Last week, I had the opportunity to speak on a panel at the Women In Games International Leadership Development Forum. The panel consisted of a strong and experienced group of women including Ariella Lehrer, CEO of Legacy Interactive, Brittney Buchan, Senior Manager of Business Development at Real Games, and was moderated by Brenda Bailey, Co-Founder of Deep Fried Entertainment.
I was pleasantly surprised at the large turnout of not just women but also, the large number of men that attended the one-day forum. As we all gathered at the Triple Door in Downtown Seattle, we weren’t quite sure what to expect or how the day would unfold. What we did know, however, was that we were invited to represent women in the games industry and to share our experiences as leaders in this space...and that’s exactly what we did!
Each panel shared insightful and valuable knowledge ranging from game design for women audiences, building communities, pitching your game to publishers, and much more. Every speaker brought a unique perspective to each discussion. The unified message throughout the afternoon was know your audience, design to create a superior experience, and most importantly...the term “women gamer” needs to be broken down into more specific categories and demographics. In other words, game developers need to move away from broadly grouping women into one general classification...”the female gamer”.
When I reflect back on what I personally gained from this event, I have to say that I felt inspired to contribute more to the game space and to be able to share my experience and knowledge with others to fuel the overall growth of our industry.
As women, we need to take a more active role of leadership and provide mentorship, support, and collaboration to advance the development of our industry and to represent the women audience in games.
I want to especially thank all the organizers who orchestrated a fantastic event. You all did an amazing job!
Most importantly...I walked away with lasting friendships.
