Game development is also about the next generation of gaming and creating a legacy that leaves a lasting impression: Charu Desodt, Production Director at INT./NIGHT, and BAFTA Breakthrough UK 2014 finalist

When it comes to bringing a video game together, a producer’s role is often overlooked.

There are many nuances in video game production, and for someone like Charu Desodt, it is an all too familiar territory. The Production Director at INT./NIGHT and BAFTA Breakthrough UK 2014 finalist has been a part of the video game industry for many years.

In an exclusive interview with Abhishek Mallick of Sportskeeda Esports, Charu Desodt opens up about her journey in the industry and what it takes to be a video game producer who strives to make titles very much outside the box.

Here is an excerpt of that conversation.

Q. Ma’am, first thing’s first. Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and the journey that led you to Microsoft Studio Lift London, a BAFTA award, and now a Production Director at Interior/Night.

Charu Desodt: The original plan was to go into finance or management consultancy, but then I rediscovered games when I was at university. However, after completing my studies in maths and engineering, I got lucky and landed my first job as a games programmer at Sony’s London Studio.

My first task was to develop an audio-driven prototype for an action-adventure RPG. Living through the highs and lows of taking a game from inception to a billion-dollar franchise taught me a lot about creative ambition, dedication, and luck!

Since then, I have earned my stripes developing console and mobile games at a mix of studios, from Xbox and PlayStation to start-up independents.

Q. You were one of the eighteen Breakthrough UK finalists selected by BAFTA in 2014. How surprised were you with the selections? Or was it something that you had anticipated?

Charu Desodt: Being selected for the award was a fantastic surprise. BAFTA is synonymous with excellence and promoting best in class, so I’m honored to be recognized alongside such talented winners, especially as the award spans games, film, and TV.

Criticism in the creative arts can feel very personal, so to have been selected by established creative professionals is validation of your creativity and ability to make entertainment.

It will always be a career highlight for me and one that my non-gamer family and friends can instantly relate to.

Q. What would your advice be to the young, ambitious women of today who are trying to make it in the field?

Charu Desodt: You are precisely the one who should be shaping the future of video games. It still surprises some that 50% of those playing and spending money on video games are females, making creative and business sense to promote the female perspective in games development.

Without a doubt, video games are yet to reach their potential, and game developers should reflect their potential audience's diversity - which is everyone!

Crafting a game is complex, no matter who you are. You are operating at the messy, undefined bleeding edge where imagination collides with evolving technology and player interactions. But, this is exactly why every day feels like a fresh challenge (in a good way).

Q. Cross-industry collaboration was something that you were a big advocate of, and it was the next step on your road map since 2014. What was your time like since the BAFTA selection? Which projects were you wholly engaged in?

Charu Desodt: I have always been an enthusiastic advocate of cross-industry collaboration. It’s an exciting time because we’re witnessing the blurring of the traditional divisions between films, TV, and games.

Examples of this are everywhere, from films with branching narrative (e.g., Bandersnatch on Netflix), platforms and streaming (to PC, TV, mobiles), right through to actors who feature in TV shows and video games.

Interior Night’s debut game is narrative-led with complex characters and an evolving storyline. We have taken inspiration from great TV shows, focusing on relatable and complex characters and a compelling storyline.

For the first time in my career, I’ve started the game with a script and hired people from the film industry to build the game around the creative vision.

Q. How familiar are you with the Indian video game scene? How do you feel about its future, especially after Nodding Heads Games’ Raji: An Ancient Epic helped put the Indian video game industry on the map.

Charu Desodt: India has one of the most successful and passionately loved entertainment industries in the world. Ethnically and culturally diverse, with a deep understanding and appreciation of western cultures, the country is ideally positioned to create outstanding games.

Being based in the UK, I’m not as familiar with the Indian games industry, but I’ve been waiting for a game like Raji: An Ancient Epic for a very long time. It is the first game I’ve come across that speaks to my Indian heritage, so I’m eager to play it.

My impression is that the Indian games industry has focused on mobile games. Coming from a console background, I hope that this widens and evolves to capture PC audiences and deep storytelling.

Indian humor, interactions, and entertainment have their own style, so I’m eager to see how they evolve the games industry. There are no limits.

Q. What are some of the more significant changes and tonal shifts that you have seen in the video game industry since 2014?

Charu Desodt: Something I’m excited about is the convergence of the entertainment industries and an increase in the variety of games available.

For example, at Interior Night, we take inspiration from great TV shows and real-life situations, such as losing a loved one. Our storytelling is complex and uses a branching narrative to explore grey shades in human behaviors and choices.

Game development is also about the next generation of gaming and creating a legacy that leaves a lasting impression on players and the industry as a whole.

I’m proud of games like Singstar that introduced new audiences to the medium, experimented with technology, and tapped into the social media phenomenon.

Inspiring new games and encouraging innovation can also be done more directly, and I’d love to see a greater diversity in the teams of developers themselves. If we could tear down the barriers around making games, what might a game made by a chemist, counselor, or civil engineer look like, and what might it inspire others to do?

As games gain ever-increasing relevance, recognition, and popularity, I want to connect and collaborate across industries and cultures to explore their potential beyond entertainment.

Like all storytelling media, gaming can positively affect the human psyche and be a powerful agent for social change, and I’d like to explore that more in the future.