry. Unfortunately, it’s often misunderstood as a low-skill role, but that’s something we’re actively changing through initiatives like the Game Quality Awards, Qualicon and the work GameQuality.org does to raise the profile of quality professionals.
GQ: What advice would you give to someone looking to progress their career in game quality?
DJ: If you’re serious about progressing, I’d definitely recommend watching not just my talk from Qualicon, as that’s what the focus was, but all the career development discussions. There’s an incredible library of sessions from experienced professionals covering every aspect of quality, and it’s a fantastic resource for anyone looking to grow.
Within your own role, don’t be afraid to speak with people who are more senior than you. Find out what they’re responsible for and ask whether there’s anything you can help take off their plate. When promotion opportunities come around, you’ll already have experience delivering work at the next level.
If you want to progress, show that you want to progress.
GQ: Looking back, what advice would you give your younger self?
DJ: I’d tell myself to be more assertive and trust my own judgement.
A huge part of quality is advocating for the player, and there have definitely been times where I’ve identified an issue but could have pushed harder. Sometimes it’s about doing a little more research, gathering stronger evidence and demonstrating why something really matters for players.
Believing in your own expertise and backing your recommendations can make a real difference.
GQ: What’s one achievement you’re most proud of?
DJ: Aside from winning this award, I’m incredibly proud of the work my team achieved while I was Head of Quality at Roll7
We were nominated for Team of the Year after delivering two award-winning games while working fully remotely. Across both projects, we hit every milestone and every first-party submission first time, on time and on budget. It was a huge team effort, and seeing that recognised was incredibly rewarding.
GQ: Finally, what message would you like to leave with the game quality community?
DJ: Keep working hard and keep pushing forward.
The work we’re doing is becoming more visible, and events like Qualicon are helping showcase the value quality professionals bring to the industry.
So much of our job focuses on identifying problems and explaining what needs to change. We don’t spend enough time talking about the positive impact that negative stuff creates. By highlighting the value we bring, not just to development teams but ultimately to players, we can continue raising the profile of game quality across the industry.
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