SIT-DigiPen alumnus Nico Wong’s dream career as a programmer in the gaming industry took root after winning the confidence of his supervisor and team members during his Integrated Work Study Programme (IWSP). 

Nico, a passionate programmer and SIT-DigiPen alumnus, continues to thrive in the gaming industry, contributing his skills to Koei Tecmo's innovative projects. (Photo: Nico Wong)

Getting into trouble with his parents for playing video games and neglecting his schoolwork is among Nico Wong’s many childhood memories. Nico’s interest in gaming was piqued after watching his older brother play Fatal Frame, a survival horror game whose dramatic graphics left him feeling scared and hooked.

“I guess it worked out in the end,” joked the SIT-DigiPen alumnus who graduated from the Game Design programme (known as Interactive Media and Game Development (IMGD) today), and is now a programmer at Koei Tecmo, the developer behind Fatal Frame.

When it was time to plan for his IWSP in 2022, Nico set his sights beyond the opportunities listed by his professors, aiming for an internship with the Japanese video game, amusement and anime holding company. 

His dream came true when he secured a six-month internship with the company in late 2022. In his final year of studies then, Nico felt ready to put the programming and collaboration skills he had honed in school into practice in a real-world setting.

Tackling Bugs One at a Time

Nico’s first task was to help his team ensure the smooth running of an existing game – Romance of the Three Kingdoms Hadou. He attended to customer support tickets, helped with quality assurance, and built tools to make the designers’ jobs easier.

“Some of the tools I created help to ensure that manually-entered data was correct and accurate, reducing the likelihood of bugs during production,” shared Nico.

Whenever players had issues, Nico would look into their cases and attempt to debug them. It was a steep learning curve for him to make sense of the multiple layers of existing codes within the game’s engines and identify the parts that needed tweaking.

Nico initially found it intimidating to be surrounded by experienced programmers who could “solve problems instantly” and anticipate bugs from one glance at their codes. “They seemed to know everything happening at the backend, and I couldn’t help but feel inferior.”

Wanting to learn from more experienced programmers, Nico observed their work closely and made a concerted effort to understand their thought processes. The hard work paid off as he became more proficient at debugging issues over the months.

Talent Spotted

Mr Chua Chee Tek, Nico’s manager, was impressed by what he saw in Nico.

“Nico proved to be a fast learner who was motivated to contribute to our projects. Within a few months, we felt confident about assigning him bigger responsibilities,” he said.

Nico was next assigned to work with designers to implement new game features and events designed to increase revenue and attract new players. These were released successfully without major hiccups, and the management was pleased that Nico achieved the intended outcomes. The company subsequently offered him a full-time employment contract right after his IWSP.

Nico gladly accepted the offer as he was attracted to the numerous learning opportunities at Koei Tecmo. He also appreciates the company’s friendly corporate culture and bonds with his teammates and bosses over lunches and company events.

“Here, I get to learn about every single part of the game, including quality assurance and customer support operations, which are important in maintaining a game’s success,” he reflected. 

Nico is passionate about game programming and music, entertaining colleagues with his guitar at Koei Tecmo’s events. (Photo: Nico Wong)

Nico is grateful for how his experiences in SIT have prepared him well for his career.

“The most important skills I learnt are analysing and solving problems. My best module was the one where I had to work with fellow programmers, designers and engineers to design a game from scratch. They’d come to me with problems, and as the tech lead, I had to propose solutions. The experience helped me a lot in my current work,” he said.

Internships are a Two-Way Street

Koei Tecmo has since become an industry partner with SIT, regularly offering IWSP opportunities to IMGD students.

“These internships are like a two-way street,” explained Mr Chua. “Companies get to assess the interns’ capabilities, while interns have the chance to experience the work culture, environment, and types of projects the company handles.”

However, Mr Chua notes that while many interns may want to dive into the most exciting and challenging tasks right away, gaining the trust of supervisors is essential. "You need to prove yourself first before being assigned critical tasks."

He adds, “When given less glamorous tasks, show eagerness to learn, not only from the work itself but from more experienced team members. That’s how you demonstrate a growth mindset.”

Koei Tecmo typically sets a three-month probation period for new hires, but internships spanning six to 12 months provide both interns and the company more time to assess their fit and make informed decisions.

Nico’s advice to future interns?

“Know what you want to achieve out of your internship, or you’ll feel lost.”

Nico's journey at Koei Tecmo continues one code at a time. (Photo: Nico Wong)

Nico is currently on a six-month business trip in Japan, supporting collaboration between the Japan and Singapore teams. This opportunity reflects his growth at Koei Tecmo and marks an exciting chapter in his evolving career as a programmer in the gaming industry. His journey continues, one code at a time.