Jobs in Games: Dash Studios’ James Ohia on how to get a career as a chief technology officer

Behind every game is a team of creative developers making it happen. In our Jobs in Games series, we highlight some of the individuals working in the games industry, whether they are veteran developers with big hits under their belts or entirely new to the industry.

We ask how they broke into the sector and their advice for others on making a career in games.

In this interview, we catch up with Dash Studios’ chief technology officer James Ohia to discuss his entry into games, alternative career paths, and advice for people looking to break into the industry.

PocketGamer.biz: Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you initially get into the games industry?

James Ohia: I’m a game developer, software engineer, and quality assurance engineer. In 2016, during a break from school, a friend suggested I develop a game, sparking my initial interest in game development. I started with two projects: a snake game in Java and a maze game in C++, both of which I successfully completed.

My journey into game development began properly in 2017 during my internship at ExxonMobil, where I worked as an IT personnel. During my free time, I decided to learn game development, driven by my passion for video games and the desire to create my own games. 

Over my six-month internship, I rigorously researched game development and created a zombie apocalypse game, which I continued to improve. I eventually proposed using this game as my final project, which earned me a high score and was even featured on my school’s website. 

After graduating in 2018, I decided to take things further by working on a full-scale game with a unique concept, which led me to establish my own company, Game World Motions. I worked as a solo indie developer, handling everything from programming to UI/UX design and 3D modelling. The first game I released is called Yahoo Boys and it gained enough recognition to open up new opportunities for me in the games industry.

So tell us, how did you land the role of CTO at Dash Studios?

During my NYSC in 2019, I connected with a friend Stanley, who is now working with us at Dash Studios. He saw one of my games and was impressed. At the time, the company was working on a new project called Nouns Hunt, a word game based on the popular childhood game “Name of Animal, Place, and Things.” 

Stanley was passionate about the project and convinced I could help bring it to life. I was hesitant at first because I was used to working alone, but after speaking with Dash Studios founder John Ikpeme, I realised we shared the same vision: to create a globally recognised game from Africa and put African game development on the map.

I expressed my desire to fully commit to the project as a partner, which led to my appointment as CTO and co-founder of Dash Studios.

Why a career in games? And if not games, what would you have been doing?

I pursued a career in games out of pure passion. I love both programming and games, and there’s nothing more fulfilling than creating a virtual world that others can explore and enjoy.

I often lose track of time when working on a project because I’m so immersed in it. 

If I wasn’t working in games, I would still be in the tech field as a software engineer or quality assurance engineer. Currently, I also work as an SDET (Software Development Engineer in Test) for NIBSS, so I imagine I’d continue in the fintech industry, focusing on system development and automation.

How has the past year been for you, any highlights? And what would you like to achieve in the coming year?

The past year has been incredible, filled with career growth and exciting opportunities. I’ve been fortunate to work on numerous projects across video games, fintech, and the oil and gas industry.

Notably, I was involved in automating key products for Flutterwave, such as Barter and Flutterwave for Business, and I integrated their systems with CI/CD pipelines to streamline development processes. 

On the gaming side, I won the Global Game Jam competition in 2021 (endless runner edition), and one of my games amassed over 1,000 downloads without any marketing. I was also recognised as one of the Top 25 Emerging Game Developers.

At Dash Studios, we had significant achievements, including reaching the top 12 in the word game category on the Apple Store within nine hours of our beta launch, and later securing the 2nd spot in the same category.

We were nominated for several prestigious awards and won the Ark Pitch Best Mobile Game Award sponsored by Google. In the coming year, my focus will be on finalising key features for Nouns Hunt, including the multiplayer public version, and working on new projects for Dash Studios.

What’s your day-to-day like at Dash Studios? Do you have any go-to ritual before stepping into the office?

My day usually starts at 5am with a routine of 100 push-ups before heading to the office by 7am If I’ve had a late night, I’ll sometimes grab coffee. I enjoy bonding with my colleagues in the mornings, and my meetings, both for Dash Studios and NIBSS, are typically scheduled early in the day. 

I spend the afternoons focused on development work, following a planned schedule. On days when I work remotely, I can wake up a bit later, which gives me more flexibility.

What do you enjoy most about working in the games industry?

The games community is truly inspiring. The creativity and passion I see among developers is unparalleled. I also love attending industry events; they are always insightful and provide great opportunities for learning and networking. It’s unfortunate when I can’t attend due to workload, but I always try to make the most of the ones I do attend.

As someone with knowledge and expertise in QA, software and game development, how do you balance your career between these fields?

Balancing careers is challenging, but it’s something I’ve learned to manage over time with good planning and determination. I use three different laptops for each of my roles: one for game development, one for quality assurance, and a personal laptop for other projects. 

When working remotely, I often have multiple laptops running to tackle tasks simultaneously. I follow the Agile methodology for my QA work, using tools like Jira to manage tasks efficiently. For game development, we focus on milestones, which helps structure the workload and ensure everything stays on track.

What’s been your most memorable, funny, or unexpected experience you’ve had while working on a game?

One of the funniest and most memorable experiences was working on Yahoo Boys, a game concept that came from my friend’s humorous take on how police interact with civilians in Nigeria during the End SARS campaign in 2020.

I modelled the game’s police characters after exaggerated stereotypes – some were slim, others overweight – and this gave the game a comedic edge. 

My friends tested it and couldn’t stop laughing, especially because we used funny voice-overs that we all recorded ourselves. The game unexpectedly gained a lot of downloads without any form of marketing.

If you could play one video game forever, what game would it be and why?

I would choose Call of Duty, specifically the Treyarch version. I’ve always been a huge fan of the Zombies mode, which requires teamwork and is a great way to bond with friends.

I appreciate a good challenge, and the game always delivers that. Black Ops 2 is my favourite instalment because it strikes the perfect balance of gameplay without too many futuristic elements.

Do you have any tips for anyone wanting to work as a CTO in games? As well as any advice for people laid off/struggling with work?

To become a successful CTO in the games industry, passion is key. You need to be genuinely driven by a love for games and not just the potential for monetary gain. I’d recommend conducting thorough research, playing games to understand mechanics, and identifying your target audience. 

If you’ve been laid off or are struggling to find work, don’t be discouraged. Use this time to upskill – YouTube and other online resources are great for learning – and work on personal projects to keep your skills sharp and competitive.

What are you working on right now? What can we look forward to from you?

Currently, I’m working on the public multiplayer version of Nouns Hunt and several other exciting features that will be revealed soon.

We’re also planning a console game for the future, which is in the early stages of scripting.

On the QA side, I’m focused on automating vital systems and applications to accelerate delivery times and improve quality assurance processes.