"We raised $50K for charity with a video game" ft. Community Manager Greg Cummings

Today's guest is Greg Cummings, Community and Content Manager at Far From Home, a Polish indie studio behind the survival game Forever Skies. Greg's journey into community management began while working full-time in retail and being a dad; he built experience through unpaid work as a content creator, streamer, and unofficial community moderator for PlayStation Access before landing his first industry role in 2021.We chat about managing communities across time zones with a team of moderators, how Far From Home turned negative reviews into a comeback story by listening to their players, and their inspiring charity work that's raised over $50,000 for Whale and Dolphin Conservation. Greg shares practical advice on building trust with your community, managing your time effectively, and why negative reviews from engaged players are actually valuable feedback.Shoutouts:Untold TalesEnigmatic PlayPlaystation AccessWDC Whale and Dolphin ConservationWar Child CharityFind Greg On:LinkedinBlueskyThe 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 guides.Chapters(00:00:00) - Greg's History as a Community Manager(00:03:06) - Working for Far From Home(00:08:03) - Remote Work with a Global Team(00:13:19) - Charity Initiatives and Social Responsibility(00:17:17) - Handling Feedback and Reviews(00:21:58) - Balancing Work and Personal Life(00:23:58) - Why Good Moderators are Essential(00:28:51) - Building Trust with Your Community(00:35:53) - What Greg is Playing and Final Thoughts