Career Decoding: Fulfillment Comes from Positive Player Feedback — Game Creator Andy Siu
- Angela Ng
- Apr 30
- 4 min read
The original article (in Chinese) was published in the 28 April 2025 edition of Ming Pao's Monday Campus Subscription.
Andy Siu began working at a game company immediately after graduating from university, becoming a game creator — a career many young people envy. However, he admits that his public examination results were quite poor. Andy recalls that after his public exams, he enrolled in a Higher Diploma program in Computer Science. Unexpectedly, as he delved deeper into the subject, his interest grew, and his academic performance improved significantly. He later advanced to the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science program at the University of Hong Kong. His graduation project caught the attention of a game company, and he has been working as a game creator for over 13 years.
A: Andy Siu is the Engineering Director at Animoca Brands, where he leads the technical development and system architecture design of Web3 games and blockchain applications.
Q: Dr. Angela, Academic Lead at Uni Dream, has over 20 years of experience in university teaching and administration. She has taught at both The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). She is now dedicated to helping students explore their interests, plan their academic paths, and achieve their educational and career goals through education technology.
Q: What does a game creator's daily work involve?
A: I have participated in the production of mobile games, online games and AAA VR games. Our development teams typically range from 3 to 10 people, with development cycles lasting from around two months to over half a year. Our responsibilities are wide-ranging — we collaborate with game designers to explore how to make concepts technically feasible, discuss visual styles and requirements with the art team, write game code, and carry out early-stage testing. In short, beyond just programming, we work closely with various teams to turn ideas into playable games.
Q: Why did you choose this profession?
A: I developed an interest in computers when I was in my early teens. I loved "playing with Windows" — meaning I was curious about how different versions of Windows operated and were created. Later, I was introduced to MMO games (massively multiplayer online games) around the same time instant messaging tools emerged. I found it fascinating that I could play and communicate with friends online at the same time, and that sparked my curiosity about how such systems worked. That’s when I started considering a career in the gaming industry.
Initially, my parents were against the idea of me becoming a game creator. They felt I should go into something more lucrative like FinTech. But after seeing the results of my work, they gradually let go of their objections. In fact, game development pays quite well — on average, it’s comparable to a bank job and more than enough to support a family.
Q: After entering the industry, is the work of a game creator different from what you expected?
A: As a player, all I had to do was enjoy the game. But game creation is very different. We spend most of our time solving problems within the game, often going in circles around the same issues to make the system more efficient and enjoyable. That’s why, as a game creator, it’s important to keep that inner passion alive — otherwise, it’s easy to approach the work with a “just get it done” mindset.
In game creation, we often work on similar features over and over — for example, many games have trading systems. If we tackle these with a “homework mentality,” it quickly becomes just “copy and paste” work, which is unfulfilling. For me, the real satisfaction comes from introducing innovations in the game and receiving positive feedback from players.
Q: What advice do you have for students who are interested in joining the gaming industry?
A: It’s not difficult to enter the industry, and you don’t necessarily have to study Computer Science. I have colleagues who majored in Economics and Physics. Students don’t need to rush into learning how to code. Instead, I recommend paying more attention to new things and observing how things work in everyday life — how problems are identified and solved. This kind of thinking is very helpful in game creation because many in-game systems are tied to real-life concepts. For example, I once worked on a shooting game, and to replicate the realistic feel of a bullet being fired, I bought a toy gun from a shop to do some hands-on experiments. I even had to revisit the parabolic equations from my physics textbooks and incorporate them into the game’s programming.
Also, when playing games, try asking yourself: why is buying items in this game more fun than in that one? Questions like these can help you understand game mechanics on a deeper level.
Learn More About Game Development Related Programs
Students interested in pursuing a career in game development may consider enrolling in programs such as Creative Media, Digital Media, or Arts and Technology. For example, the Bachelor of Science in Creative Media at City University of Hong Kong is designed to equip students with both creative and technical skills in digital media. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University offers a Bachelor of Arts in Design (Media Design), while Hong Kong Baptist University provides a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Arts and Technology, which integrates artistic creation with technological application. These programs allow students to explore the world of digital interaction from multiple perspectives and build a solid foundation for a career in game development.
Game development is not just about “playing games” — it’s about drawing inspiration from everyday life and transforming creativity into real, playable experiences. In addition to coding and handling game art or animation, game development also requires problem-solving skills and creative thinking. Students who are interested in this field are encouraged to participate in technology or creative competitions, or observe how different systems operate in daily life.
