Having recently established a presence in Charleston, South Carolina, we're thrilled to introduce you to the leader driving our vision on the Southeast coast of the U.S.!
Meet Ken Fox, our Studio Head for Side Charleston. With decades of experience spanning game development, education, and studio leadership, Ken brings a unique perspective to building teams and fostering talent in an emerging gaming market. We sat down with him to learn about his journey into games, his approach to team development, and his ambitious vision for establishing Charleston as a flagship studio.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MrwCdasDxQ
When did you realize you wanted to work in games? And what was the first step you took towards landing a career in the industry?
I got a job building computers because I had been a PC gamer for years – I built all my own machines. The department I was in also handled Quality Assurance and Player Support for this tiny game company. After working there for about a year, I realized that I wanted to get into production, and an opportunity came up when the company was purchased in 2000 and redirected to console development.
What is the one thing you wish you had known before becoming a studio head?
I wish I knew a bit more about accounting! I'm comfortable with the broad strokes of a P&L but get a little lost in the weeds of accruals and depreciation tables. Luckily, I managed to hire someone great to oversee our finances at the studio.
What is the highlight of studio life for you?
It's all about the people for me. Building and leading great teams of interesting, beautiful weirdos is the whole reason I keep coming back to the industry, despite the madness and instability. I grew up around theater and film people and worked in bookstores and record stores before I got into the industry. Creatives and folks with a unique view on the world have always been my people – being surrounded by them is a pleasure and leading them is a privilege.
You run a course at the Charleston studio. What inspired you to bring that to the team?
I was teaching game development at an art school before joining Side. I thought adapting one of my classes to a "lunch and learn" format would be a good way to inspire the team and get them working together on something that would deepen their understanding of games and the industry. It's turned out to be even more than that!
A lot of our team has education and experience in building games, so it's become a way for folks to showcase their talents and teach each other as much as I am teaching them. It's a bit of a hybrid between a class and a game jam. We've got small teams building prototypes and learning how to work on game teams as they are run in the industry, using standard methodologies and tools.
I lecture on a topic sometimes, but more often than not, I'm pulling specific situations out of one of the team's issues or struggles to use as a learning moment for everyone. It's a lot of telling stories from decades in the industry and sparking discussion around design theory, process, and practical considerations. It's already helping people understand the games they are testing better, and we should have some cool stuff to show off soon enough!
What do you think is the most unique aspect of Side’s Charleston studio?
Charleston and the wider local region are areas that haven’t had many opportunities for locals to get into the game industry, with Epic Games being one of the only major players so far. We've found this pent-up demand from locals who’ve been waiting for the opportunity. There are several colleges around here with game programs. Plus, we're close to SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design), one of the biggest art schools in the South.
We've found that the caliber of people we can recruit is extremely high, even in our most junior roles. So, we're really tapping into an incredible talent pool here that's excited to help us build up the game industry in the Lowcountry!
Exterior view of Side's studio in Charleston, South Carolina
What would you most love to see the Charleston studio achieve?
My hopes for our studio are lofty, to be honest. The vision for Charleston has always been to become Side’s flagship studio in the U.S. – a true center of excellence, starting with top-tier game Quality Assurance and Player Support and expanding to other services when the time comes. With our access to talent and our ability to consistently punch above our weight, I'm confident we're well-positioned to make that vision a reality.
If you were stranded on a desert island and could only bring one gaming setup – one console, one game, and one peripheral – what would it be?
I have such a soft spot for indie, artsy games.
I feel like this is a little basic, but if I can somehow get online, it's got to be Overwatch with a PC, mouse, and keyboard. It's what I play the most, usually in Quick Play mode, and usually listening to a podcast or something. It's my equivalent of binge-watching reality TV.
If it has to be single-player, Breath of the Wild on Switch – game of the decade, in my humble opinion.
For more information on our Charleston studio and to partner with us, get in touch.