Let’s learn more about what is QA with Gabby Llanillo, QA Supervisor at Riot Games on the well-known tactical FPS, Valorant!
You may not know how important QA is in the production of video games. For those who know, you know. It is crucial to test your game during the whole process of making it, to find bugs and change what needs to be before the release. Gabby shares with you some insights abour her role and how she handles challenges coming her way!
So happy to get to know you better, Gabby! Could you please introduce yourself to those who may not know you?
Hi everyone! I’m Gabby and I’m currently a QA Supervisor at Riot Games on Valorant. I have over 5 years of QA experience and previously worked at companies such as Naughty Dog and Square Enix.
How did you end up working in the industry?
I studied Computer Science and Game Development Programming in university. Towards the end of my time in school, I put together a portfolio made up of school projects and applied to a lot of different QA jobs hoping that someone would give me a chance.
What do you like in QA that made you choose this path?
I didn’t actually think I was going to stay in QA long term. I originally thought I would go into design, but over time I found QA to be really enjoyable. My favorite parts about it is getting to work with so many different departments and getting to oversee the production of a game on such an intimate level. As QA, you’re in charge of ensuring the game is presented at such a high quality bar, which is quite an important part of the development process.
Johanna: I think JIRA tickets are the first things that come to my mind when I think about QA… I have seen how important it is over the years, so kudos to all the QA testers out there!
As a QA Supervisor, what are your main missions and goals?
As a QA Supervisor, I want to be able to support my direct reports and help them grow into strong QA engineers. It’s also my job to make sure that their areas of ownership are well covered and that they have access to the resources they need in order to do their jobs well. Ultimately, I want to be a mentor in the QA space and bring others up alongside me.
Do you encounter specific challenges when working on bigger projects such as Valorant?
Yes, the biggest challenge is aligning on priorities with the rest of the team. With a game as large as Valorant, there are a lot of different teams that cover different aspects of the game. All of us have to work together in terms of allocating resources, planning timelines, and meeting team goals in a sustainable manner in order to provide the best player content and experience.
What qualities do you have that make you good at what you do?
Aside from my technical background, my soft skills have proven to be a huge part of being successful at my job. Learning how to communicate with all sorts of people from different backgrounds and coming up with solutions to difficult problems together has been a game changer to my career. It’s one thing to be good at your individual job/role and another to be able to collaborate and work well with others.
Any projects you have been very proud to work on?
Aside from Valorant, I’m very proud to have been a part of The Last of Us Part II. The first game is my favorite game of all time and the reason I wanted to join the industry. Getting to work on the sequel with a team I looked up to so much was an incredible experience that will stick with me throughout the rest of my career.
Johanna: This is so nice to hear that you were able to work on a project that was very dear to your heart. And it is now your turn to be part of these incredible teams and inspire others!
How do you balance your work and personal life?
I try to leave my job at my job and not let it seep into other areas of my life. I make time for other hobbies that don’t involve video games and make it a point to travel and get away from work. As much as I love video games, I want to have a long and sustainable career so it’s important to have that separation.
What would you like to see change in our industry in the coming years?
I would love to continue seeing the industry grow more diverse in both its games and its developers. It would be great to get to a point where a character of some gender or sexuality doesn’t make the headlines because they’re the first of their kind. I want video games to become something accessible to all and something that everyone can see themselves in.
Any last words you would like to share with us?
Thank you so much for having me! I super appreciate hearing the stories of how people of all backgrounds make their way into the industry and it’s especially important to tell stories that you don’t normally hear.
Gabby Llanillo – QA Supervisor
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Thank you so much Gabby for taking the time to share your journey with us. Hope you all liked it and I see you in two weeks, stay safe!
