In this BIG SPOTLIGHT episode, Content Lead Jonas talks about his path to becoming a designer at BIG.
How did you become a designer?
In school I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do. But my art teacher eventually sparked my interest in design by showing me how diverse the field is. After graduating, I did an internship at a gaming startup and decided to pursue that path. Eventually I completed a state-funded training program and then worked at an advertising agency and a branding agency. At that point my focus was more on communication design (posters and web design)—I didn't really have the gaming industry on my radar anymore.
How did you end up at BIG?
During COVID I played CS intensively, which didn't go unnoticed by my sister. Funny enough, Roman is married to a friend of hers, so that's how I first came into contact with BIG. Back then it was about a new merch collection I was supposed to design. After the merch project I worked part-time at BIG before joining full-time shortly after.
How does your work in esports differ from classic agency work?
I actually learned in branding that when building a brand, you keep guidelines in place for two to three years at a time. But in esports things move so dynamically and there are constantly events, campaigns, and so on, so here you're constantly developing new graphics and updating the visual design to stand out and adapt to constant change. That gives me a lot more freedom to add my own artistic touch, which is important because graphics in esports—unlike classic graphic design—tend to be "loud" and "exciting."
Is BIG more than just a job for you?
It's definitely not just work—it's also my hobby in a way. Two of my passions come together here: gaming and design. There's also a close bond between staff and players at BIG; we sit in the same office, for example, and coordinate very closely. As an employee you get to experience everything up close. I cheer along at every match, and even my mom now asks me when BIG's next game is.
How do you come up with new ideas?
Generally you keep an eye on current trends. Last year Vitality really "stepped up" with photo manipulations, for example. Since I'd known about that approach for a while, I thought it was really cool to see it make its way into esports—even though you have to invest a lot of time here to get it right. I also browse Behance and other platforms and draw inspiration from graphics outside the esports industry. When I see something cool from Nike, for example, I think about whether we could use that approach for us too. As a designer you're generally very alert in everyday life and constantly thinking about graphics. When I see a poster or a street sign, I immediately think about the typography. Why was that typeface chosen? Would I have done it differently? It's almost an occupational hazard—I sometimes can't even enjoy Netflix anymore because I'm constantly paying attention to things like that. On the other hand, that's exactly what helps me improve my style and develop new ideas.
What has been your highlight at BIG so far?
Definitely when I was with the team at the Major in Antwerp. It somehow adds something "real" to the whole experience—when you're not there you still cheer along, but it's completely different when you're actually live in the arena and realize how many BIG fans are there cheering on the guys. The feeling that fans travel to events to support BIG and cheer for the players is just insane. You're dealing with real faces, not just Twitter accounts on the internet.
Otherwise it's always a highlight for me when we use a graphics set in a post and it gets a positive reception. Every time someone praises the graphics or videos in a comment, it feels like a rite of passage for me.
What other responsibilities do you have at BIG besides designing?
Currently I'm gradually taking on more responsibility across the entire content area. I work closely with Max and Jannik on videos, for example, but I also lead our design team. Videos challenge me in a particular way—when I give feedback on a video it's vastly different from feedback on a graphic. With a graphic I see everything at a glance; with a video you need to immerse yourself in the story and keep the overall picture in mind.