When I first came to UChicago, I firmly believed I would be a Math and Econ major, even though I didn’t particularly like either subject (I HATE STEM!!!). I figured I would just suffer through both majors, not allowing myself to study what I was actually passionate about–the humanities–for the sake of a stable future.
Well, I’m an English and MADD major now, so that plan didn’t work out. As I began learning more about the MADD major, I realized the possibilities of making money in an industry I actually enjoyed being a part of: video games. Although my understanding of the video game industry comes more from watching other people play games rather than playing them myself because my setup at home can’t handle anything, I’ve dabbled in a few games. Eventually, my Valorant-obsessed sister dragged me into the Valorant hellhole. Before getting into Valorant, I’d also already heard of League of Legends, and of course, when Arcane came out, I watched. I could confidently say I was pretty familiar with Riot Games.
So, when I heard that Riot Games had a panel about careers in the gaming industry, I knew I had to attend. I went in expecting a basic summary of what it was like to work at Riot and some questions from students desperate for jobs, but instead I was given an inspiring discussion of working in a creative industry, embracing your creativity, and fighting for possibility.
It was immediately clear that all three panelists were extremely passionate about their work. For every question, each guest went in detail about their different experiences and advice. Something that stood out to me a lot was Katherine’s remark about feeling the need to relentlessly create, spending every minute thinking about the next creation and staying constantly passionate, which helped her realize that this was the field for her. As someone who has always been concerned about finding the “right” career, Katherine’s words really resonated with me. Even if I had already been considering the games industry, hearing Katherine speak so passionately about creation fully opened my eyes to a future where I don’t absolutely hate my job and instead do something I love every day.
This also connected with what the guests had to say about AI: it can never replace human creation, which was something I heavily agreed with.
Another part of the panel that stood out to me was reinforcing the idea of always being open to new experiences and the willingness to expand your creative horizons. Annie mentioned how she initially wanted to only be a documentary editor when she first started her career, but being willing to take on opportunities that deviated from this path allowed her to gain understanding and love for different industries and keep her career fresh and exciting. When we went up to Katherine after the panel to talk, she mentioned that she had never played a Riot game before becoming an employee. And yet, during her job hunt process, she reached out to a Riot Games employee, which could have been a step out of her comfort zone. By being willing to immerse herself in Riot Games despite having no impression, she entered into a space that would both fulfill her creatively and open up countless possibilities should she ever wish to strive further.
Also, it was just really cool to see the behind the scenes of Gekko’s trailer, as a Valorant player who’s watched many of their cinematics and trailers in awe.
It may be overkill for others to describe this panel as something eye-opening and inspiring, but as someone irrationally anxious about the future (especially with the daunting rise of AI), this panel transformed my outlook into something much more positive and proactive.
I think one of the most foundational skills a creative degree teaches is that of taking risks. That of course occurs when we play games in a genre we’ve never engaged with before, and even in the arguments we make when critically analyzing mechanics and stories. But it also looks like being willing to make a project that may fail, or joining a company you may not have a strong impression of at first. But I also think it is important to note that, for the most part, partaking in game development and/or design is rarely a lone experience. The people around you help take on the burdens of risks, or encourage you to keep trying new things. Risk-taking is a central part of the creative process, and one that often pays off. Especially to those you feel the endless need to keep creating, being surrounded by people with similar desires can encourage inventiveness to even higher levels and degrees.
For someone as creative as you, I’m thrilled that you get the opportunity and space to explore art and video games to the fullest. Forever glad you decided to be a MADD major <3
The Katherine story really stuck with me, joining Riot without ever playing their games because the work itself felt right, not because she was already a superfan. That’s such a different approach than what we’re trained to do academically, where you’re supposed to have everything figured out and prove you deserve to be there before you even apply.There’s something kind of liberating about that. Like, what if the point isn’t showing up as the perfect candidate who’s already obsessed with every detail of the company culture, but just showing up genuinely curious about the work? I feel like so many of us (me included) talk ourselves out of things because we don’t think we’re the “right” fit yet. But maybe curiosity matters more than credentials. Anyway massive respect for getting out of the Econ/Math pipeline. That takes guts. MADD is lucky to have you!!