Jade Raymond, BAFTA-nominated Canadian video game producer and co-creator of hit titles Assassin’s Creed and Watch Dogs, explained how studios must use the power of games to keep creative talent.

Raymond has worked on some of the most influential games of the last 20 years. They include The Sims Online and Assassin’s Creed. The stealth smash has scooped 32 BAFTA nominations and sold 76 million copies worldwide so far.

“As game developers we really are the experts at engaging the player,” she explained.

“We know how to get their interest and keep them coming back for more. We even know how to build communities that are passionate about our games.

“What I wonder is why we don’t use these tools to engage our own creative talent?”

Watch highlights from Raymond’s talk below:

Bringing ideas to life

Raymond broke into the games industry after gaming sessions with her uncle helped her realise that games developers could blend art and science. After co-creating Assassin’s Creed for Ubisoft she went on to lead the team that developed action adventure hit Watch Dogs.

Next, she founded Ubisoft’s Toronto studio where she built a team of over 300 developers in under three years. She’s passionate that great games are made not by single developers, but by talented teams working together.

“[In gaming] we’re not lacking great ideas, we’re lacking talented teams that can have a shared vision and bring those ides to life,” she said.

“The tough bit is all the hard work behind the idea and finished product.”

Harnessing creativity in gaming

In her lecture, Raymond talked about the dangers of losing gaming talent to burnout or developers looking for a better work-life balance outside the industry. She believes that today the reward systems in games aren’t based on “a rat race for players” but on expressing creativity for their peers.

She explained the way companies treat staff needs to change to reflect this.

“We’re losing some of our best talent – and I think this is appalling,” she said.

“For companies to have a leading edge today, it’s about harnessing that creativity and the ideas of everyone on the team.”

For more inspiring stories from the world of film, games and TV explore our BAFTA Stories Resources section.