Ira Fay - Game Designer

What is your educational background? (ie where and what did you study?)

BS in Computer Science (Carnegie Mellon Univ.)

Masters in Information Systems Management (Carnegie Mellon Univ.)

Masters in Entertainment Technology (Carnegie Mellon Univ.)

What do you do at EA? And what are your main responsibilities?

I'm a Game Designer for Pogo.com. I'm responsible for designing new and fun games for the Pogo.com site, while leading small teams of artists, engineers, sound designers, QA, and others to actually create the games.

What do you love about your job?

Small teams result in large individual impact, plus design freedom and ability to innovate. Everyone at Pogo is incredibly good at their jobs, and it's a great working environment. Also, it's rewarding to create games that my grandmother can play and enjoy.

Why did you choose to work in gaming?

I've always loved games, and it's one of the few jobs I know in which you get to collaborate and be creative with people who have such diverse skills and backgrounds.

Why did you join EA?

I had many friends at EA, I was impressed with the brilliance of the people at Pogo, and I was excited to work for such a high-profile site while still having a lot of creative freedom.

Describe life at EA?

There's always something new and exciting. Pogo has a relaxed atmosphere - everyone gets their job done, and has fun at the same time.

What are your future career ambitions?

Probably my favorite part of my job is working with all the different people, so eventually I'd like to grow into a role that interacts with a larger set of people, across multiple simultaneous projects.

What are your favorite games/entertainment, both EA and non-EA?

I really enjoy the portability and the ease of use of the NDS. Zelda Phantom Hourglass is one of the best DS games I've seen to date. I also enjoy a wide variety of board games and card games.