"This job changed my life" with Dale Stiffell and Kallum Hoy

Today’s guests are Dale Stiffell and Kallum Hoy, the dynamic community duo behind Transformers: Earth Wars at Yodo1 Games. The two met while working together at Space Ape Games and have since become inseparable collaborators—often joking that they’re a “package deal.” Between them, they bring years of experience in community management, player engagement, and storytelling through live service games.Their journeys into the industry couldn’t be more different. Dale’s path began as a teenager running one of the internet’s biggest Habbo Hotel fan sites—an experience that taught him resilience and the foundations of modern community management. Kallum’s story started in the world of pensions and finance before a chance opportunity as a volunteer moderator opened the door to game communities like RuneScape and BattleBit Remastered.We chat about the emotional rollercoaster of seeing Transformers: Earth Wars nearly shut down and how the team found a new home at Yodo1, the importance of mental health and burnout awareness in community roles, and why empathy, transparency, and humor are the best tools for managing passionate fanbases. Dale and Kallum also share powerful lessons about teamwork, trust, and building communities that feel seen and heard—even during studio transitions and major updates.Games mentioned in this episode:Transformers: Earth WarsBattleBit RemasteredRuneScapeHabbo HotelLeague of LegendsDofusNew WorldWorld of WarcraftRed Dead Redemption 2GTA VGTA 6Blue PrinceMinecraftFind Dale and Kallum on LinkedIn:DaleKallumThe Community Lounge is brought to you by Feature Upvote – Painlessly collect feedback from your players. More insights, less noise.Subscribe to the Community Lounge newsletter and get notified of new episodes and articles.