Employee Spotlight: Chelsea Felix-Shannon, Gameplay Engineer
In this month’s Treyarch Spotlight, meet our incredible gameplay engineer, Chelsea! She's not just your average Cali native; Chelsea's been shaping games at our studio for 6 years. From brainstorming board game ideas in college to crafting immersive gaming experiences, she's one of our go-to engineers for creativity and innovation. Chelsea has a passion for pushing boundaries and brings a unique talent and spark to our culture. Get to know her – she’s one of the many talented engineers creating next level gameplay!
Give us a quick intro!
Hi, I'm Chelsea! I'm a Cali native who's been at Treyarch for 6 years! I started on the gameplay team, worked 3 years in UI (love y'all!) and am now back on gameplay working currently on game types. In college I was working on my general education when I picked up the hobby of making boardgames. I started coming up with more and more complex ideas until you'd need a computer to do some of the math to make it fun. Someone told me, "You know that's a job... right?" and the next thing I knew I'd been acceptable to LaSalle, a little arts college up in Vancouver to learn programming specifically for videogames. I started at ATVI as a contractor and am so grateful to have been given a chance to work with everyone here!
What do you like to do outside of work?
In my time off I'm still trying to make boardgames for fun (working on a time travel themed one at the moment!) and I play archery when I can. I enjoy playing videogames (duh), boardgames, and DnD. My hot take is I prefer TV to movies (at least when watching solo) and you can't beat a Sunday morning with a cup of coffee, a cat on your lap and a good book.
What values are important to you?
I'm the proud daughter of a single mom of 2. Growing up I watched time and time again hardship come into her life. Every time without fail my mom chose to be kind, to try and make the world a better place than she found it. Like her, I find great joy in bringing others happiness.
What does company culture mean to you?
Company Culture is the reason you stick around at a company or not. If you find your values clash with those held by the business, it'll wear you down over time and burn you out. In recent years I think Treyarch has been moving in a great direction and I am proud to see the results of everyone's efforts.
What brought you to Treyarch?
After college, I was determined to work in gameplay and only applied for those types of engineering positions. After a few months I was close to running on fumes and about to have to reevaluate the types of places I'd apply to. Treyarch was my last shot at a gameplay position before doing so and I was excited to land the spot!
What goals are you hoping to accomplish here?
When I started here, I was the only woman on my team and second in my whole department. I found it hard to reach out and connect with the other women here. That's why I joined Treyarch's internal initiative, Ladies Who Launch. Helping to create a space to develop and promote the careers of women and underrepresented gendered employees at Treyarch, and to provide a space for support and socialization has been really fulfilling. It's something I wish I had here when I first started.
What’s your favorite Video Game?
In terms of hours put in, I have 450+ in Animal Crossing: New Leaf, Fallout 4 and Animal Crossing: New Horizons! But I have a soft spot for all their games that mix up the typical story telling experience like Omori, Pony Island, Undertale and Doki Doki Literature Club.