Community managers find the path for developers and players to coexist

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This article is part of GamesBeat’s special issue, Gaming communities: Making connections and fighting toxicity.

Communication is important for every game studio these days. It’s important to keep an open line of dialogue with players, especially if you’re running an online and/or live service game. That’s where community managers come in.

Community managers do more than relay information, although that is part of their job. If a big update or patch is coming, you can expect them to help shape the language that explains anything that’s new or different.

For many, it’s a dream job. Liana Ruppert is the community manager and co-lead of accessibility for Destiny 2 over at Bungie.

“I know that might sound corny, but this is a community I have been a part of since the early Marathon days,” Liana told GamesBeat, referencing one of Bungie’s earliest titles. “It’s family. Being able to gauge what players are excited about — even what they may be frustrated with — and take that back to the teams here and watch it resonate with the people who make the game is nothing short of magical. The teams here really do love Destiny with every fiber of their being. We Fireteam up every single day, we laugh at the memes, we cry over the beautiful art, and it’s amazing. I’m telling you, there is no feeling in this world that matches watching live community reactions to what the teams have been working so hard on for months, sometimes even years, in secret. It’s such a moment of connection, and it’s so beautiful.”

Community managers also have to take the temperature of players. If they’re happy or upset, they can relay that to the