Forest Gouin
About Forest Gouin
Forest Gouin serves as the Senior Director of Software Engineering at Riot Games' VALORANT Studio, bringing extensive experience from previous roles at Microsoft and Zynga. His career spans over two decades in software engineering, focusing on innovative technologies and game development.
Current Role at Riot Games
Forest Gouin serves as the Senior Director of Software Engineering at Riot Games, specifically within the VALORANT Studio. He has held this position since 2021, contributing to the development and engineering efforts of the popular tactical first-person shooter game. His role involves overseeing software engineering processes and leading teams to enhance the gaming experience for players.
Previous Experience at Microsoft
Before joining Riot Games, Forest Gouin held multiple positions at Microsoft. He worked as a Partner Engineering Manager for M365 Innovation from 2019 to 2021, and as a Partner Director of Engineering in Mixed Reality from 2016 to 2018. Additionally, he served as a Partner Engineering Manager for Cortana from 2018 to 2019, and as a Principal Software Engineering Manager focusing on HoloLens Experiences from 2013 to 2016. His tenure at Microsoft spanned various roles that contributed to advancements in software engineering and mixed reality technologies.
Experience in the Gaming Industry
Forest Gouin has significant experience in the gaming industry, having worked at Zynga in various capacities. He was the Director of Engineering from 2012 to 2013 and later served as Senior Director of Engineering in 2013. His earlier role at Zynga included a position as Principal Software Engineer in 2012. Additionally, he worked at Sony Online Entertainment as Lead Client Programmer from 2007 to 2010 and as a Programmer from 2006 to 2007. This extensive background in gaming has equipped him with a deep understanding of game development and engineering.
Educational Background
Forest Gouin studied at Western Washington University, where he earned an Honors Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from 2001 to 2003. Prior to that, he also studied Biochemistry at the same institution, achieving a Bachelor of Science from 1995 to 1998. His educational background provides a strong foundation in both computer science and biochemistry, contributing to his diverse skill set in software engineering.