S2 E4 Episode Title: Events as a Catalyst for Thriving Communities with Cristina Amaya
What’s a third space, where did they go, and what role can gaming events play in helping players pursue the growing motivator of play of companionship? Why are events the first to get cut when budgets get tight in a world where a return to onsite work would imply tangible events are more valuable than ever? Today’s guest is veteran video game event manager and strategist Christina Amaya, who has managed events for new product launches like Riot’s 2XKO and Google Stadia, eSports events for Team Liquid, developer events for Unity, and conferences like DreamHack. She’s also a prolific community organizer who founded Latinx in Gaming and has contributed meaningfully to the International Game Developers Association. She is one of the many helpers behind the scenes, connecting folks experiencing layoffs over and over again, building community when we need it most. Today’s candid conversation covers topics like the role events play in successful video game launches, first hand stories from a community organizer’s perspective, lived experience growing up as a gamer and getting into the industry and shared real life stories about the coping strategies we’ve developed to get through our own video game layoff stories and much more.
Listen Now: Enduring Play Season 2 Episode 4
Episode Transcript [PDF]
Featured in this Episode
Cristina Amaya (she/her)
Chairman of the Board, LatinX in Gaming
Cristina Amaya creates memorable experiential events and thriving professional communities, all in support of the video game industry. A driven leader, she has served on multiple boards including the International Game Developer’s Association, Feminist Frequency, Games and Online Harassment Hotline, and the Esports Awards – an incredibly broad range of topics that shows how versatile Cristina’s skillset really is. As Global Experiential Events Manager on contract assignment for Riot Games and as Head of Events for Team Liquid, Cristina was at the cutting edge of gaming and esports event campaigns. She is also the founder and now chairman of the board for Latinx in Gaming, a thriving professional community of game developers dedicated to connecting, supporting, and uplifting Latines in the games industry.
Show Notes
Cristina’s Links
| Cristina Amaya on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/silcris/ |
| Cristina Amaya on Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/silcris88/ |
| LatinX in Gaming on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/latinx-in-gaming/ |
| Join Cristina’s Games Industry Job Hunt Board (people with at least one industry role) | https://lnkd.in/ggCyUzaK |
Reference Materials
Episode Outline
| Scene | Time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Podcast Start | 2:27 | Introductions |
| Level 1 | 3:53 | Finding Strength in the Community |
| Narrative Cutscene | 5:13 | The Impact of GamerGate |
| Level 2 | 7:34 | Growing up in Guilds |
| Tutorial Level | 10:54 | Prosocial Gaming Patterns |
| Matchmaking Lobby | 11:50 | Searching for Tyler |
| Level 3 | 12:05 | Becoming the Helpers |
| Host Commentary | 13:59 | Games Industry Job Hunt Slack |
| Tutorial Level | 14:28 | Third Space Theory |
| Level 4 | 15:56 | Third Spaces of All Sizes |
| Level 5 | 17:48 | Discovering events as a video game profession |
| Host Commentary | 19:49 | Penny Arcade Expo, redux |
| Level 6 | 20:50 | How to survive gaming layoffs |
| Bonus Level | 24:54 | Cheryl’s Layoff Story |
| Level 7 | 27:51 | The power of events in video gaming |
| Level 8 | 30:11 | What comes after return to office |
| Level 9 | 32:20 | A spectrum of gaming events |
| Tutorial Level | 33:33 | The Fighting Game Community |
| Level 10 | 36:18 | Events through an Indie Lens |
| Level 11 | 38:04 | Partnering with product teams on events |
| Narrative Cutscene | 39:42 | Leona from League of Legends |
| Level 12 | 40:38 | Finding your path in video game development |
| Level 13 | 43:48 | Creating safe and inclusive events |
| Host Commentary | 46:28 | Americans with Disabilities Act |
| Level 14 | 47:09 | The Practical side of Passion |
| Level 15 | 49:40 | The founding of Latinx in Gaming |
| Level 16 | 52:21 | Growing your career through compassionate networking |
| Final Level | 55:38 | Links and Follow-up |
The Game Development Strategy Guide
Enduring Play is the companion podcast to The Game Development Strategy Guide: Crafting Modern Video Games that Thrive. Season 1 features the interviews that inspired the book, and Season 2 expands our understanding of how to create sustainable gaming experiences.
Enduring Play is the companion podcast to The Game Development Strategy Guide: Crafting Modern Video Games that Thrive. Season 1 features the interviews that inspired the book, and Season 2 expands our understanding of how to create sustainable gaming experiences. The book is available at all major online booksellers and at publisher Rosenfeld Media’s website.
Use code ENDURINGPLAYS2 at RosenfeldMedia.com to get 15% off your order – and all physical orders at Rosenfeld Media receive a free ebook. Podcast Season 2 offer expires July 31, 2026.
DISCOUNT CODE
ENDURINGPLAYS2
