Those of us who are gamers, whether that be tabletop role-playing, board games, and/ or video games. We look up to so many big names in the industry; Niel Druckman, Hideo Kojima, Aya Kyogoku and many more. But we often don’t consider those people who are behind the scenes. This series is meant to highlight the people in the gaming industry that aren’t currently in the limelight, but should be, because they’re part of the group making our gaming experience the best it can be!

I’m here to make their voices heard, show talents, and give career advice.

To kick off this series, I am excited to introduce you to Tori Fica. Tori and I spoke recently about her experiences in her role as a writing manager at Riot Games.

Hey, Tori! I am a big fan of League of Legends and Riot, and of course you! But for anyone that doesn’t know, tell us a little about your current position. What are the main job responsibilities in your current role at Riot Games?

I am currently a writing manager and the lead marketing writer on the  League of Legends: Wild Rift marketing team at Riot Games. I am responsible for all the copy (writing) that goes out with Wild Rift marketing, which might include social media posts, video scripts, in-game event descriptions, and more. Basically, anything that needs writing, I will help with it. In addition, I manage 3-4 other writers who do similar jobs.

Sounds like you’re managing a lot of copy and people…what did your career path look like to merge Copywriting and gaming?

I have been working as a copywriter for 8-ish years. I started near the end of my time as an undergrad. I didn’t even know this field existed, but I stumbled into it because I wanted to find a job in writing that wasn’t teaching or trying to write a novel. That’s how I discovered marketing writing and copywriting. I got my first job as a “real” copywriter after I graduated from Utah State. I continued from there to a software company where I worked for nearly 4 years before moving to Riot Games. 

Around that same time, I discovered League of Legends thanks to my boyfriend (now husband). I learned to play it because I wanted to spend more time with him and I enjoyed video games. After playing for several months, I realized that video game companies would need copywriting, too (duh!), and I started casually looking into Riot as a company to see what kind of job opportunities they had. I followed their Careers page on LinkedIn and got in touch with a recruiter. While nothing came of that contact at the time, I stayed in touch with him over the years. Four years later, he let me know about a job opening that would be a great fit for me. It was truly a perfect example of good luck and good preparation: I was so lucky to hear about the job opening right then, but I had also prepared myself to jump at the next big chance by working hard in the meantime.

What advice would you give to other women looking to make the move to the gaming industry and follow their passion?

My best advice is to make connections and keep doors open. You never know where someone might end up or who someone will become. If you can keep people in your network, then they can help you find those opportunities that are perfect for you. And how do you make those contacts? I suggest reaching out to people who are in the field you’re interested in and asking questions. Learn from their experience. See what they recommend.

I’d also encourage anyone to just shoot their shot. The worst thing that can happen is you get a no. But next time it might be a yes. Never stop growing, and never stop going for what you want.

What a brilliant woman Tori is! She played to her copy-writing strength and went for what she wanted. 

Tremendous thanks to Tori for sharing her experiences with us and giving us some inspiring career advice about networking, and really just going for it. 

“The worst thing that can happen is you get a no.”

I hope that Tori Fica’s story resonates with you and gives you the courage to follow your passions and your talent. Sometimes they end up becoming the same thing.

Can you relate to Tori’s story? What gives you the courage to take that shot? Or what’s holding you back? Share your thoughts in the comments.