Behind every successfully shipped video game is a producer who has kept all the gears turning smoothly. For Andrew Chong, a DigiPen (Singapore) alum who is based in Sweden, it’s a role that involves uniting creative teams, managing complex workflows, and ensuring each project meets the high standards gamers expect. Now working as a producer at MachineGames, Andrew plays a crucial part in bringing immersive experiences to life while navigating the challenges of international game development.
Andrew’s fascination with video games began in his teens with an appreciation that games are essentially developed through programming — a process his younger self likened to magic. Encouraged by his father who had worked in programming early in his career, Andrew decided to give it a shot by pursuing a Diploma in Business Information Technology from Singapore Polytechnic. It wasn’t until he was serving his National Service that Andrew discovered DigiPen (Singapore), and he eventually enrolled in the BS in Computer Science and Game Design to further his studies in computer science.
Many of Andrew’s peers moved into software development or design specializations, but Andrew found his calling in production. “I wasn’t the best programmer or designer in school,” Andrew says candidly. “But what I was good at was bringing people together, working out a plan, and pushing toward an end goal.” He had a knack for listening to team members — be they programmers, designers, or artists — and helping them to come to a decision for the team. He discovered this talent during his game projects, where he “accidentally” took on the role of producer for his second-year project before fully embracing the role in his third year, as it turned out to be a natural fit. This also cemented his decision to commit to the specialization and pursue it as a career.
Upon graduation, Andrew got his start in AAA game development as a project coordinator at Ubisoft Singapore. He had the chance to work in production support for multiple projects within the Assassin’s Creed franchise. Since Andrew had always wanted to experience working overseas, he started exploring opportunities beyond Singapore after two years at Ubisoft. He had just shipped Assassin’s Creed: Mirage then and was browsing the career pages of other game development studios that he wanted to work for. Serendipitously, there was an opening at MachineGames, a Sweden-based studio known for its high-quality productions.
“As luck would have it, MachineGames was hiring for a producer role focused on gameplay production — the exact topics I was familiar with after working on Mirage,” Andrew says. He applied and got a call within weeks. When the offer came, the decision was easy, and Andrew relocated to Sweden in early 2024 to start in his new role.
Andrew’s first year at MachineGames has been an exciting one, having worked on the development team that recently shipped the highly anticipated Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. The action-adventure title launched in December last year to rave reviews. As someone who is relatively new to MachineGames, Andrew especially appreciates the studio’s culture of open communication. “Everyone’s opinion is valid and welcomed,” he says, adding that the leadership team always engages with feedback and is transparent about their decisions. Andrew is also impressed by the high internal quality standards. “A ‘first pass’ animation here could already be considered semi-polished. The bar is just that high, and I’ve been shocked by how fast and polished some work is done!” he quips.
Despite the rewarding environment, a producing job comes with its usual challenges. As a gamer himself, Andrew has had to learn to be mindful not to let his personal bias cloud his judgment. Balancing creative opinions among the team is another hurdle. “When you are working on something as subjective as a video game, everyone is going to have an opinion — from artists to programmers — and my job is to ensure the best ideas get implemented while keeping development on track,” he says.
For those looking to pursue a similar career, Andrew emphasizes the importance of communication and research. “Stay on top of communications — producers do a lot of ‘glue’ work, from writing notes to following up on tasks,” he says. He also advises newcomers to immerse themselves in the games they are working on and form their own opinions so that they will be able to contribute meaningfully to discussions. Most importantly, Andrew stresses the value of understanding different disciplines. “For instance, if you’re working with animators but have no background in animation, ask questions, attend mocap sessions, and learn their workflow. One day, you’ll be able to speak their lingo and collaborate even better!” he says.