At The Multiplayer Group (MPG), we don’t just build games – we build people. While we’re known for delivering top-tier co-development support across engineering, art, design, and live ops, our commitment to Learning & Development (L&D) runs just as deep. It’s the foundation that helps our teams stay at the cutting edge of cloud technologies, master fresh game development techniques, and continuously innovate for our clients’ success.

Recently, a group of our engineers added a new string to their bow by achieving Amazon Web Services certification – a milestone that affirms their expertise in cloud infrastructure, cost optimisation, and performance at scale. But that’s only part of the story. From Tech Talks and personal L&D budgets to industry-leading mentorship, MPG invests in developing the whole engineer. The result? Better games for our clients, and more satisfying careers for our teams.

Below, we’ll walk you through why AWS accreditation matters, how our engineers achieved it, and what learning opportunities lie beyond the badge, as told by the people leading and living MPG’s L&D culture.

A People-First Philosophy

We spoke with Stephen Bain, one of our People Partners, about MPG’s broader approach to L&D:

“Our team is world-class, and we want to ensure they stay that way. Investing in learning and development is beneficial for our people, who want to progress both personally and professionally, and for our clients, who need the most skilled and knowledgeable developers on their projects.”

In other words, L&D is a win-win: our engineers keep evolving, and our clients receive support from industry-leading talent.

Strategic Focus on AWS

According to Phil Rogers, Head of Engineering at MPG, choosing AWS as a key area of development was a natural step:

“We have a lot of clients that use AWS to host their services, and our engineers already had extensive AWS experience – both at MPG and from previous roles. Studying for certification gave them the chance to validate their knowledge, plus pick up new skills along the way. That helps guarantee to our clients that we’re experts in our field.”

As more studios expand their live-service infrastructures, AWS certification has become a key indicator of advanced cloud expertise - and MPG is committed to staying at the forefront.

Gaining Trust, Reducing Risk

AWS accreditation isn’t just another badge to collect – it’s an external validation of an engineer’s ability to architect and maintain robust, cost-effective backend systems. Phil explains:

“The AWS certification process exposes our engineers to technologies that aren’t always standard in games, but can solve client problems more efficiently. It grows our team’s knowledge and experience, and assures clients that we’re using the best tools for the job.”

Ian Garcia, one of our accredited engineers, adds:

“The most important part of getting the AWS certification is that it pushed us to stay up-to-date on current AWS offerings and functionality. This is crucial in providing clients with quality service, timely support, and well-informed advice on how AWS can power their multiplayer offerings.”

From a client point of view, a certified MPG engineer offers:

• Proven Expertise: Evidence of advanced AWS knowledge, from security best practices to scalable architectures.
  

• Cost Optimisation: Certified engineers learn to deploy AWS services that could reduce spend or accelerate development.
  

• Future-Proofing: Familiarity with emerging AWS features, so projects can adapt quickly to industry shifts

Personal and Professional Confidence

For engineers, formal certification also boosts personal growth and day-to-day performance. Hiago Araujo Silva reflects:

“Studying and applying for a certification exam is like proving from another point of view that you really understand the subject. I wish I’d done it sooner – it’s made me more confident and efficient in my work.”

Ian Mutch, who recently joined the backend team, echoes this sentiment:

“Having the opportunity to be part of the journey to become an AWS partner is a standout moment. I’ve learned a lot already, and I’ll continue to learn more as we go.”

Making Time to Study

Balancing work and study can be challenging, but MPG’s supportive environment proved invaluable. Hiago says:

“I started with a practice exam on Udemy Business, got my initial score, then dived into a full AWS certification course. I’d repeatedly test myself to see where I needed improvement. From day one to exam success, I did more than eight hours of practice tests and nearly 40 hours of online coursework.”

Meanwhile, Ian Garcia found the entire process “seamless,” thanks to the company’s Udemy Business subscription and enthusiastic leadership:

“Leadership was keen for us to get certified, and our internal backend community offered much-needed support. That set the stage for success.”

Supported by the People Team

Stephen explains how MPG helps offset the usual challenges of certification:

“While our staff are off client projects, we provide dedicated time for them to focus on their studies with no competing work demands. They also have unlimited access to Udemy Business and personal L&D budgets to spend on learning that excites them.”

Alejandro Perez Segra highlights that, unlike past experiences, MPG gave him the time as well as the budget:

“I had many L&D budgets in the past, but at MPG it’s the first time I actually get the time to use it. That’s been a game-changer for my professional development.”

This structured support ensures everyone has a clear route to success - without juggling study on top of a demanding workload.

At MPG, earning an AWS certificate isn’t the end of the journey; it often sparks new learning opportunities. Hiago says:

“I turned my personal notes into an internal blog post explaining my path to certification. Seeing the ‘AWS Partner’ badge is a great achievement to be part of, and it encouraged me to share what I learned so other engineers could benefit.”

Meanwhile, Stephen emphasises that sharing knowledge goes well beyond AWS alone:

“We hold regular Tech Talks, where our own industry experts present on interesting or emerging topics. Anyone can lead a session on something they’re passionate about. Our internal wiki is also a collaborative space for knowledge-sharing, from recommended tools to cutting-edge game dev techniques.”

MPG Academy & Mentorship

MPG Academy is another pillar of our L&D framework, offering tailored training for both new graduates and mid-career professionals. These structured programmes extend beyond AWS to cover art, engineering, QA, and more. Many of our interns have gone on to secure permanent roles, reinforcing MPG’s reputation as a place to develop long-term careers.

Bringing Fresh Solutions to Live-Service Challenges

In a landscape where live-service and multiplayer dominate, having engineers up to speed with cloud trends is crucial. Phil points out:

“It’s easy to stick to a set of tools and shoehorn them into every project—but we don’t do that. We expose our backend engineers to many AWS services, so when a new client project arises, they can propose modern, relevant solutions that can reduce development time or hosting costs.”

Pablo Medina recalls a moment when his AWS knowledge immediately proved its worth:

“In the two immediate projects after I passed the certification, I encountered services I’d only just learned about in my AWS study. It felt great to apply that knowledge so soon. It proved my study time was well-invested, and it gave our client a more advanced approach.”

Real-World Wins

The ability to respond quickly to new opportunities—like unexpected spikes in concurrency or the need for robust data analytics—translates into direct benefits for clients. Ian Garcia sums it up:

“Being well-studied on current AWS offerings and functionality is crucial in providing clients with quality service, timely support, and up-to-date advice on how AWS can power their multiplayer experiences."

A Culture of Continuous Growth

At MPG, we believe continuous learning not only drives innovation but also creates a sense of purpose and shared success among our teams. Stephen outlines some of the perks our people enjoy:

“Our staff really value having unlimited access to Udemy Business, monthly Expert Tech Talks, and the chance to collaborate with a large team of highly experienced developers. Our academies also help new graduates or mid-level engineers refine their skills over a structured three-month period, preparing them for challenging long-term roles. There’s real scope for growth and progression here.”

Meanwhile, Alejandro Perez Segra highlights how dedicated time for learning makes a meaningful difference:

“The certifications and the AWS Partnership have given me a clearer view of what can be achieved and how. I’m sure I’ll get more opportunities to use this knowledge in future projects.”

Freedom to Explore

With personal L&D budgets, engineers can attend conferences, purchase e-books, or subscribe to specialised courses. They can also propose new technologies or research areas for MPG to explore. This freedom drives innovation and keeps day-to-day work fresh - whether you’re a junior developer or a seasoned lead.

Expanding Certification Paths

Phil sees AWS accreditation as just the beginning:

“We plan to grow the number of AWS-certified engineers across MPG. We’ve recently had one engineer pass the AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer exam, which is hugely beneficial as we explore Large Language Models (LLMs) for internal tooling. We expect more of these technologies to be crucial in future backend services for games.”

Staying on the Cutting Edge

Thanks to MPG’s supportive L&D culture, engineers can reinvent their skill sets regularly—an essential asset in the fast-evolving gaming industry. Whether it’s serverless architectures, advanced data analytics, or robust AI-driven systems, we want our people (and our clients) to be well-prepared for what’s next.

At MPG, investing in our people isn’t just a feel-good policy – it’s a strategic advantage. Our AWS-certified engineers bring fresh cloud solutions, bridging cost efficiency, live-service scalability, and cutting-edge features. Meanwhile, our L&D culture attracts top-tier talent and keeps them motivated to learn.

As a client, you can trust that MPG’s engineers stay on the forefront of AWS and other cloud technologies, ready to deploy future-proof backends for your next big title. As a potential hire, you’ll find a place that values your growth as much as the projects you work on—backed by mentorship, internal presentations, personal budgets, and an enthusiastic community of learners.

Whether you’re eyeing a co-development partnership or a new position, why not take a closer look at MPG’s approach to L&D? From our People Team’s unwavering support to our engineers’ passion for sharing knowledge, we’re proud to say: We build great games because we build great people.

Partner with Us

Interested in tapping our AWS expertise? Let’s discuss your upcoming project and discover how MPG’s certified engineers can power your multiplayer and live-service ambitions. Get in touch via our Contact page.

By elevating our L&D culture alongside formal AWS accreditation, The Multiplayer Group ensures our clients benefit from the latest in cloud innovation - while our teams thrive on new knowledge, growth, and collaboration. It’s a recipe for success that we can’t wait to share with you.