Developing video games is increasingly being seen an exciting and rewarding career for women. Whether you come from an artistic, technical, creative, marketing or managerial background there are jobs in the games industry to suit you, offering interesting career progression and a stimulating and passionate work environment.
Traditionally a male dominated industry, game development is increasingly diverse with many companies now actively seeking to balance the gender ratio on development teams. In fact a panel at GDC 2009 concluded that it is more critical than ever for women to get into games. Consoles such as the Wii and DS have massively increased the numbers of women playing games and many games are now targeted specifically at women, with the developers looking to include more women on the teams making the games to help introduce a female perspective to the development process and increase the appeal of these games to women.
In addition to opportunities to work on more female friendly games there are now far fewer barriers to women wanting to work on the more traditional FPS's, RTS's and RPGs and less stigma attached to those that do. A shining example came recently with 'Portal', Valve's innovative puzzler that won Game of the Year at GDC 2008 which was conceived and designed by Kim Swift, a woman, but was far from being a 'girl's game'.
Most employers will look for a passion for games when recruiting and obviously the skills to do the job but are gender neutral and the traditional view of dev teams as sexist enclaves of pepsi swilling and pizza obsessed men is usually very out of date. Many companies are actively seeking to move away from the unhealthy bedroom coder image by offering free gym membership, regularly restocked fruit bowls and even paid overtime.
Interactive Selection is actively seeking to promote the role of women in the games industry. We work with the top studios worldwide and have recently placed women in senior Art, Animation, PR, Marketing, Sales and Production jobs in countries such as UK, Canada, Iceland and Germany. We will help you manage your career, whether you are looking to start out in the games industry or find your next job. While previous games industry experience will always be beneficial, if you have equivalent experience from outside the industry but have a passion for games then Interactive Selection can help you take the next step in your career.
"We know that the numbers of women in the games industry are frustratingly low," comments David Smith, MD of Interactive Selection "It's a failing of the games industry as a whole - not just on a social level but on a business level. But whatever the cause, I want to do more to help women work and progress their careers in the games sector. The industry welcomes - and would like to see more - women recruits to both help develop games and take on business-focused roles. While it's not possible to overtly advertise for guys or girls, the message I get is, if they have two candidates of equal ability, they'd probably hire the women."
Over the coming weeks and months we will be talking to some of the games industry's top women and men from HR, Production, Design and other disciplines about the role of women in the games industry and what they look for in an employee so keep checking back here for updates.
Women in Games Jobs Blog
Ana Kronschnabl CEO of Fluffylogic speaks to Women in Games Jobs
Mon, 26 Jul 2010FluffyLogic is based in central Bristol working in film, digital media, Internet (and networked) content, video games and hand-held devices (such as PlayStation Portable). Ana met with Antonia Cullum of Women in Games Jobs at the recent Develop conference in Brighton. Her advice to both women and me thinking of working in the games industry is “think about why you love games and about wanting to be involved in the industry. I think it is a hard industry, any creative industry is hard. You have to have a passion for it then have to realise it is actually really hard work. At the end of it you could produce some really fantastic and exciting creative stuff but you have to be quite focused. If you want a career in the computer games industry it generally breaks down into design, production, programming and art. In reality there are a few designers, a few producers, lots of programmers and lots of artist. So pick you area well, I think that will be the real bit of advice. We have people who come to us that really have lots of disciplines and they’re kind of interested in a lot of stuff. My experience with most creative industries is that people actually like specialist who know what they talking about, so I would say look at that carefully.”
(Independent) Gaming Women, Throw Your Hands Up At Me!
Thu, 22 Jul 2010
At some point in your life, as a female gamer, or a female involved in the gaming world, you get a moment where you are Recognised, or at least, given a tip of the Hat of Respect/Appreciation, by whoever you’re talking to, in regards to the world you move around in.
For me, the majority of the time and having dominantly been involved with the Press, I get lots of quirked and interested ‘ooooohhhhs’ and ‘aaaaahhhhs’ and the occasional polite ‘uuummmms’ when I’m press-mingling and it comes to explaining what it is I report in/on. But once in a while (and ladies, this is on the rise), I get ‘Oh wow, how cool! That’s awesome that you get to do that!’
And they’re referring to the fact that I get to meet, be actively connected to and engage with an expanding community of proactive, driven and independent women. In the games world no less! Included in that – as I go on later to explain when their interest is truly fired and they like to know more – is obviously the chance to research, explore and write about topical issues on the subject of women, games and the industry. And that’s when things always get interesting, because people always have their own nugget of insight to add to that, they always want to know more and more than often, they’d like to know how they can get involved.
And it’s during times like those, that I realise I am living on a rapidly changing pulse that not many are privy to and hells yeah, I’m lovin’ it. It’s a Moment to be proud of. And whenever I get a chance to ask other women gamers when their Moment is, I seize it.
So, at last week’s Develop Conference, I asked Sheri Grayner Ray, the conference’s guest speaker, what her Moment was. Sheri told us:
I walked into GDC last year, and I was standing there, waiting for someone, and I had a woman make a beeline for me. And she got up to me and she grabbed a hold of both my hands and said: ‘Sheri, I’m so glad to see you!’
I’m going ‘Eeerrrp, I have no idea who this is!’ But she said, ‘I know you don’t remember me, but I heard you speak two years ago. And because of what you said, I’m in the games industry and I’m a programmer. I’m here, because of you and I want to tell you how much you mean to me and how great you were; you made me feel so warm and welcomed. You’re why I’m here.’
To have that affect on somebody, and to know that I can be a role model like that; that just makes it for me.
And if that isn’t a Moment, then I don’t know what is.
SO, I’d like to put this out to our readers; please let us know what your Moment was! Be brave, step up and share with us the time you went – Oh yeah, that’s me. That’s what I do and that’s why I do it.
So come on, throw those hands up at me!
Changing the Future of Games – Develop’s WIG conference shows it can be done.
Mon, 19 Jul 2010 
Apparently, at the IGN awards dinner at the Develop Conference, Wednesday night, the comedian Rufus Hound, who was presenting, stood quietly as a woman came up to the stand to collect a award, said nothing as she presented her speech and when she left the stage, turned to the audience and said ‘And that, men, is what a woman looks like.’
When this was told to me, I had to laugh along with it. Because a) it is funny and b) it isn’t half true. But it made me remember something. Later, Brighton-sand blasted shoes cleaned and my notes gathered around me, I found the line I had scrawled down in my notebook on the day I attended the Women in Games conference, 2010:
‘We will change the industry.’
These were the conclusive words from the guest star of this year’s conference – Sheri Grayner Ray – on her presentation to the near-all female audience present. And it was hard not to be inspired by those words, after having spent the day connecting with, talking and listening to so many different women, with different views and thoughts, but with all one very similar goal – to show that women were a part of the gaming world’s future. And that they intended to do more than just stay.
The conference, backed onto the two day Develop Conference was an all day event, starting with a lunch that gave the chance for everyone to meet and greet. The atmosphere was open, friendly and everyone was keen to get to know each other, to find out where everyone had ventured from and what everyone was looking forward to from the Conference. And whilst everyone mingled, I overhead snatches of conversation, ranging from the possible combinations of feta cheese in salads; the representation of masculinity and femininity in character designs; British beach weather and the best First Person Shooters to try out.
It was cool-as-ladies-who-lunched-with-an-awesome-difference.
Such variety and spice continued on with the day’s programme. It exploded off with Sheri’s very punchy and focused presentation, which brought home the fact that there was still more women could and needed to do in the gaming world. After a quick break, there followed a workshop to get those creative minds working – in small teams, everyone was asked to discuss how they would use emotional input and emotive reactions in a computer game.
And the ideas that turned up on the table were incredibly varied, incredibly inventive. They ranged from a highly diplomatic game (without a Ferrero Roche in sight), a travelling game (reading more than maps was involved), a murderous detective game; a socially educational game with a focus on Asperger’s syndrome and a co-op, spy-based action-adventure. All of them were brilliantly diverse; covering a scope of themes and styles as well as gaming platforms. As a matter of fact, the only thing that the games had in common was an unusual preference for an Intergalactic Space setting!
The day rounded up with panel discussion, the Knights of the table including Sheri, David Smith from WIGJ (sponsors of the conference), Helen Kennedy from WIG, Chloe Giusti from SCEE and Ana Kronschanabl from Fluffylogic. Topics for discussions with the audience included the debate on Booth Babes, Female game character representations, the difference in female involvement in the games industry and the next-steps education for the new age of female figureheads and what the current role models could do.
Suffice to say the deabtes were involving, occasionally heated but thoroughly insightful. Everyone was eager to put forward their ideas and thoughts and it made for a forum that was open, thoughtful and engaging; all viewpoints were welcomed and it was positive to see everyone comfortable enough to express their different ideas.
Overall, the conference was something that, on the day, I felt was tangibly needed for those gathered. For some, it was a good place to make new contacts and exchange business cards. For others, it was a time to share similar experiences and affirm what the next steps were to be made as individuals and a collective group, and for some, it was an eye-opener into area that had previously, not taken much of a spotlight. To everyone I spoke to, it benefited them all.
Therefore, in light of what the conference discussed, the people who met and the topics of debate that came from the day, Sheri’s words ring true. It’s about positivity, it’s about driving forwards. And it really is about making our future.
UK Government Minister gives support to Women in Games Jobs initiative
Fri, 16 Jul 2010
A very successful networking lunch and conference took place in Brighton yesterday at the Develop conference with over 70 women attending to hear Sheri Graner-Ray give an inspirational keynote address. The conference started with David Smith reading out a message from Lynne Featherstone MP, Minister for Equalities. In the letter the Minister warned the industry that its long time domination by men needed to change. “Companies that can’t see the value that women bring to the workplace are extremely short-sighted as they lose out on talent and skills of half the population. They risk being uncompetitive in a very fast-moving world by not being able to choose from all available employees.”
The full statement is reproduced below.
“With the likes of Lara Croft, Jill Valentine and Alyx Vance well established on the nation’s consoles there are no shortage of female characters in videogames, but behind the scenes things have for too long been dominated by men – perhaps explaining why the likes of Miss Croft look the way they do!
“This is a problem not just for women who want to work in gaming and girls who are given unrealistic expectations about how they should look. It’s a problem for the industry as a whole, as organisations filled with people who look the same, sound the same and have the same life experiences can all too easily end up thinking the same.
“Diverse organisations reflect their customers better, are likely to understand them better and offer better products and services as a result. Companies that can’t see the value that women bring to the workplace are extremely short-sighted as they lose out on talent and skills of half the population.
“They risk being uncompetitive in a very fast-moving world by not being able to chose from all available employees. Equality is as good for businesses as it is for women and society.
“As a government we’re working hard to support women in the workplace, for example looking at making the right to request flexible working available to all and introducing a system of shared parental leave. But this is not something the government can do alone – we need the private sector to do its bit as well.
“That’s why I was so pleased to hear about this conference, and I’m really sorry that I’m not able to be there personally. I’m glad you’re also considering what more can be done and I look forward to hearing your conclusions. Best wishes for a successful conference.”
More reports from the lunch and conference will follow.
It’s the Final Countdown…To the WIG Conference, 2010!
Wed, 14 Jul 2010
Develop Conference 2010
This week’s main focus for me is, without a doubt, the Develop Conference, and most significantly, the Women in games conference, 2010, sponsored by our very own Interactive Selection.
With the disappointing cancellation of the Women in Games conference in Bradford, which would have taken place in March this year, it’s only natural that a lot of excitement is riding on the WIG Conference in Brighton. It will be the only event of its kind in Europe for the entirety of 2010 – a chance for women who work and play in the games industry to gather, connect, debate and discuss the current and upcoming topical subjects within the gaming world.
On a personal note, it’s a significant moment. This will not only be the first time that I will be attending the Develop Conference – shocking, I know; I hang my head in shame – but it will be my first outing as Editor for WIGJ. So I aim to do it justice. On Thursday, I will be packing the camera (small, but efficient), the trusty (and historically unbeatable) pen and pad, donning on my comfortable (but sassy shoes) and gearing myself up with (a fair and sizable amount of) journalistic flair for what promises to be a very, very interesting day.
Because it’s only fair that I say the real excitement is about meeting the women who will be attending the gathering. Over 75 leading female figures in the gaming industry have confirmed their attendance at the conference; they’re coming from beyond the European plains and with the variety, the mix and the combination, the conference will be far from staid and linear. Quite the opposite, I hope. We’re gathering en-masse and it will be with great pleasure and honour, that’ll I’ll be getting to meet you all, and hopefully, getting to discuss with everyone what’s really happening in our gaming universe.
The date is set – Thursday, 15th of July. The venue is already a spotlight in the gaming eye, the numbers are gathering, the personalities more than impressive. The party’s big. This, is where it’s going to be really at. And you know you don’t want to miss it.
No Barriers to Women! Jane Hansom, Director of Sponge Marketing talks to Ngan of WIG Jobs.
Thu, 08 Jul 2010
Jane Hansom - Director of Sponge
Back in 2009, I briefly had the fantastic chance of working for Jane Hansom on promoting the launch of Monster Hunter: Freedom Unite on the PSP. The launch included the opening of the Gathering Hall in London, the first ever dedicated ‘stronghold’ for pure and unadulterated PSP online gaming in Europe. The Monster Hunter community flocked together to the Hall on a daily basis to connect, play online, debate and make friendships which still continue now. When we closed the Hall, we had to practically kick everyone out; no one wanted to leave. It was a huge success and a big step for the online gaming community.
So when the time came to think about a strong and driven female role model to write my first interview on, my inner light bulb shone on Jane.
Jane is the Director of Sponge; a marketing agency that works across multiple platforms of media, including significantly, the gaming industry. Since 2005, Sponge has been producing creative, effective and highly-praised marketing programs for major names such as Capcom and Sony Playsation, with an impressive list of launches including MotorStorm, Little Big Planet, Socom and Infamous.
Jane has kindly obliged to answer my questions, giving us an insight into her working life in the marketing world; the adventures that includes, what she sees as being the challenges for women in the industry and who her Ladies of Gaming really are.
What does your day to day job entail and how much of it is active engagement with people in the games industry?
My day to day tasks and duties entails coming up with things like cool ideas for games launches. We promote the games, so whether it be press events or community events, we have to get advocates talking about the new game. So we create promotional and 3rd party ideas to link games with other cool brands or do PR and social media ideas on Facebook and Twitter. Plus, we also have creds presentations to get the Sponge name out there and win new clients (we met a lot of new contacts at E3 so we are meeting up with them all and showing them what Sponge can do). Basically anything to increase awareness of a game launch and drive game sales!
What is the greatest thing about working for/with the games industry?
Our clients tend be young and great fun and the products we bring to the market give us scope to do some amazing activity and events.
What has been your strongest/fondest memory of working with games?
My best memory is of a press event we did a few years back for the launch of MotorStorm. We crossed 4 states in the USA (Colorado, Utah, Arizonan and Nevada) on a road trip in crazy customised cars via Monument Valley, where the game was filmed. The first car to arrive at the Palms hotel in Vegas won. Journalists on that trip told me it was the best press event they had ever been on; and that’s saying something because they get a lot of cool trips! Many still keep in touch with Sponge to this day and hopefully ask if we are planning another one!
What is the ratio of women to men in your line of business?
Actually most of our staff are female. Marketing and PR agencies tend to have a higher ratio of women to men. I’d say around 60% – 40%. I think women are better at multi tasking.
What challenges do you often meet as a woman, a role model in your day to day job?
The same as men meet, I expect, in our business. Winning new businesses and making sure the agency is profitable is a challenge in today’s environment as clients budgets are reduced and they want their budgets to work harder. We are lucky as we are a small and very cost effective agency. We have not lost out on business so this does not impact us too much. But I don’t think I experience any additional “challenges” because I’m a woman.
Have you noticed major difficulties that women come across in the games world and whether there has been a significant move to change this?
No I haven’t. But then again the marketing agency side is considerably more female based.
What can you foresee as being the new big changes and challenges for women in the games?
The games industry is changing. There are many more social games than ever before like SingStar, Buzz, several dance games and family focused games, all which are brought to life with great new peripherals like PlayStation Move. This changes the demographic of gamers quite considerably and women are coming to games in their droves, whether it be for them to play by themselves or with pals (SingStar) or with their kids (EyePet). This is a great opportunity to even up the balance of girls versus boys working in the industry.
Would you recommend and promote the games industry as an environment for women to move into and grow in?
Without hesitation. It’s a fun and a growing industry.
What advice can you give to a woman, wanting to enter or establish a working role in the games industry?
Work hard and know your stuff. Success will follow.
And last but not least; who is your favourite female game character and why?
That’s a difficult one….But it’s got to be either Yuna – Final Fantasy X for her realistic character and sense of duty and purpose that drives her to make personal sacrifices for the good of all. What a role model! Or it has to be Jill Valentine from Resident Evil. She looks great, is smart, and sassy; more than a match for the boys and not afraid to kick some ass!
Many thanks again to Jane for joining us at WIGJ and giving us her insight!
Girl Power – No escaping the issue!
Mon, 05 Jul 2010
Girl Power
Whilst surfing the net a week or so ago, I came across, what I think, is a little gem of a magazine.
In 2005, The Escapist released issue 17 of their online magazine, rather generically titled Girl Power. Whilst my interest – from an editorial perspective – was piqued, my enthusiasm wasn’t fired up until I actually took a proper look at the front cover and the list of contents. From there, I took a eager dive into what has been a enjoyable and thoroughly satisfying read that I can tip my Hat of Respect to.
The collection of articles cover a good spectrum of well known and well debated issues on the projection, representation and statuses of women in the gaming world. They incorporate comprehensive academic and juicy analytical approaches, as well as interviews and discussions from ground-level operatives – girls who are life-long gamers, professors of women studies and women in the industry.
Whilst none of the issues are anything new or breakthrough from what we women in the games industry have become used to having bandied about and being branded with, the individual articles are well argued, really enjoyable to read and probably because of their staple subjects, easy to relate to. Having done something a little similar for a MA dissertation, I read Women in Games and Women Monsters and Monstrous Women with sympathetic acknowledgment. And I read OMG Girlz Don’t Exist On Teh Intarweb!!!!1 with a complete – OMG, Yes, That’s SO what it’s like on WOW, LOL!
It’s interesting to compare the focus of these articles, from 5 years ago, to the focus of the debates that appear about women in the games industry today. Whilst it would be ambitious to say that major leaps and bounds have been made since then, it would also be foolish to ignore that there has definitely been progression. The foundations of the initial steps into the gaming focus, made back then, have have taken a stronghold now.
Women are striving to achieve higher titles and stronger influences in the creation of games – and succeeding, when you look at the names involved in the creations of titles, such as God of War (Winifred Phillips), The Sims (Lucy Bradshaw), BioShock (Alyssa Finley). The list is only getting longer. Representations are definitely being re-looked at, with the emergence of female characters more 3-dimensional than ever; and I’m not just talking about graphics.
Whilst the tenacious issues in the magazine will probably continue to stigmatise gender and the gaming world for a while yet, I like to think that the focus is now no longer on how what women CAN do in the games industry, but what women WILL do. After all, as the saying goes, Rome was not built in a day….What great Empire was?
What it takes to be a Digital Woman – the requirements of women in the Digital Media Industry
Tue, 29 Jun 2010Recent slides from Trendspotting’s Dr. Taly Weiss have been published . The slides were used by Weiss in the most recent Microsoft’s Women Think Next conference, where she presented her findings and reviews. They outline a detailed landscape of the general current state of women in business, with a greater focus on women in digital media – specifically, IT related.
The most interesting aspects, are naturally, the statistics, between the gender disparity in job opportunities, status and progression. The slides give compelling data on the trends in female employement, even highlighting some current big name firms and the numbers of women sitting in the top tiers. Whilst a large number of these figures and facts are uplifiting and hopeful, Weiss – rightly – never detaches from the driving point of the debate: that there are still many, ongoing challenges facing women in business, let alone the digital media business. Strategically placed, sobering facts emphasise that while there are aspects to celebrate in the gradual rise of women in such competitive businesses; there are still a fair few walls to break down.
Weiss looks carefully at some of the causes behind the statistics, giving the viewer a broad and comprehensive range of reasons to debate, such as the ‘glass cliff’ theory and sexism, as well as cultural and social commitments, such as motherhood. However – and backed up with quotations from high-profile industry women – she makes it clear that none of them are simply excuses. Clearly stated before she even goes into the discussion, is a slide firmly listing the facts: women are as equally educated as men, possess the same level of motivations as men and enter into set professions in sizable numbers. Weiss’ presentation ends on a constructive note, focused on womens’ own initiatives and drives. As Weiss states on the blog of Trendspotting: ‘How women working in IT companies can use the Social Media to professionally lead and influence [is] a “work around” option. Companies’ success in Social Media relies on professional team members sharing their insights and works. I believe that women can find that stage as a source for learning, improving and leading.’
The message is pragmatic and clear: that we can drive ourselves forwards – by realising and effectively utilising our strengths in the digital media sphere and therefore gaining the momentum to initiate the changes needed permanently.
75 of Europe’s leading women in games expected for WiG Conference at Develop.
Mon, 28 Jun 2010
If you missed the announcement last week, Interactive Selection would like to invite you to the Women in Games Day Networking Lunch and afterwards the WIG Conference at Develop 2010 on Thursday, July 15 2010 at the Hilton Brighton Metropole. Women in Games Jobs has secured an additional allocation for free tickets and we expect a great turnout. This is the only event of its kind to take place in Europe in 2010.
Women in Games Jobs is organiser of the lunch and negotiated 45 free tickets for the conference which is sponsored by Interactive Selection. These tickets are going fast. 34 have said they are definitely attending and a further 15 have said they are interested. We are so far expecting women from Canada, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Netherlands, Austria, Ukraine, Romania, France as well as the UK. Taken together with women who have registered with the conference organisers, we hope to have 75 of Europe’s leading women in games in the one conference room.
There are only a limited number of places which are being offered to women in games on a first come, first serve basis. This event is by invitation only so you will need to pre-register. To pre-register please let David Smith know so that he can reserve you a free ticket.
Ngan Nguyen is appointed Editor of Women in Games Jobs
Fri, 25 Jun 2010
I am pleased to announce that Ngan Nguyen has agreed to join Women in Games Job as Editor and that she will regularly be writing articles for our readers. Ngan was for 2 years the London Correspondent for GamingAngels, the place Girl Gamers go to read about video game news, reviews, comics, tech and anime. GamingAngels has the largest female gaming community in the world. She will be using her considerable journalistic skills to help promote the games industry as a serious career for women. One of her first tasks will be reporting on Europe’s upcoming Women in Games conference in Brighton, UK on 15 July. Women in Games Jobs has secured an additional allocation for free tickets and we expect a great turnout.
