A Veteran’s Take on Being a Community Manager with Nicolas Nottin

Today’s guest is Nicolas Nottin, a seasoned community developer with over 15 years of experience in the video game industry. Nico is currently the Lead Community Developer at Tribo Games in Germany. His career spans major studios including Square Enix, Creative Assembly, and InnoGames, where he’s cultivated deep expertise in building and managing vibrant gaming communities. We chat about the distinction between community development and management, how to build a player base before a product launches, and the crucial role of empathy in community work. Nico shares how his background in UX informs his approach to community strategy, and reflects on the evolving skill set needed for today’s community professionals. Nico also offers practical advice for new community managers, including why LiveOps games offer a rich learning ground, the value of making mistakes, and how small teams can foster rapid iteration and close collaboration. Games mentioned in this episode: Total War: Rome II Total War: Attila RUMBLE Farming Simulator Monster Hunter Find Nico on: LinkedIn The Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote – Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.