Meet Matylda Mizera From Keywords Studios in Katowice

Staff Spotlight – We recently caught up with Matylda Mizera, Functionality QA (FQA) Project Manager at Keywords in Katowice, Poland to discuss the studio's remarkable growth, plans for the future as well as diversity and inclusion in the video games industry.

What inspired your journey into the video games industry?

Playing games was always my hobby, so finding a job related to game development was my life-long dream. Once I saw that Keywords opened their office in Katowice, I knew it was a big opportunity for me to understand how the game industry works since Keywords partners with a variety of clients, from indie studios to major companies.

Can you talk to us about Keywords in Poland’s progression to this point and where you see the studio evolving further in the future?

Our Katowice team went from 40 to 1,000 Keywords Colleagues in just 4 years. This was in large part down to the addition of Localisation QA (LQA), FQA and Certification QA (CQA) together with our primary service line, Player Support. Due to this growth, we recently moved into an outstanding new office space in the centre of the city.

A lot of changes were also introduced in terms of personal development for employees. For example, the FQA department introduced a Level-Up system that provides me and many of my colleagues with opportunities to grow. The Katowice studio also established a Learning and Development department, which supports us on a daily basis with various trainings and learning materials. What I hope to see in the future is more service lines arriving in Katowice, to create even more opportunities and attract more talented people to the team.

What excites you about your day-to-day role at Keywords Studios in Katowice?

The most exciting part is the ending phase of a project, when I sit back and reflect on its successes and challenges. Celebrating victories as well as implementing improvements is the most rewarding aspect of the role.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1aRTOTbBSg

The video games industry worldwide is placing increased value on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging, what role can Keywords play in making progress in this area?

With studios across the world, the Keywords family is made up of various nationalities, genders and identities. Our standing in the industry brings a huge responsibility and I believe we must strive to be role models in this space.  

In my opinion, especially in our Katowice studio which is growing immensely, we should place further priority on training leaders and managers so they can empower their teams and establish fair opportunities. While we are doing this at the moment, there is, of course, still a lot of work ahead of us. 

How has gaming evolved as an industry since you started?

I believe that 2020 had a major impact on the industry. Suddenly, everyone was working remotely and it can’t be underestimated how much of a change this was. Despite this, productivity levels had to be maintained as games became one of the few tools that allowed families and friends to connect. Conquering this challenge has proven to be a big turning point in terms of output and capabilities, especially for QA.

What elements of the video games industry do you see evolving in the future?

The concept of a metaverse will be continuously explored. Eventually, we will hold all of our project meetings or team building activities with the aid of VR or AR. Once polished, this technology will significantly help those with reduced mobility in work and social life, increasing inclusivity in a major way. However, I still consider this as something for the distant future.

And finally, what advice would you give to someone considering a career in the gaming industry?

You don’t have to identify as a gamer to join the industry. If you are a team player and value a dynamic, passionate environment, then this is a great place for you!

If you are interested in a role at Keywords in Poland, you can find open positions on our Careers page.