Sandsoft

A People Partner: The magician behind the scenes, blending #HR expertise with empathy to create a workplace where both people and organizations thrive. At Sandsoft this role belongs to amazing Elena Garcia Molina. “I am deeply passionate about fostering a #collaborativeenvironment where my colleagues can thrive both personally and professionally. My mission is to unite them as a cohesive team and provide support for their growth and development.” - says Elena about her current role. What are some of the most significant challenges you are seeing now in your role? “The most challenging is to avoid the trap of perfectionism. We need to try and learn from setbacks, and be fast and agile, but flexible at the same time, in order to embrace the changes. The positive aspect is the significant commitment from leadership, prioritizing culture and people above all else. They recognize that at the core of every project are individuals, and as such, they actively support and invest their time in all initiatives related to people and culture." Reflecting on your career within gaming, what specific obstacles have you faced as a woman in a leadership role?  “I faced a stereotype suggesting I lacked sufficient experience, but actions speak louder than words. Therefore, I advise showcasing your work to gain visibility and prove your capabilities. Moreover, as a woman, I believe the endorsement of #femaleleadership is crucial. There may be those who question why individuals, particularly mothers, would leave secure employment for a start-up venture. However, this skepticism often arises from a lack of understanding of the thrill and satisfaction derived from building something innovative collectively. My recommendation for new young females in the industry is to be realistic but pursue your dreams from different areas and have multiple options. Join videogames industry events and speak with people, being positive and helpful, and then... One day, the opportunity or a recommendation will knock on your door.” Which #gamegenres you like playing? “I love #consolegames with a history behind them (#TheLastofUS, #CallofDuty, #Uncharted, and #StarWars). I play PC games and the Sims. My mum and I were playing together during my childhood. Also, mobile games help me to disconnect and I also like #Chessonline.” What are the main things that convinced you to join Sandsoft? “I thoroughly enjoy tackling demanding projects, fostering team environment focused on learning and growth. The values of Sandsoft were chosen by the people through numerous focus groups, and the leadership has diligently supported and invested time in this process, laying the foundation for our organizational culture. It's evident that this culture isn't just lip service; it permeates through every action, reflecting our commitment to prioritizing people above all else.” Are you inspired? Check our open positions at https://lnkd.in/evU4V-Ky  

A few weeks ago, Sandsoft employees gathered under the sunny skies of Riyadh to celebrate our collective achievements, share valuable learnings, and illuminate our future plans and strategy. Imagine the energy of working alongside colleagues from 27 different nationalities, bringing together diverse temperaments from the north, east, west, and south, and speaking over a dozen of languages. Yet, we are united by one passion and shared values: #Growth, #Togetherness, and #Boldness. It’s truly delightful! During this vibrant gathering, we deepened our connections, brainstormed innovative ideas, and had an incredible amount of fun. We celebrated our #diversity and cherished each unique voice, empowering every team member to fearlessly contribute their ideas. Here’s to the power of unity in #diversity! We are looking for more awesome talent to join us https://lnkd.in/d_hrAHJs

We are excited to announce the appointment of Mariana Chucri, MBA as our new Vice President of Finance. This senior hire underscores Sandsoft’s commitment to expanding its leadership team with diverse and highly experienced professionals as we continue our growth trajectory. Mariana joins from Danish studio Trophy Games (Nasdaq: TGAMES), which is listed on the Nordic Nasdaq stock exchange. Across 15 years in the #games industry, Mariana has also held senior finance roles at Electronic Arts (EA), Ubisoft, Eidos-Montréal and Square Enix. Mariana will bring her global experience, strategic vision, and deep understanding of the #gamingindustry to bear from Sandsoft’s headquarters in Riyadh. She has extensive expertise in financial planning, analysis, and investor relations which will drive financial strategy and innovation across each of Sandsoft’s key business areas of publishing, internal game development and investment. Mariana will lead strategic financial initiatives, ensuring Sandsoft’s continued rise to become a leading game publisher and developer. Full press release is available here: https://lnkd.in/g6pm5utB Want to join us and work with Mariana? We are hiring! 👉 https://lnkd.in/d_hrAHJs

Exclusive Interview with Miikka Lindgren Sandsoft VP of Publishing Miikka Lindgren shares Sandsoft's innovative publishing strategies and exciting future plans in this exclusive interview. Lindgren reveals everything from exploring new markets to introducing groundbreaking innovations in the gaming world. Don't miss the insights from one of the industry's leading figures! Read more: https://lnkd.in/dAyW2QqG #GamingIndustry #Publishing

Sandsoft is thrilled to announce our participation in one of the industry’s premier events - gamescom! We anticipate this year’s edition to be filled with insightful meetings, innovative ideas, and exciting new #game announcements. We’re eager to connect and explore new opportunities. Are you attending, too? Reach out to us to schedule a meeting. Let’s elevate your game to the next level together! 🚀

I'm super stoked to share that I'll be representing Sandsoft at the Develop:Brighton conference this week! This will be the first Develop:Brighton event I attend of hopefully many more to come. I’ve always heard that Develop never fails to bring together the entire game development community, providing a rare opportunity to connect with fellow video gaming and related industry professionals from across the UK and Europe. 🌏 Whether you're a developer, artist, sound designer, or just love the gaming space, this event is packed with valuable insights! 🎯 I’ll be in Brighton on Wednesday and Thursday. If you're attending too, I'd love to connect, just send over a DM. Keen to make the most of this! 📩 #DevelopConf #Sandsoft

Our Mobile Mavens discuss the persistent issue of sexist ads in the mobile games market. They speak on why these advertisements are still happening and how users and the wider industry can combat them. Here’s what Iryna Afanasyeva, John Wright, Marca Wosoba, Peter Fodor, Ivona Pinjak and Nadir Garouche had to say. https://lnkd.in/etc6Adv8

We’re thrilled to welcome Antonio Jesus Narvaez Corrales to the Sandsoft family as our new Senior Game Developer! With a decade of experience at top companies like CrazyLabs, Tangelo Games Corp., and Scopely, Antonio brings a wealth of knowledge and a creative problem-solving approach to our team. Antonio is passionate about #RPG games like #DragonQuestSaga and #Xenoblade, and just finished #Pikmin 4! Currently, he’s diving into #Mario RPG. We’re incredibly proud to have such talented individuals on our team. Welcome, Antonio! 🌟 P.S. We're hiring! Check out our job openings and don’t hesitate to apply! 👉 https://lnkd.in/d_hrAHJs

At Sandsoft we're all about people, #diversity, and #inclusiveness because we believe that #diversity leads to success. We're thrilled to welcome our newest team member, James Quick, joining us as a Senior 3D Artist from Australia to Riyadh. We asked James a few questions about art, moving to Riyadh, and why he chose Sandsoft. What inspired you to make the move from Australia to Riyadh for your new role? How do you anticipate adjusting to the cultural and lifestyle changes?   I have been looking to move internationally to take my career to the next level, and when my recruiter showed me this role in KSA it got my attention.   I had been hearing about #SaudiVision2030 and the more I learnt about the role, the company’s philosophy and life in #KSA the more excited I became to start this next chapter with Sandsoft! Culture shock will no doubt be something to experience however I am focusing on looking forward with an open mind to new experiences. Focusing on enjoying the unique benefits of living and working in KSA. This is a great opportunity to expand my professional horizons in a rapidly expanding economy while challenging myself on a personal level. As the old saying goes, when you are offered a seat on a rocket ship you don't ask what seat, you take it! What aspects of the job description by Sandsoft attracted you the most?    The aspects that attracted me to Sandsoft is their focus on trusting and empowering teams to take control over the entire #gamedevelopment process from start to finish. This is a very attractive quality for me and I believe it’s the best approach to launching successful game franchises. What do you like most about working in the #gamingindustry? I love working on games in all their forms, it’s the perfect intersection of creativity, art, play and human psychology. I never get tired of learning and exploring these subjects. Furthermore I get to learn from the experiences of many passionate like minded people. Being surrounded by talented creative people is an endless source of motivation and inspiration. Do you believe artistic talent is an innate ability, or is it a skill that anyone can develop through learning and practice? Not at all innate, artistic talent or more moreover artistic skill is something that can be learnt and taught. It's often shrouded in mystery but can be broken into simple steps and philosophies that can be practiced. The main determining factor for learning artistic skills is access to the right information and the willingness to consistently apply that information. This is evident with countless peers I have worked with that are self taught later in life. After all if it was purely innate we wouldn't have so many creative university degrees or online courses. The same goes for the broader definition of creativity, it's merely a learned behavior of looking at the world through a particular perspective. Want to work with James? 👉 https://lnkd.in/d_hrAHJs

Sandsoft's success is driven by our incredible team, whose passion and expertise fuel our journey every day. Today, we're thrilled to welcome Cathal O'Sullivan as our new Ad Monetization Lead! As part of our tradition, we’ve asked Cathal a few questions about his career path and aspirations.     I've been #gaming since childhood and initially aimed to be a #gamedeveloper, studying computer science. - told us Cathal. - My shift to #monetization accelerated at Unity Ads, where I spent five years helping developers with sustainable commercial strategies. What specific skills do you consider essential for someone aspiring to work in game monetisation? Successful #gamemonetization professionals are passionate about the #gaming industry and active in the community. Essential skills include quantitative and qualitative data analysis and cross-functional communication. They should be able to analyze data, identify insights, and communicate findings efficiently. What major trends of game monetisation have you observed? Game #monetization and particularly #mobilegaming is a young industry that is constantly evolving.    Looking ahead, increased regulation will require more ethical and transparent practices, especially concerning gambling mechanics and young players. Personalized #monetization strategies, leveraging advanced analytics and #AI, will offer tailored offers and dynamic pricing based on individual player behavior. #Crossplatform play will unify gaming experiences across devices, integrating monetization strategies to provide consistent value.     Alternative app stores along with community-driven content, will open new avenues for monetization. The focus will increasingly be on balancing profitability with player satisfaction, emphasising ethical practices and innovative, engaging gaming experiences that ensure long-term player engagement and investment. How do you approach the balance of between revenue generation and maintaining a positive player experience? Balancing revenue and player experience involves designing #monetization strategies that add value without disrupting #gameplay. A player-first approach and active feedback are crucial. Successful long-term monetization comes from players feeling validated in their gameplay value and proactively converting  to support the game.     An example is #BurritoBison by Kongregate, where engaging #gameplay and fair #monetization options create a positive player experience. With a 4.7 rating and over 10 million installs, the community response shows its success. What and who inspired you to join Sandsoft? The hiring process at Sandsoft was exceptional, with outstanding support, communication, and guidance.  Speaking with future colleagues confirmed that Sandsoft fosters a collaborative, inclusive, and creative environment, making it the perfect place for me to contribute and grow. Eager to work with Cathal? 👉 https://lnkd.in/d_hrAHJs