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Pwnage with Christine “SDWifey” Hoang

Finding her place with in a behemoth of an industry

If there’s one thing Christine Hoang knew, it was she was going to be in the video game industry.  After falling in love with Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction and attending PAX 2010, Christine knew she had to work in the video game industry. The go-getter, spunky and former Frag Doll Cadette now works as a Communication Director for The Behemoth. In a quiet in the back of PAX, Christine and I casually chatted about her path to falling in love with the gaming industry, how to break into the industry and what’s next for the makers of Castle Crashers.

Pwn Love: It sounds like the hardest part of the gaming industry is breaking in. What skills do you think it takes to break down the door in the industry?

Hoang: Networking but anyone can go in to apply. People want to hire someone they know a little better but I would say networking is not enough. You have to be prepared to take the initiative to show and convince them that you can do that job. 

Pwn Love: What do you do as a Communications Director?

I manage the forum, do social media including Twitter and Facebook, manage mail correspondence, take all the heat and do press interviews.

Pwn Love: I think about the Behemoth and Riot Games about being so player-centric. Is that an important part of your role?

Hoang: Definitely.  It’s because of fans that got us to where we are today as the highest rated and top downloaded game on XBLA.

Pwn Love: BattleBlock Theater is here at the show and I know people have been waiting for it to come out. Do you have a set release date?

Hoang: We do not have a release date. We are still working on it but we’re different than other developers in the sense that we involve fans right from the beginning, right from when we have the idea. Other companies wait awhile. We take as long as other companies but it feels like we’re teasing people. But [in reality], we love to share it with fans.

Pwn Love: How important is fan feedback for the Behemoth?

Hoang: We have [our arcade cabinets at PAX] for fan feedback and for fans to help us with the game and keep our fans happy.

Pwn Love: Can you explain the new features for Castle Crashers?

Hoang: Pink Knight was on PSN. XBLA now rejoice that the free title update released [in late August] includes the Pink Knight. For every download, we will donate up to $1.00 to Keep A Breast Foundation with each of the first 50,000 downloads. So download it now and it fixes a lot of bugs that have been happening.

There is a purple knight in the future. The purple knight is out there.

Pwn Love: What advice would you give to someone trying to break into the industry?

Hoang: Do your research. Explore your options. Find out what you really want to do. Go out to tradeshows to talk to people to get a better sense of what you want to do and if you really want to work in the industry. When you go out into [the tradeshows], you’ll want to be prepared. Have fun with it.

You’ll never where you will end up because I didn’t know that I would be here.  

There is a position for every type of person, you just need to find it. You can find it!

Pwn Love: What’s your favorite video game of all time?

Hoang: Splinter Cell Conviction. It started my interest about learning about this industry.  I just loved the characters, storyline, character development and visuals. 

Pwn Love: Where can fans learn more?

Hoang: Check out our Dev Blog for prisoner updates every week about BattleBlock Theater, a new character and all our updates will be on there.

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The Behemoth is also raising money for Extra Life, an annual event by the Sarcastic Gamer to benefit Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals around the country. If Team Behemoth raises at least $500 by tomorrow (10/13), a Behemoth employee *cough*  hopefully, Dan Paladin *cough* will play 24 hours straight with live stream.  Let’s help them out and donate today!

If you haven’t already, don’t forget to download your update for XBLA to get the snazzy Pink Knight and fix your bugs. Then, go find the wondrous Purple Knight, my fellow Castle Crasher!

Next week on Pwnage, we’ll chat with someone who is more than just insanely gaming.