Driving analytics efforts across Lily’s Garden as a Game Analyst
It’s Time for Talent – with Alex Marques
Hi, my name is Alex, it’s nice to virtually meet you! 👋
I joined Tactile in September 2025 as a Lead Data Analyst. My role is to help drive analytics across Lily’s Garden, our main title, by providing data-driven insights that support better product decisions. Together with the Analytics team, I work closely with Product to grow our games whilst making sure player experience remains at the heart of every change. I’m also involved in pushing forward strategic initiatives, such as the implementation of our new BI tool.
🚀 Before Tactile
My career path hasn’t been a linear one, which honestly makes it more fun! I’ve always enjoyed math and problem-solving, which led me to study Applied Mathematics, followed by a Master’s in Finance driven by an early interest in investments. From there, I moved into consulting, partly influenced by the career paths of friends and colleagues at the time.
It quickly became clear that consulting wasn’t for me, and I decided to try something new. That decision led me into a more analytics-focused role, where I developed the skills that shaped my next career steps. When I came across a role at Miniclip, I knew I had to apply. Having spent much of my teenage years playing PC and PlayStation games (mostly sports games), joining the gaming industry felt natural. I spent five years there learning everything I know today about the industry.
💜 Joining Tactile
I joined Tactile at a point in my career where I felt ready for a new challenge and wanted to see how things were done elsewhere.
Tactile ticked all the boxes: a great company, inspiring people, exciting games, and an opportunity to deepen my knowledge of the match-3 genre. Since joining, I’ve found the environment just as dynamic and collaborative as I hoped for and it continues to evolve in exciting ways.
💪 Having an impact
Our Analytics team helps to uncover trends and insights that might otherwise go unnoticed – we’re essentially the detectives of the company. Using tools like SQL, R, or Python, we dive deep into data to find answers and guide decisions.
That said, improving our games is very much a team effort. We collaborate closely with Product Managers, Level Designers, Live Ops Managers, Developers, and many others. A key part of our work involves A/B testing, allowing us to experiment, learn, and continuously improve the player experience.
The most rewarding part of my job is knowing that our work directly impacts how people have fun. Tactile’s flat organisational structure also makes a huge difference – being able to regularly discuss ideas with founders is both rare and incredibly educational.
📚 The keys to success
Breaking into the industry feels tougher than ever, and finding great talent is equally challenging. My advice is to:
- Know the product deeply and understand how it truly works
- Be genuinely curious about data and what stories it can tell
- Focus on making suggestions that are thoughtful and actionable
- A strong analytical mindset combined with creativity goes a long way
Careers don’t have to follow a straight line to be successful. Exploring different paths, learning from what doesn’t work, and staying curious can lead you to opportunities you never expected.
