Ayana Muraoka

What you do at Tango?

As a UI designer, I create and propose interface designs that fit in naturally with the in-game universe. I’m the UI team lead, so I’m also involved in tasks associated with managing the development team.

How do you describe Tango’s development environment?

There’s a lot of face-to-face communication at Tango. In the office I hear a lot of conversations going around: people having discussions, giving each other feedback, or just making small talk. I think the fact that we communicate with each other so frequently is part of the reason that we’re able to create such groundbreaking games.
Also, we have a hybrid work environment, and it’s great for maintaining a good work-life balance. Especially when you can work from home during busy periods, I’ve found it easier to keep in good condition while maintaining work efficiency.

What do you think makes Tango unique as a game studio?

I feel that the creators are given authority to make the games ‘better.’ We structure and build the game around the core concept, so it’s very important for us to be proactive in considering how to flesh that concept out more fully to make a fun and engaging game.

What are your thoughts about the type of people who work at Tango?

I think there are really a lot of talented people at Tango. Everybody is very professional and I’m always amazed when I see the things that they come up with, or when I see how different designs have been implemented to the game. This team really inspires me to do my best.

Looking to the future, what are you excited for when working at Tango?

I’m looking forward to getting involved in projects that are creative and unique to Tango. I’m also personally interested about how Tango will evolve as a company, considering that it has some unique history.

What’s something you’d like to tell someone interested in the company or working with your team?

I previously worked on social networking games, and didn’t have any experience in developing traditional console games. I know myself that there are a lot of differences between the UI of social networking games and console games, but the most important thing is always to have passion for what you’re doing. I think if you have the necessary passion, you’ll be able to overcome any challenge.