Passion for digital games and the way they bring people together binds more than 300 developers into a cohesive unit at Mediatonic, part of the Tonic Games Group. As it grows into one of the UK's biggest game developers, Mediatonic has now added a studio in Leamington Spa to its established bases in London, Brighton and Madrid and launched a new game, Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout, in November 2020.

With so many creative minds on board, staff need little prompting to stick to one company value: appreciate the weird and the wonderful. At the London headquarters, meeting rooms are dedicated to things that team members love – which has produced a karaoke room, a boardgames room and a pets' room (with pictures of employees' best friends on the wall).

Taking responsibility and giving responsibility is another of Mediatonic's values. The senior team, led by CEO Dave Bailey, puts trust in staff, allowing them to grow into their roles with a steady hand ready to guide them through the creative and technical challenges of making games that bring joy, with social networking at their core.

The CEO takes a strong interest in the team's mental health and assured employees it was “OK not to feel OK” at the height of the pandemic. Everyone was given £200 to spend on whatever they felt would enhance their home working environment, beyond the vital equipment provided. Colleagues had fun sharing their choices, from house plants to kitchen gadgets – and 100 pot noodles for instant lunches.