Influential Woman · Games

Aslanta Chen

Senior Art Director, Fanatics

Seattle, WA

1Award received

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Northeastern University

Her Story

About Aslanta

I discovered my passion for game design in college when I took a game design class at Northeastern University. Seeing players engage with my game firsthand, even though it was just a small-scale project, showed me how much joy and emotional impact a game can bring. That's when I knew this is what I wanted to do. Now, as a Senior Art Director at Fanatics, I work on a new trading card game where I serve as an art generalist. I'm involved in world building, depicting what villages and clothes look like, and defining the world setting for our TCG. When we start production, I work with individual external artists, giving them prompts for cards, providing feedback, and sharing our world guide. Previously at PlayStation, I worked on MLB the Show, and the 2023 edition won Sports Game of the Year at DICE, which was a proud moment. What I love most about my work is providing good experiences to players. Games may not be life-saving like my roommate's work as a nurse, but I believe they give people an escape and a way to relax. Games were my haven when I was growing up, and I want to create that same experience for others, making experiences that make people happy and let them relax.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Aslanta

01What do you attribute your success to?

Honestly, the work part is probably the easiest for me because I just really love the work, so I don't mind putting in the time. For the day-to-day work, I stay open to learning because every time I'm changing jobs, I'm always learning either a new tool or a new process. I always ask a bunch of questions and try to do tutorials on my own because not everyone's always there to help you and they don't always have time. What I think is actually harder is the time between jobs. Before my current job, I was laid off, and the game industry, especially right now, is one of the toughest to find a job in. So I'd say be persistent, talk to a bunch of people, even strangers. Just reach out. If they don't want to talk to you, they'll just say no. Put yourself out there, have faith, and keep trying.

02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

Put yourself out there. It's kind of tough to break in sometimes, but have confidence, talk to a bunch of people, and grow your network. Don't be afraid. Most importantly, believe in yourself because nobody's gonna feel like they're 100% qualified for their first job ever. Just have faith in yourself, learn the job, and fake it till you make it. You got this.

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