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Hi, I'm Sally! 👋

I love a challenge, launching games & working hard to ensure communities thrive adding value to the business and players.

A seasoned community strategist and leader with nearly 20 years in the games industry. I’ve shaped communities for AAA franchises at Ubisoft, long-term live game ecosystems at Jagex, I've worked with indie studios, in a publishing setting and within the UGC gaming space with both investors and creators.

I understand the value of community within the industry: building engagement from zero, managing sentiment, creating engaging content all levers that build audience trust and brand authenticity, turning communities into real business drivers.

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Really? No Strategy? Would you walk into a blizzard without a map, no destination & no Supplies?

Sally Da Costa
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In Numbers

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Games Launched

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Years Experience In Community & The Games Industry

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Years of Leadership Experience

My Philosophy 🧠

I believe that honesty, respect, and collaboration form the foundation of any great team or project. I approach my work with integrity and transparency, because trust, both within teams and with audiences, is the cornerstone of lasting success.

For me, hard work is most meaningful when it’s shared. I thrive in collaborative environments where everyone contributes their strengths and ideas toward a common goal. I’ve always believed that we can all win together, success doesn’t have to come at someone else’s expense.

Joy and passion are at the heart of everything I do. When we truly enjoy our work, that energy shines through and connects with people in authentic, powerful ways. Especially in gaming and community-driven spaces, that authenticity is what builds trust, loyalty, and excitement.

I also believe that operating ethically and caring for both staff and audiences is not only the right thing to do, it’s good business. Leading with empathy isn’t a weakness; it’s an advantage. People do their best work when they feel supported, respected, and valued. A happy, healthy workplace inspires creativity, innovation, and long-term success.

Community, particularly in games, should never be an afterthought. It’s a key driver of success and deserves serious investment and respect. Strong communities don’t just support a brand, they become part of its identity and its heartbeat.

Everything I do is guided by a simple idea: align purpose, passion, and people. By leading with honesty, empathy, and collaboration, I aim to help create environments where teams thrive, audiences feel connected, and everyone has the opportunity to succeed together.

  • Community as a Foundation, Not a Feature: Community is not a side project, but an essential, strategic foundation for project success and player retention. 
  • Chaos to System: Sustained success is achieved by replacing instinct-driven only, chaotic, and manually intensive efforts with scalable systems.
  • Focus on the Human Element: My approach is explicitly "human-to-human," focused on solving the real pain points for all both internally and for players. Listening to people, observing behaviour and studying data to get a full picture and combining this with experience to constantly iterate and improve.

Behind the Scenes

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While my professional passion lies in helping people with their community projects, the best strategy always comes from a balanced life. Something that many of us have struggled with in the industry for sure. When I step away from the keyboard, I’m focused on my own amazing team: I am a wife and a mum to a fab 12-year-old lad that is of course a hardcore gamer.

This love for creating and optimising extends far beyond the professional sphere. My downtime is split between creative pursuits, physical activity, and doing my best to relax:

  • The Maker Mentality: I love bringing things into existence, whether that means getting hands-on with wood carving, designing objects & 3D printing, or getting lost in the a good story graphic novels, film & tv, books and beyond.

  • Active & Engaged: I have recently committed to strength training and enjoy getting out to the coast and exploring forests, cycling and body boarding.

  • Culture & Play: You’ll often find me diving into a new game (gaming), planning my next trip to Italy, or enjoying the simple pleasure of eating great food—because everything is better after a good meal and sometimes a great craft ale too.

 My Instagram: A look into the behind the scenes.

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Interested in working with me?

Not sure where to start? That’s totally fine. Let’s talk it through — no pressure, just an open conversation about your goals and what might help you get there.