Behind The Screens - Release the Kraken! And games, too; with Helene Bertolotti, Release and Certification Specialist @DON’T NOD

Teaser: we're talking Oscar Martinez, how to handle toxic managers and why kindness and hot chocolate are a central part of Helene's life.

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Welcome to the next chapter of 'Behind The Screens'!

After our thrilling debut with Romain Messer, we’re diving back in with another incredible behind-the-scenes expert. This time, we’re shining the spotlight on Hélène Bertolotti, Release & Certification Specialist at DON’T NOD.

In this interview, get ready to delve into Hélène’s world of game releases, where she juggles certifications and deadlines with kindness and hot chocolates. Discover how she navigates the labyrinth of certification and release processes, ensuring that every game smoothly transitions from development to players' screens.

Buckle up and join us for another insightful and engaging conversation as we explore the magic and mettle behind game releases with Hélène Bertolotti!

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Can you explain what you do as a Release & Certification Specialist?

As my job title says it very well, I’m in charge of the release AND certification of the game.

Let’s start with the Certification part at first, because without certification, no game can be released.

Certification: I’m working with most of the platforms, no matter their size (Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, GOG, Epic Games Store…). Each platform has its standards, its technical requirements, process and deadlines.

Once the game is ready to be certified, I need to send it to the platforms for certification. A Certification team from the platform will check the game, point out the bugs/crashes/major issues. If the issues are major or if the guidelines are not respected, the game will not pass. And we need to fix the bugs and do the process again until the game goes Gold. When the game goes Gold, it means the game is certified,

ready to be released. We got the authorization from the platform to distribute our game. Yay!

Release: In parallel, I set up the public store page and the release of the game. When you are looking for a game on Steam or on PS5, the store page you see is set up by the Release Manager.I’m working closely with the Marketing team and Producers team who provide me with all the assets, metadatas and technical information related to the game (text descriptions, screenshots, trailers, age ratings, all technical info). I set up everything in the backend of each platform and I set up correctly the pricing and release date info depending on our strategy (launch discount, date of the release, which country…).

Then, when the Certification and Release parts are complete, we just need to wait for D-Day!

(Note that both missions are complementary. I don’t need to wait for the certification to complete the Release part.)

If you had to create a slogan for people that do your job, what would it be?

Release management's mission seems to be to ensure seamless launches. How do you balance the pressure of flawless releases with the reality of unforeseen issues?

What fictional character do you think would make a great release manager & why?

What do you think people misunderstand the most about your job in the gaming industry?

What's the most unexpected thing you've had to deal with during a game release?

Which aspects of your job suit you best?

What recurring release or certification mistake annoys you the most?

What's a challenging moment in your career, and how did it shape your growth?

What’s something that makes you happy in your job?

What’s your favorite thing about your professional self?

What's your go-to stress-relief activity after a big game release?