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Video game and esport community manager

A community manager for video games will manage, host and moderate a community of players or audiences on social networks and forums. But their responsibilities do not end there since they are also called upon to be the spokesperson for the brand on digital channels while finding, if necessary, players and influencers who will be the ambassadors of the video game.

Community Manager job description
Last update
Niveau d’études : Bac+3
Bac conseillé : Tous
Employabilité : Bonne
Salaire débutant : 2 667€
Salaire confirmé : 3 800€
Mobilité : Bonne
Code ROME : E1101
Code FAP : U0Z80
« A community manager is a person who is passionate about communication, diligent and conscientious in his or her writing and has an excellent knowledge of the company's products/services and its needs. Keeping up to date with the latest tools is also essential », emphasizes Ferréol Chevalier, Director General of NEEDforSEAT, gaming chair manufacturer.
Maxnomic logo ferreol-chevalier
Ferréol Chevalier
Director General of NEEDforSEAT

what adds  Célia Bourrel, social media manager within MaxEsport : « It is also important to know how to identify where, when and how to communicate in order to always be the most efficient while being reactive. »

The video game Dota 2
The online video game Dota 2 federates more than 13 million players per month and a very high community on social networks.

Missions

A video game CM fulfills a set of missions on a daily basis. His or her objectives are thus to :

  • Create and animate a community of players on social networks
  • Increasing the visibility of games and the company.
  • Moderate exchanges
  • Manage the relationship with the players.
  • Providing answers to problems
  • Analyze social network activity
  • Analyze player trends
« A video game community manager must know how to identify the community of gamers who make up the core target of the game(s) he/she has to promote, in order to carry out numerous communication actions that will make them feel privileged. They will thus participate in the indirect communication of the game by recommending the game(s) to their friends, defines Hugo Poiblanc, communication director of the event agency specialized in video games and esports ZQSD Productions. He must then identify the axes of development, the secondary targets, in order to find messages and innovative communication actions to reach them and make them discover his products. »
ZQSD Logo Hugo Poiblanc
Hugo Poiblanc
CEO of ZQSD Productions

Image of an influencer on social networks. The community manager of a video game will sometimes have to recruit influencers to develop the brand image of the gameThe community manager of a video game will sometimes have to recruit influencers to develop the brand image of the game

The skills of the video game community manager

Mastering a certain number of skills is essential for this position. « First of all, you have to know social networks and their uses perfectly, while keeping up to date on new ways of communicating. Then you have to know how to exploit all the assets provided by marketing to find effective communitcation strategies and interest a maximum number of players, » says Hugo Poiblanc.

In detail, s/he is able to :

  • Mastering social networks and forums
  • Know how to federate communities
  • Internet tools
  • Fluent in English
  • Manage and arbitrate conflicts
  • Implementing communication strategies
  • Knowing the languages of the players
community manager is able to animate several social networks and to lead communication campaigns
Facebook, Instagram, Twitch, Twitter, etc. a community manager is able to animate several social networks and to lead communication campaigns.

The qualities of the video game community manager

In addition to skills in communication, marketing and the use of social networks, a video game community manager possesses certain sought-after qualities (after perfecting an MBA / Esport Master’s degree), namely :

  • Be responsive
  • Know how to federate communities
  • Knowing how to listen
  • Follow trends
  • To be a pedagogue
  • Have a sense of diplomacy

Qualities that allow him to be « able to engage the community through his achievements, » says Ferréol Chevalier.

« I think that adaptability and creativity are two essential qualities. Being able to communicate differently on platforms, and adapting the way you communicate according to your audience and identified objectives. Creativity allows you to convey the desired messages in an efficient way and to stand out by creating and engaging a community. »
Max Esport logo Celia Bourrel
Célia Bourrel
Social media manager MaxEsport

Advantages and disadvantages of the job

Working as a community manager means accepting some disadvantages, but also being satisfied with some advantages. For example, you can :

Advantages

  • Versatility
  • Possible freelance job
  • Quickly evolving
  • Create, develop and animate a community
  • No routine
  • Creativity

Disadvantages

  • Still an unknown profession
  • Lack of consideration sometimes
  • Low starting salary
  • Leading a community can be exhausting at times
Which course ?

Obtaining a Baccalaureate is a must, then choosing a communication or a marketing course is possible, like the Esport Bachelor’s degree. Then, choosing to specialize in video games by following a dedicated course is recommended.

A course in a school specialized in video games is recommended in order to acquire the knowledge and skills of this sector. This is what the G. Business school offers. With the Bachelor’s degree in Management and Business, video games and esports option, it allows any enthusiast to follow courses in marketing, business development, management and communication. During three years, the student will learn the fundamentals and will be confronted with the world of work with internships in companies.

To go further and graduate with a Bac +5, the school allows students to continue for two additional years with the MBA in Video Game and Esport Management. A course that prepares students for positions of responsibility with a high level of teaching.

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How to do an internship as a video game community manager ?

Our school offers to confront the reality of the field by proposing an internship period each year. This takes the form of two months in the 1st and 2nd year of the Bachelor’s program, 3 months in the final year. Then a long period of 6 months in the 1st year of the MBA and a final one with an alternating rhythm of internship and fixed-term contract. The objective is both to put into practice the knowledge learned at school while gaining experience in a video game company.

The remuneration of the video game community manager

It starts at about 32,000 euros per year at the beginning (after an MBA / Master’s degree in video game communication), then with experience, the salary can reach 47,000 euros gross per year. It also depends on the company for which he works.

Abroad, on the side of Montreal for example, the community manager can earn between 35,000 and 55,000 dollars per year. While in San Francisco, the average is 55 000 dollars and almost 80 000 dollars for the maximum salary.

Job opportunities for the video game community manager

A community manager can become lead community manager or social media manager. A career move that allows him to take on more responsibilities. He can also choose to work in the video game industry as a product manager, game designer, digital project manager or marketing director.

The video game community manager must master social networks and forums while knowing how to be reactive
The video game community manager must master social networks and forums while knowing how to be reactive

Which company to work for ?

The video game community manager can work for a publisher, in the communication department for example. More and more companies have them (Activision, Gameloft, etc.). It also happens that some people choose to work in a communication agency that works for a studio or a publisher. This is the case for companies such as Warning Up, Target Agency, Cyber Cité, etc. Advertiser, brand, freelance, are also possible.

How to work as a freelancer ?

A new profession, the community manager can evolve as a freelance. Many professionals have made this choice. And many companies choose to work with freelance profiles. Having a good course in communication and marketing, a network and experience allow you to work as a freelance video game community manager without any problem. If you choose to work as a freelance community manager, you will need to be administratively rigorous, organized and creative to work in this dynamic environment.

Who are the famous community managers ?

They don’t work exclusively in video games, but in a few years they managed to become references in their field like ChanPerco, Aurélie Coudouel, Julien Bourey (CM for Playstation), Céline Albarracin, etc.

In summary

Summary COmmunity Manager.

How to become a video game community manager ?

If it seems easily accessible, the fact remains that the job of video game community manager requires the ability to manage, animate and moderate a community through its expertise in social networks. Moreover, you have to be able to lead effective communication campaigns. This is why becoming a video game community manager ideally requires a course in a video game school, like the one at G. Business. It offers a three-year Bachelor’s degree in management and Business, with an option in video games and esports, and then offers the possibility of pursuing an MBA in order to reach more responsibilities upon graduation.

In video

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