Meet Jessie Boyer Amate, Associate Art Director at 31st Union

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Jessie Boyer Amate is an Associate Art Director at 31st Union. In this interview, Jessie discusses her path from studying animation to working in video game development, the creative lessons she’s learned throughout her career, and how collaboration and trust help shape great games.

She also shares insights into artistic leadership, memorable gaming experiences, and the evolving role of art direction in modern game development.

How Jessie Started Her Career in Game Development

Q: What inspired you to go into video game development?

Jessie Boyer Amate: I had so many interests when I graduated high school - everything from traditional printmaking to historic building preservation to forensic anthropology. Despite all those interests, I ended up pursuing a degree in animation with the goal to someday work in the film industry. I had always played games growing up, but I didn’t really think of it as a career at the time. Then, halfway through my degree program, we had a class on real-time game art and design, and it just clicked for me. I pivoted away from focusing on film and started focusing on games.

Lessons Learned Working in the Video Game Industry

Like many developers, Jessie discovered that working in games often means adapting to different teams, pipelines, and studio cultures.

Q: What surprised you about video game development?

Jessie Boyer Amate: I guess that depends on what stage of my career I was at! Starting out, I was surprised by how unprepared I was for getting a job. I had to teach myself a lot of tools and processes that were not covered during my time at school. Along the way as I worked at different places, I was surprised to learn just how different roles can be at different studios. A Producer can have one set of expectations at one studio but be totally different at another. The same applies for higher levels like leads and directors. Starting out in the industry, I really had the impression that things were more figured out and standardized than they are, but this isn’t the case at all. Once I really internalized that lesson it was like a light bulb moment, and I pivoted my thinking from process oriented (this is how we do things) to product oriented (this is what the product/studio needs). This really changed how I worked on teams and opened up more doors for me.

The Games That Shaped Her Creative Journey

Outside of work, games have also played an important role in Jessie’s life, creativity, and sense of community.

Q: How have video games influenced your life?

Jessie Boyer Amate: As a kid, video games were always a way to connect with others. Starting when I was very young it was playing Breakout or Pinball on our old Atari with my family. Later it was about going to friends’ homes who had Nintendo systems to get a dose of Mario, Donkey Kong, or GoldenEye. When Warcraft: Orcs and Humans came out, I would flip through the manuals over and over again, looking at the art inside, which was mind blowing to me at the time. I would sit there with a sketchbook, drawing all sorts of orcs and goblins, next to my brother while he played on our family PC. In high school my friends and I had a constant rotation of Super Smash Brothers and Oddworld going on. When MMOs started getting big, we would group up in games like Horizons: Empire of Istaria, Eve Online, or World of Warcraft. Games were a way for me to build community and memories with friends.

Gaming Trends and Genres That Inspire Jessie Today

Even after years in the industry, Jessie remains excited by the ways classic genres continue evolving for new audiences.

Q: Are there any current trends in gaming that you find exciting or inspiring?

Jessie Boyer Amate: I love that old school RPGs are really having a moment thanks to games like Baldur’s Gate 3. Not that those games ever went away, but I think the success of that game really popularized the genre with a new generation of players. There will always be trends that come and go in gaming, but it’s cool to see the IPs that are rooted in classic gaming still have a seat at the table and are continuing to be relevant.

What an Associate Art Director Does at 31st Union

Today, Jessie helps shape the visual direction and player experience at 31st Union.

Q: You’re the Associate Art Director at our studio. Tell us about your role and what you do in the day-to-day.

Jessie Boyer Amate: My role at the studio is really helping to amplify others to build the best world we possibly can for our players. Part of that is helping to provide the team with clear guidance creatively. This means researching locations that we represent, defining visual styles and helping to set quality targets. It’s important that the team understands these things so they can bring their best ideas to the table to amplify the vision. To make a great game, it’s always important that art supports the gameplay to make the best experience for the player. I always advocate for art to support design intentions and make sure that our artists are keeping the player experience in mind when creating content. It’s important that the world we create is both visually appealing and fun to play in.

Why Trust Matters in Game Development

Q: Which of our Studio Values resonates the most with you?

Jessie Boyer Amate: I think our emphasis on trust is very important. I really trust the people I work with daily, and it makes a huge impact in my ability to empower and delegate responsibility to others. Without trust, people will not feel safe to pitch ideas and contribute to the bigger vision of the game, and I’m happy that we have a good foundation for this.

Favorite Games and Fun Facts

Q: What is your favorite game? What do you love about it?

Jessie Boyer Amate: I don’t have a favorite game, but there are so many I’ve enjoyed through the years. I love the world and the mood of the Witcher series. I loved the visuals and atmosphere of BioShock. I loved the epic feelings I would get playing the Mass Effect games. Those are just a few that come to mind.

Q: Tell us something about yourself that many people do not know about you.

Jessie Boyer Amate: I have a degree in animation, but I am really, truly a horrible animator.