How I Almost Worked in Rockay City

Do you know Rockay City? It’s the fictional setting of Crime Boss: Rockay City, a game developed by Ingame Studios, a Czech studio based in Brno. While heist shooters like Crime Boss (think PayDay) aren’t my usual genre, I’ve always been a fan of Czech game development and the studios behind it.

Crime Boss: Rockay City | INGAME STUDIOS, 505 Games

At the end of last year, something unexpected happened—I lost my job and, in a strange twist of fate, won a ticket to the Game Developers Session (GDS) conference in Prague. Attending wouldn’t have been financially possible for me otherwise, so winning that contest felt like a golden opportunity. I was beyond excited to immerse myself in the gaming industry and meet the developers behind some incredible projects.

One of the talks at GDS was led by the head of Ingame Studios, who discussed Crime Boss: Rockay City and participated in a panel about breaking into the games industry. After the session, I managed to introduce myself and learned they were looking for a new tester. Encouraged, I decided to send in my resume.

Then came the holiday lull—Christmas, New Year’s, the usual slow start to January. And then, out of the blue, I got a call from Brno. They were interested in my application! Not only did they invite me to apply for the QA tester position (for which I had completed a course the previous year), but they also encouraged me to try for the Community Manager role, which aligned with my previous experience.

Crime Boss: Rockay City | INGAME STUDIOS, 505 Games

The next steps happened fast. I was assigned a take-home test for the Community Manager position, while for the QA role, I was invited to the studio in Brno for a hands-on interview. That day was intense but exhilarating—I spoke with multiple studio representatives, played Crime Boss, tackled the Frozen Terror defense mission, tested an unreleased map for the first time (providing feedback to its designer), and wrote up a bug report. By the time I boarded the train home, I was completely drained—but in the best possible way.

Back at home, I focused on the Community Manager assignment. The test included three tasks, such as planning a promotional campaign and responding to negative comments. Drawing from a fictional game concept I had developed in a Game Design course a few months prior, I crafted an extensive eleven-page document. Then came the anxiety: Was this too much? Did I overdo it?

Shortly after submitting it, I received feedback. The verdict? They weren’t moving forward with my application for the QA tester role—they preferred someone with more hands-on experience—but they were very impressed with my Community Manager work. So much so that they arranged a meeting with representatives from 505 Games, the publisher of Crime Boss, who were visiting Brno that week.

That interview—conducted entirely in English—turned out to be one of the most enjoyable professional conversations I’ve ever had. I walked away feeling hopeful, and as a bonus, I picked up a new book on ADHD by Jessica McCabe while wandering the city.

Crime Boss: Rockay City | INGAME STUDIOS, 505 Games

Then came the final decision: they weren’t offering me the job. The reasons? A lack of industry experience and the fact that Community Manager wasn’t my first-choice role. Their rejection letter was the most thoughtful and constructive one I’ve ever received, full of specific, valuable feedback. Still, the disappointment hit hard.

I’m not new to the workforce—I have a college degree and years of experience, but I decided to switch careers in my late thirties. With my recent ADHD diagnosis, I also suspect that my enthusiasm didn’t come across in a conventional way. I’m not someone who outwardly exudes excitement—I internalize my motivation, which can make me seem reserved. But I truly wanted that job, even if it meant an exhausting daily commute or relocating to Brno.

So, what now? The search continues. Will I find my “dream job”? Or will I settle for something just to keep going? Time will tell.