The inaugural Game Quality Awards 2024 has concluded with a spectacular celebration of talent, innovation, and dedication in the game quality craft. Held at Qualicon 2024, the awards honored individuals and teams who have made remarkable contributions to the discipline.
In this interview series, we will speak to our winners for 2024, continuing with Cameron Yates, QA Engineer at Gram Games, and winner of the Rising Star category.
Game Quality: Congratulations on your win for Rising Star at the first-ever Game Quality Awards! How do you feel about winning?
Cameron Yates: Thank you! A part of me is still in shock that I’ve won it; it wasn’t something I expected to happen, but it’s certainly something I’m incredibly proud of and honored to receive!
GQ: Can you tell us a little bit about what your current role is and how you got there?
CY: I’m a QA Engineer at Gram Games. I started at Gram as a QA Intern after finishing University where I studied Games Design.
GQ: What made you want to get into the game quality profession?
CY: I had a huge love for gaming as a kid, my dad gifted me a PS1 when I was really young, and I was hooked on Spyro and Final Fantasy. While studying Games Design I did a bit of testing on two games. I was instantly interested in the testing process, so I put immediate effort into pursuing it as a career.
GQ: What are some key tips you would give someone who’s looking to progress their career in game quality?
CY: It might seem obvious but have a go at creating a game yourself! Understanding how a game/feature is created can greatly help create and run tests. Don’t be afraid to try absolutely everything, verifying that no issues are present is valuable. Don’t expect to know everything, try to be adaptable and take onboard information presented.
GQ: What piece of career advice would you give your younger self with the benefit of hindsight?
CY: Probably not to doubt myself as I will get to this point! I don’t think I’d change anything, just keep my head up and study hard!
GQ: What is one achievement that you are most proud of?
CY: This award! I never expected to win anything like this.
GQ: As a rising star in the game quality profession, what makes you most excited to progress your career in this discipline?
CY: I’m excited to continue working in an industry I’ve been obsessed with my entire life, and to be involved in new things, seeing players’ reactions to the things I’m involved with!
GQ: Are there any final thoughts like to share with the rest of the Game Quality community?
CY: I look forward to meeting more wonderful people from the Game Quality community going forward! And a huge thanks to everyone in the Gram team for helping me get to this point!
To see the full list of Game Quality Award 2024 winners, visit the awards website here or check out the winners announcement on our blog.
