CASSANDRA (REYNOSO) VILLAREAL

Hello! I'm a creative and results-driven communications strategist with over 10 years of experience working on the biggest brands in entertainment.

My favorite part of the job is collaborating with creatives, developers, and partners on bold visions, and crafting stories that resonate with core players and new audiences alike. Throughout my career I’ve been lucky to wear many comms hats: whether it’s launching AAA and indie titles, supporting live service games, or helping teams navigate tricky situations. With a naturally curious outlook, I’m always learning, dreaming big, and never settling for the status quo. My approach blends passion + craft, and is rooted in the belief that with the right energy + an open mind, there’s no limit to what a team can accomplish together.Outside of work, I enjoy making my own video games, whether it’s working solo or collaborating with small teams on writing + narrative design.All in all... I love interactive media as an art form, I’m excited by the medium's limitless potential, and I’m ready to shine a spotlight on cool projects and the awesome people behind them!

CONTACT ME

WORK EXPERIENCE

Below is an overview of games, franchises, and programs I've led comms for, or have supported!

FortniteEpic Games PublishingBlizzard EntertainmentBlizzard EsportsPokémonRiot GamesNyko TechnologiesSuper League Gaming
Fortnite Battle RoyaleAlan Wake IIDiablo IVOverwatch LeaguePokémon GOLeague of LegendsMiniboss for Nintendo NES Classic EditionMetropolis Madness (Minecraft)
Fortnite FestivalAlan Wake II: Night SpringsDiablo ImmortalHearthstone Championship TourPokémon Sun and MoonUniversity League of LegendsSpeakerCom for PlayStation 4 and Xbox OneCity Champs and City Rec (League of Legends)
Unreal Editor for FortniteAlan Wake II: The Lake HouseDiablo II: ResurrectedHeroes of the Storm Global CircuitPokémon Trading Card GameCharge Block for PlayStation VR__
Fortnite CreativeOut of WordsDiablo III: Rise of the NecromancerHeroes of the DormCharge Base for HTC Vive___
Fortnite CompetitiveEnd of AbyssHearthstoneStarcraft II World Championship SeriesBattery Block for Xbox One___
Anti-Cheat EffortsInfinitesimalsStarcraft IITespaData Bank Pro for PlayStation 4 Slim and Pro___
Licensed Consumer ProductsgenDESIGN's upcoming titleHeroes of the StormArena World ChampionshipModular Charge Station S for Xbox One S___
__BlizzCon (2017, 2018, 2019, 2021)Mythic Dungeon International____

Epic Games

I’m currently working on all-things Fortnite, spanning seasonal gameplay updates, brand and talent partnerships, user-generated content, licensed consumer products, competitive tournaments, creator spotlights, anti-cheat efforts, and many more. I also lead comms for Epic's third-party publishing arm, Epic Games Publishing, which launched the award-winning Alan Wake 2 and recently announced several new titles including Out of Words, Infinitesimals, End of Abyss, and genDESIGN's upcoming game. I manage Epic Games Publishing’s comms agency, as well as collaborate with Fortnite’s international comms teams + agencies. A majority of my day to day includes developing comms strategy, press outreach, reviewing / drafting editorial + social copy and speeches, exec and internal comms, and compiling reports + analyzing data from tools like Muck Rack. One of my proudest achievements was hiring and managing an intern who successfully transitioned into a full-time role on the comms team!

  • Senior Communications Manager (May 2024 to Present)

  • Communications Manager (April 2021 to May 2024)

Blizzard Entertainment

After serving as Blizzard Entertainment's first-ever Public Relations Intern in the summer of 2015 and gaining further experience PR agency post-graduation, I returned to Blizzard full-time for five cumulative years. I advanced quickly with the studio, where I started on the North America PR team to leading international teams on the Global PR team. I also thrived on working on multiple projects, including running press events around the world with Blizzard Esports, launching many Hearthstone expansions, and leading comms for Diablo Immortal's Technical Alpha previews and for Diablo IV's road to launch, to name a few. To top it off, I kicked off Blizzard's new celebrity program and took pride in mentoring fellow "Blizzterns!"

  • Global Public Relations Manager (March 2021 to April 2021)

  • Global Associate Public Relations Manager (May 2019 to March 2021)

  • Associate Public Relations Manager, Esports (August 2018 to May 2019)

  • Public Relations Coordinator, Esports (November 2017 to August 2018)

  • Public Relations Coordinator, North America (February 2017 to November 2017)

TriplePoint PR

At TriplePoint PR, a leading gaming and tech public relations agency, I supported high-profile clients including The Pokémon Company International, Riot Games, Nyko Technologies, Super League Gaming, and Daedalic Entertainment. My first week on the job was supporting Pokémon GO's launch — from drafting copy to fielding an influx of journalist questions, working on this launch was an unforgettable summer!

  • Account Coordinator (July 2016 to January 2017)

EDUCATION

University of California, Berkeley
Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies and Mass Communication

LANGUAGES

English (Fluent)
Spanish (Conversational)

Formal resume + references available upon request!

READING LIST

A growing list of books I've found helpful in deepening my communications + public relations skills. More to come!

PERSONAL PROJECTS

Games and interactive experiences I've made solo or with a small team as a writer + narrative designer. I'm currently taking a break from personal projects to learn new toolsets — stay tuned.

Let's Go to the Getty

Made with Bitsy, published October 22, 2024A game about getting inspired! Let's Go to the Getty is a Bitsy project that derived from my own IRL trip to The Getty Museum in Los Angeles, California. It takes about 4-5 minutes to complete, and is playable on web and mobile browser.In this solo project I dove deeper into the Bitsy toolset and learned more complicated hacks, namely the intricate pixel art.

You.Asset

Made with Unreal Engine 5, published September 24, 2024You.Asset is a horror game that takes about 15-20 minutes to complete. Explore, solve puzzles, and escape! Beware: there are a few jump scares nestled in.I worked with a small team of four for a horror game jam. My role was writer and narrative designer, where I worked with the game director on tasks such as brainstorming story ideas, writing notes and overall story cohesion, and weaving in instructions for a seamless player experience. I also brought my own, professional experience into the fold (i.e. game homepage copy).

A Day Off from Work

Made with Bitsy, published November 9, 2023A 2-3 minute browser game about getting the day off work and thinking about all the things you can do with that free time.This was a solo project — and my first project! I taught myself a tool called Bitsy and implemented some simple hacks to add more functionality.

SIDE QUESTS

What I'm playing: Magic: The Gathering, Divinity Original Sin 2, The Rise of the Golden Idol, Blue Prince, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, What Lies of Edith Finch, South of Midnight, and FortniteWhat I'm watching: lots of Japanese horror like Cure and Audition, love Netflix reality TV shows such as Love is Blind and Culinary Class Wars, Invincible, Yellowjackets, Severance, The White Lotus, Succession, The Last of Us, Fallout, Scavenger's Reign, with Mickey 17 and The Brutalist on my watch listOther things that keep me busy: film photography, collecting vinyl, obsessing over deductive board games like Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective, baking, hanging out with my dog, hosting PowerPoint nights (trust me — they're fun, ask me about them), training in a martial art called Muay Thai, running, snowboarding, backpacking, and powerlifting

(My forever fun fact: I once held the United States Powerlifting Association world record for the deadlift! HERE's a YouTube video of me lifting in a fun, social experiment... which amassed over 3M views!)