Alain Mazer
Director of Public Relations- Global
History:
While I was no stranger to Pachinko, American pinball and the family Odyssey 4000, my entrée into gaming was most indelibly punctuated in the ‘80s. I kicked-off that decade with mobile gaming by way of Coleco Head to Head Football, and in the world of console and arcade gaming at the controls of Battle Zone, Lunar Lander, Asteroids and Space Invaders. I matriculated to the competitive training grounds of the Far West Liquor store in Santa Maria, California, in ’82, besting all-comers at the cabinets of Tempest, Robotron, Donkey Kong and Joust, and flailing terribly at both Pole Position and Spy Hunter (I still suck at driving games, but I really love them). The following year, I discovered Zork, which I played on an IBM XT, and then Load Runner, King’s Quest, Flight Simulator and Where in the World is Carmen San Diego. My journey through the Golden Era of arcade included (in no particular order) countless hours on Zaxxon, Tapper, Tron, Sinistar, Satan’s Hollow, Star Wars, Q*Bert, Dig Dug, Dragon’s Lair, Splatterhouse, Punch-Out, Track and Field and Street Fighter. As a California kid and budding action sports enthusiast through the ‘90s, California Games and Tony Hawk Pro Skater topped my list. I found a career after college in action sports and entertainment, while the gaming industry was sub-culturally growing into a massive lifestyle and global phenomenon itself. The parallel tracks of gaming, action sports and entertainment eventually intersected, availing opportunity for me to work in game publishing, applying my love of action sports, motor sports, martial arts and technology IRL to what was going on in the virtual world. What began as a fun crossover into game publishing, starting with content development for The Warriors in 2004, segued into lifestyle marketing for other titles and eventually turned into the career I now enjoy. I am a fan of the Gears of War and Call of Duty franchises, Dirt series, and I don’t mind a little Tekken action on console now-and-again. When I’m unplugged, I still enjoy the water, snow, dirt, road, studio and stage when I am able.
About Working at Razer:
Razer affords me the ability every day to work with great people around the world who love what they do, are truly great at it, and collaborate with and care about each other and the gaming community as a whole. The commitment of the company to increasing performance and enjoyment in gaming is beyond authentic: It is a way of life and an obsession. On the PR frontline, we’re in a unique position to celebrate every area of Razer’s interests in a positive way. Our major preoccupation is getting the message out to the world that gaming at the highest level requires superhuman physical, intellectual and communication skills, and technology that pro gamers demand is leading to innovations beyond the scope of what anyone else is doing. Equally important day-to-day, we get to work with really cool people of all backgrounds, from pro gamers to scientists to rock stars to world-class athletes, because of our common bonds in gaming and its social nature (even when it is the hardcore variety of gaming). Gamers are everywhere, a power to be reckoned with and a force for positive change socially and technologically. PR lets us spread the good word about what Razer and our Community are up to, online and materially, to move gaming forward and make the world more fun.
On the Job:
We PR folk get to work with journalists all over the world—gaming, tech, entertainment and general interest alike—all knit-together with a common love of gaming, technology and people. I also get to work with musicians, athletes, Hollywood types and Technorati and gaming fanatics of different stripes. Most importantly and enjoyably, I have the privilege of working with the best team of game-loving communications pros, product evangelists, sales folk, engineers and creatives in the whole world, pushing innovation and sharing with the world how incredible gaming and gamers are. eSports is probably my favorite subject, as it so clearly demonstrates the ultimate purpose of what we do and the capabilities of the products we make. As a global phenomenon, eSports is lucrative, it is competitive and it has a connected, worldwide, real-time audience. This makes it every bit as relevant as entertainment and sport as soccer, baseball, basketball, surfing, motocross or cycling. It also offers some important things that conventional sports don’t have: It is by its nature socially integrated and communicative, and anyone can do it, anywhere. This makes it not only aspirational, but attainable and fun at every level, across geographic and economic borders. That is why gaming is the biggest segment of entertainment, that’s why it rules YouTube, and that’s why it keeps on growing. What we do in PR touches every aspect of Razer’s business, around the world, and that makes my job at Razer a game that is fun to play every day... a very fun, dynamic and ultimately rewarding game played with friends.
