Welcome To The Community Lounge
Your hub for community management resources, guides, and conversations. Whether you're just getting started or have years of experience, you'll find something valuable here.
The Community Lounge Podcast
Conversations with Community Managers from the video game industry.
Community is a major part of everything we do
with Joshua Callaghan
Joshua Callaghan shares his path into the games industry, which began as a teenage Reddit moderator and eventually led him into B2B PR through a degree apprenticeship. We chat about the lessons he learned from managing online communities at just 14, how those experiences shaped his approach to communications, and why understanding your audience is essential. Joshua shares practical advice on measuring engagement, making data-informed decisions, and the differences between building B2C and B2B communities. We also discuss the changing role of content and how wearing a dinosaur costume at industry events can help make professional spaces feel more human.
We raised $50K for charity with a video game
with Greg Cummins
We chat about managing communities across time zones with a team of moderators, how Far From Home turned negative reviews into a comeback story by listening to their players, and their inspiring charity work that's raised over $50,000 for Whale and Dolphin Conservation. Greg shares practical advice on building trust with your community, managing your time effectively, and why negative reviews from engaged players are actually valuable feedback.
Introducing the Community Lounge Guides for Community Managers (solo episode)
with Steve McLeod
I'm launching the brand new Community Lounge Guides: A series of practical resources designed specifically for Community Managers: The first one is now available: "Becoming a Community Manager: Real Life Stories"
Guides for Community Managers
Practical, step-by-step advice to help you manage, thrive and grow.
Learning resources for community managers: what my podcast guests recommend
In this guide, we dive into the resources game community managers rely on to learn the job beyond the job — from practical books and free GDC talks to peer Discords, industry events, and mentorship programs recommended by experienced CMs.
Internal communication for community managers: How to talk to your team
In this guide, we explore the invisible half of community management: internal communication. Learn how to build trust with developers, tailor your reports for different stakeholders, filter out toxicity, and translate studio decisions to your players with empathy and transparency.
Your first week as a community manager: What actually matters
Starting a community management role feels like being handed the keys to someone else’s house while they’re on vacation. You know there’s a system, but nobody left instructions. The good news: every community manager before you felt the same disorientation. The better news: there are concrete things you can do in week one that will […]
Industry news & trends
Stay up to date with what's happening in the gaming industry.
Video game industry podcasts
I’m a big fan of podcasts. They’ve been around for a long time, but there’s still plenty of life in them. Here are some active podcasts from the video game industry podcasts (yes, including my own): The Community Lounge This is my podcast. It features interviews with people in community roles in the video game […]
How to get player feedback
I strongly believe that listening to player feedback will make your game better. But what if you're not yet getting any player feedback? I have three tips for getting players to give you feedback.
23 top tips to smash your game early access goals
Don’t fail your early access launch. This guides covers everything from feedback to community, retention, promotion, and a lot more.