By: Sophie Chen, Grade 8
Object welcomed Holly Liu, Founder of Kabam Gaming, for the first workshop of 2021. Holly led the design for Kabam’s award-winning “Kingdoms of Camelot” franchise, which grossed over $250 million in less than four years. She also led design for Kingdoms of Camelot: Battle for the North, which was the top-grossing app on iOS in 2012. Kabam was acquired in 2017 for approximately $800 million.
Kabam tried three different ideas before switching to creating games in 2008 because they were more “recession proof.” While navigating through different ideas and companies can be difficult, Holly explains that having a strong team is key to staying motivated when you get discouraged.
She spends lots of time thinking about how to make an engaging product. She struggles with putting herself out there, but she said she is always “trying to make something that is of value and that people want. I find that to be very rewarding.”
As Founder of Kabam, which works in the male-dominated gaming industry, she explains how confidence plays a big role. She encourages girls to continue stepping out of their comfort zone to gain more confidence. Even if it feels like you are the only one falling behind, Holly says, “don't let the misses get you down, don’t let the hits get to your head… keep on moving.” Being one of the few females in her generation working in this industry, she is hopeful that gaming will soon become accessible to everyone.
Here are three takeaways from Holly Liu’s talk:
“Keep on trying the things that scare you because you'll get more and more comfortable.”
“Some products miss.But we had some products that hit really well… so keep on moving.”
“You might think world leaders and others around you are smarter, but you are just as smart and capable as them..so don’t let that get you down.”