Execution Labs, a rather aggressive name if I do say so myself. An aggressive name for an aggressive company, in a good way of course! They are known as an incubator company that accelerates the development process for teams making video games, and boy, do they do it well.
Teams that are accepted into this program are given workspace, funding, and useful tools and tips to set their game above others. My internship at Execution Labs has involved working with the five selected teams. Some from right here in Montreal to others traveling from Romania. Execution Labs, or XL for short, knows what it takes for games to break through the market. With that being said, the teams’ experience here can be a hectic one. Working here, it has been my job to help with that hectic process.
The biggest project of my semester was designing a website to go with Ninedots’ (a game company teaming with XL) Kickstarter campaign that is to be launched April 9th. This was extremely useful to me because I am also designing an online website portfolio for myself, so it was nice to see professional and experienced feedback towards Ninedots’ website. Along with the site, market research was done on Kickstarter, including how to start a project and how to succeed in reaching fundraising goals and deadlines. Guillaume Boucher-Vidal, President and Designer for Ninedots, accepted me as a member of his own team and looked to me for serious and important feedback. It was nice to get a taste of the real world and see what being on a team outside of the classroom felt like.
Along with working with the teams, XL constantly brought in guest speakers from all over to offer tips about the gaming industry. These presentations covered everything from “how to market your mobile game” to “How to start a conversation at a gaming event.” Who would have thought that there was a correct way to start a conversation? Execution Labs provides teams with mentorship, financing, and a collaborative community so that by the time they leave they are equipped with the tools they need to be successful in the competitive game development industry.
Although their name sounds aggressive, I quickly learned that it matched the companies’ mission to perform and well…execute. I am thankful for the opportunity to have such a hands on internship this semester. Execution Labs has given me first-hand experience that I will certainly take with me on my future endeavors.
– Matt Leta, Management of Creative Media, Spring 2015