TGN: Where were you born?
MY: I’m Iraqi but raised in London since I was 2!
TGN: What games did you enjoy during your childhood?
MY: Before I got into consoles, one of the first games I played on PC was Heroes of Might and Magic 3 (the best of the series obvs) which got me a little obsessed.I got a SNES shortly after and my love for RPG’s grew. Secret of Mana was the game that changed it all for me. I lost hours of my time into that.
TGN: When did you first get interested in a career in the game industry?
MY: I started my own gaming community back in 2016 because I was worried that turning my passion into my job would ruin the love I have for gaming. The experience I got from running my own community taught me so much about community. I was good at it! I did every job except gaming till I finally took some well-needed advice and decided to apply. I’m so happy I did because I can finally say that I’ve found my dream job.
TGN: When did you join Jagex?
MY: I joined in May 2024!
TGN: Did you play RuneScape before working at Jagex?
MY: I did! But when I was 11-12 maybe? During the era of MSN and trying to be popular at school. As I had 3 siblings and only 1 shared PC in the house, my parents rationed the time for each of us every day to only 1 hour so I could only play so much. I played what I could but my love for HOM&M3 got the best of me! I started playing again before I joined though and have been hooked ever since!
TGN: What tasks do you perform as a Community Manager for RuneScape?
MY: No two days are the same in our community, which is part of the fun. It can be anything from writing blogs/patch notes, hosting livestreams, jumping into Reddit threads, talking with players on Discord, or feeding back community sentiment directly to the dev team. A big part of it is translating between players and the devs so both sides actually understand each other!
TGN: What is your favorite thing about working as a Community Manager?
MY: Building a community and watching people thrive. But yeah, the people, easily. Whether it’s players or the teams internally. Being able to take something players care about and help turn that into real change in the game is probably the most rewarding part.
TGN: What was one of the most difficult tasks you have had to perform?
MY: Being in the position we’re in isn’t always fun. Handling moments where players are upset or feel let down. You have to show up, listen properly, and respond in a way that’s honest without overpromising. It’s not always easy, especially when people are passionate, but it’s important.
TGN: What are some of your favorite video games currently?
MY: That’s a big question! Hmm, right now, I’m playing Crimson Desert. I don’t usually enjoy games with not a lot of direction but this game gives me a lot of RuneScape vibes! From the skilling and gathering aspects to puzzles. I really enjoy it. Apart from that, 3 of us at home have been playing a lot of Dragonwilds. We’ve built quite the base and back in again since the latest update! Apart from that metroidvania style games have usually been my go to when I want something easy and chilled to play. Ender Magnolia, Mandragora, Nine Sols and the latest one I played was Mio. Great games!
TGN: Do you listen to music while you work?
MY: I do not! I get very easily distracted. I was diagnosed with ADHD roughly a year and a half ago and need to focus on one thing at a time. Especially with this beast of a community.
TGN: What is your favorite item in the game?
MY: Oooo I would have to say my fire cape after finally beating Jad. I tried so many times but finally did it haha!
TGN: What style of Karate do you practice and how long have you been doing martial arts?
MY: I studied the shito-ryu style of karate to 1st Dan (black belt). I started when I was 11. Stopped sadly around 17 before I left for university.
TGN: I have asked multiple other Jagex employees this very same question, but I believe most people will have different thoughts about it. Very few online games have lasted as long as RuneScape has. In your opinion, what do you think the key factor is behind its longevity?
MY: I truly believe it’s the community. I know I have to say that hah but I genuinely believe it is. No studio can survive without its players. We’ve been around for 25 years now. RuneScape has evolved so much in that time but it’s always kept true to what RuneScape is. That balance, alongside a passionate player base that isn’t afraid to speak up, is what’s kept it going.
TGN: Thanks for sharing some insight on your past and what you do behind the scenes at Jagex. I really enjoy our chats! Also, I want to personally thank Mod Yuey, and the others at Jagex, for keeping one of my favorite childhood games alive!
MY: I feel so lucky to be part of something like RuneScape. The connections and friendships I‘ve made here will stick with me for life. Not many games get to be part of people’s lives for this long, and even fewer get to keep growing with their community. Being able to play even a small role in that is something I don’t take for granted. It’s a responsibility as much as it is a privilege, and one I genuinely care about showing up for every day.
TheGameNarrative 