I would inspire a movement called “I See You / I Hear You.” This would be a movement where people were inspired to actively listen, willingly open their perspective, an aperture of understanding in order to really understand someone else’s lived experience. Also, in the hopes of increasing global empathy, respect, and awareness about the circumstances, culture, history, and present-day impacts of someone who is different than you. The goal is not for all to agree, but rather acknowledge, appreciate, and even potentially find value in the differences across our human experiences. Even perhaps acknowledging that those differences are what makes our human bonds even better.
As a part of our series about what’s around the corner for the gaming industry, we had the pleasure of interviewing Dametra Johnson-Marletti. Dametra Johnson-Marletti, currently serving as the Corporate Vice President, Digital Gaming Sales within the Microsoft Consumer Sales Organization, has been a key executive at Microsoft for more than 23 years. During her tenure, she has spearheaded growth and digital transformation across e-commerce and entertainment businesses, scaling the company’s digital gaming revenue from millions to billions and positioning Microsoft as a leader in gaming, entertainment, and consumer applications. Her team has global responsibility for ecommerce, business strategy, and digital distribution across 120 countries. They engage millions of consumers, delivering gaming digital content and transactions to millions of gaming consoles, personal computers, mobile devices, and smart TVs around the world.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share the “backstory” behind what brought you to this particular career path?
I’ve been at Microsoft for over 23 years. It’s really been a place where I’ve grown into my professional career, and where I’m still learning and growing every day. It’s been a phenomenal place to build a career. My journey started in South Central LA where I grew up, I played D-1 basketball in college and then professionally in Australia, then I worked at Bristol Myers Squib while also getting my MBA from the University of Southern California. It’s been an unlikely path — because there’s really no blueprint for getting from there to here.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
Last year, Microsoft completed its acquisition of Activision, Blizzard, King. Following the integration, I was tasked with creating a new organization focused on Gaming Digital Sales. Our new team is composed of employees from Microsoft, Activision, Blizzard, and Bethesda — four different companies, four different cultures, and countless perspectives on the way forward.
There is a saying that “culture eats strategy for lunch” — and what I learned from this experience is that taking the time to be intentional in building your organizational culture can be a business superpower. With a strong culture in place, you can have an outsized impact and similarly, outsized results. I am proud of how we have together and how we continue to build and hone a strong, integrated team fueled by passion and supercharged with smart, high-capacity individuals.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
Naming just one person would do a complete disservice to the many people that have been instrumental in my career. I have been extremely fortunate to work with several mentors and sponsors who have shared their wisdom, taught me countless lessons, and shaped my journey. Throughout my career at different times, I seemed to have the exact right sponsor for me at the exact right time. They gave me guidance when I sought it, candid feedback when I needed to hear it, and the ability to believe in myself when they saw something I hadn’t yet.
I’m a big believer that everyone should have their own personal board of directors. By that I mean everyone should have a group of people who can mentor you and provide a safe space for you to learn, get advice, and find support throughout your career.
How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?
I believe that to whom much is given much is required. So, giving back is a personal priority for me. Professionally, the deep philanthropic history and action of Microsoft is a point of pride for most employees. Every October, we celebrate GIVE, which is our annual giving event where employees are given the opportunity to give money, time, and skills to communities and causes they care about. Just in the last two years, my team has volunteered at a food bank, built bicycles for the Boys & Girls Club, written letters to educate voters on voter requirements in their state, and packed back to school kits for children affected by the housing crisis.
Personally, I am deeply involved with Medical Teams International, a global non-profit whose mission is to provide life-saving medical care to some of the most marginalized communities in the world. I’ve had the privilege of serving on their board for the last six years and in 2023, I had the opportunity to join them in Uganda where we visited expansive refugee settlements and clinics where Medical Teams delivers medical services to thousands. It truly was a couple of perspective-broadening weeks filled with service, community, and profound learning. Looking back, it was a great opportunity to take personal inventory of one’s capacity to more deeply understand the lived experiences of those in unfathomable need and take action to make a difference.
Ok fantastic. Let’s now move to the main focus of our discussion. Can you tell us about the technological innovations in gaming that you are working on?
The first thing that comes to mind is, of course, AI. Xbox has a long history of working with AI and machine learning in support of player fun and creator value. We are focused on deep investment and meaningful innovation around AI technology to improve experiences for players and developers, and see a future where there is space for traditional game development and future generative AI technologies that serve as an extension of creative work and offer novel experiences. We also see an opportunity for AI in game discovery, helping to create advanced marketplaces and tools to ensure players find the experiences they want and that those experiences are meaningful.
How do you think this might disrupt the status quo?
Well, I don’t think it “might,” I think it will, and it is. Alongside everything I mentioned above, which is changing how people interact with games, we’re also moving from a single-device experience to, truly, allowing people to play their favorite Xbox games anywhere — and where everything is an Xbox. In this way, players can have a seamless and connected gaming experience, with the same game and the same friends, across multiple screens.
You, of course, know that games and toys are not simply entertainment, but they can be used for important purposes. What is the “purpose” or mission behind your company? How do you think you are helping people or society?
Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. Gaming, and Xbox, directly supports that mission. It’s entertainment, yes, but it’s also a place for communities. Community feedback makes our games more accessible, our store offerings more diverse, and our platform more inclusive. That matters and it creates an expectation about the experience you’re going to have when you interact with Microsoft products.
I’d also say that gaming connects people — whether you’re 80 or 800 miles apart; whether you’re 8 or 80 years old. There are children, today, using Minecraft in schools to learn. There are students with special needs or disabilities who, for example, don’t speak but come alive with gaming and when they’re able to connect with their friends. It’s everything from adaptive controllers to inclusive design built into our products and games to the sense of community people get when they play — all of it is so important and gives a tremendous amount of purpose to what we do.
I’m very interested in the interface between games and education. How do you think more people (parents, teachers etc.) or institutions (work, school etc.) can leverage games and gamification to enhance education?
Well, I mentioned Minecraft. There’s an entire Minecraft Education offering that outlines how students and teachers can use that game to help players explore real-world issues in an immersive, imaginative way. It helps to build their computational thinking through in-game coding and curriculum, and it helps them build empathy and learn how to be good digital citizens. Their world is a digital one — and it will only continue to be shaped and influenced by technology. Giving students the ability to use technology to learn, to solve problems, to grow, and to develop the skills they’ll need to use technology responsibly and for good — that’s all very important, and I’m proud that Minecraft is being used in this way. And it’s just one example.
How would you define a “successful” game? Can you share an example of a game or toy that you hold up as an aspiration?
I’m not in charge of making games at Xbox, but what I can share is one of my most favorite gaming memories was after Thanksgiving dinner last year, someone turned on the Xbox and started playing Overcooked. Overcooked is a chaotic couch co-op cooking game where up to four players work as a team — you and your fellow chefs must prepare, cook, and serve up a variety of tasty orders before the paying customers storm out in a huff.
We all took turns playing, and we did it for hours! I’m smiling right now thinking about how much we laughed, and how much fun we had as a group that spanned generations playing together and making memories.
So, I’d say a successful game has to be entertaining; it has to allow you to connect with people or with something you’re interested in; and it has to give you something in return or improve your life in some way. Overcooked certainly did that for us at Thanksgiving last year!
What are the “5 Things You Need to Know To Create a Highly Successful Game” and why. (Please share a story or example for each.)
Again, I don’t make games, but there is a central belief at Xbox that it all starts with your audience. You have to know them — you have to really know them. That’s number one.
Then, you have to understand what they will see as innovative or creative, not what you think is innovative or creative. You also have to understand what their accessibility needs are. How will your game be played on different platforms? How will it incorporate inclusive design principles and meet a range of gaming needs.
Next, I’d say you have to ensure they’re represented in the game. We have a new game that came out in early April called South of Midnight. That is a game that tells a story; it’s set in a fictionalized version of the Deep South in America and combines history and adventure. For a lot of people, it may be the first time they’ve seen a protagonist that looks like them in a modern-day game — and that’s really important.
Finally, you have to think through how you’re going to build a community around your game. We know that people want to play where their friends are and where they can really connect with people or with the characters’ stories.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
I would inspire a movement called “I See You / I Hear You.” This would be a movement where people were inspired to actively listen, willingly open their perspective, an aperture of understanding in order to really understand someone else’s lived experience. Also, in the hopes of increasing global empathy, respect, and awareness about the circumstances, culture, history, and present-day impacts of someone who is different than you. The goal is not for all to agree, but rather acknowledge, appreciate, and even potentially find value in the differences across our human experiences. Even perhaps acknowledging that those differences are what makes our human bonds even better.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
Stay Grounded and Maintain Perspective. We all tend to get so caught up and mired in the day-to-day grind. Whether it be the ‘work’ grind of taking on every possible assignment, filling every hour of every day with a meeting, bringing work home at night; or the ‘life’ grind of trying to be everything to everyone, taking care of and prioritizing everyone else — both of these are a recipe for losing stable footing and a clear perspective on what is most important in your life.
As I’ve raised my family through the years while excelling in demanding career, this has been a constant mantra to help me make the right choices and remember what and who is most important in my life — those I love, those who love me, and those that will be by my side long after my career.
How can our readers follow you on social media?
You can find me on LinkedIn @Dametra Johnson-Marletti.
Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.
Microsoft’s Dametra Johnson-Marletti On The Future of Gaming was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.