Montell Rutherford is an 8-year video game industry veteran, currently working as an Advanced Development Support Analyst at Insomniac Games, famously known for their recent Marvel’s Spider-Man games, Ratchet & Clank, and Spyro. Montell himself has worked for a number of studios working on titles such as, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019), Call of Duty: Warzone, Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, and Ghost of Yotei. From critically-acclaimed masterpieces to financial juggernauts, it’s commonplace for people to discuss review scores and how much money a game has generated. It’s rare for us to get to know the hundreds of people that work hard to make our favorite games so special. I got a chance to talk with Montell and learn more about how he’s connected games and why he loves making them.
What do video games mean to you?
Video games have always helped me bond with people. I grew up very shy, but for some reason gaming helped me open up to people. Some of my closest friends came from us loving the same games. Video games mean community for me.
Is there a particular moment you recall as your first significant gaming experience?
It was me watching my older sisters play Tomb Raider 3. Whenever they got to a dark area in the game, they would let me press forward on the controller so they wouldn’t get jump-scared. I will always count that as my first game played, even though it was Tigger’s Honey Hunt on PS1.
Did anyone in your life connect you to games, and how did that happen?
I give the credit to my sister, Amenda. She was the main one playing video games in the house. Our parents made us share consoles, so she was the one to teach me everything. She always wanted to 100% any game she played, and that translated to me enjoying trophy hunting.
What made you want to work in videogames?
Funny enough, I got into the industry by accident. I always heard horror stories about how folks were treated in the industry, so in college, I barely tried to learn anything about making games except as a hobby. After I graduated, I moved to Minnesota to get out of Illinois, and I started job hunting immediately. After 2 months of no luck, I started scrolling through Indeed and saw a post for a QA tester at Activision. I doubted they would even respond, but I was low on money. They reached out about 3 days later for an interview, and a week after that was my start date. Since then, I have been making the most of it and love almost every second of it.
What is your ultimate goal working in the games industry? Is there a position or some specific achievement you want to accomplish?
I don’t have any ultimate goals besides making games that people love. It would be cool to do a pitch for a game one time, though.
Outside of your work, is there a specific genre of game you gravitate towards? What is your comfort game?
Role-playing games for sure. Games like Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, Persona, and Tales of series. My comfort game that I come back to a lot is Elden Ring. Fist weapons only, swapping to whatever you pick up, and randomizer runs with a friend never get old.
What is your one wish for the games industry moving forward?
I have seen peers and friends leave due to the stress of how things are going in the gaming industry and community. My one wish is stability. No one should have to give up a career they love, and I hope for them to be able to return to an industry we love.
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