Notícias
Celebrating Women in Games
15 de mar. de 2022
Tanya X. Short - Captain of Kitfox Games
Kitfox has a diverse slate of games. As the Captain, how do you guide the company towards creating and supporting such titles as Boyfriend Dungeon and Pupperazzi?
Thanks! Part of it is a mandate that we want to be as independent (both financially and creatively) as possible, which means we tried to diversify our games portfolio and, as un-indie as it sounds, stabilize our revenue. Both as quickly as possible. Over the years, I've tried to hone my sense of which games have a viable market niche that's both reachable with our resources but also not likely to be oversaturated by the time we launch. That sense comes in handy both in greenlighting our games to develop, among the hundreds of ideas we have bubbling and also in deciding which projects to accept for publishing, among the thousands of cool concepts and prototypes out there. Every member of Kitfox is absolutely a powerhouse in their own way, and I try to empower them to excel with as little interference as possible while also hopefully fostering an atmosphere that encourages taking risks that might fail. When my all-star team is nervous about something, usually that's also a good indication I should be too!Any tips for women looking to join the games industry?
It's hard to give generalized advice to all roles, so I'll talk about game design since that's my main personal experience. Now is a great time to be a game designer! Do a couple of game jams or boot up an engine with a tutorial and get your feet wet if you haven't yet. Learn to do a little bit of programming, just to talk to programmers. It's not as hard as mainstream culture wants it to seem. Put a portfolio of level design or systems design together! It's a competitive scene, sure, but there's also a huge appetite for sharp, eager junior designers, both in AAA and indie, and there are lots of well-intentioned seniors that want to be good mentors. They might become less friendly as you grow into senior or lead material yourself, as some will become insecure and see you as competition or ungrateful, but I believe in you.Who are the women in games that you look up to or have received good mentorship from?
Honestly, any woman who's been in games longer than three years has my admiration. It can be tough to handle the rigidity of our industry as you get older and more experienced, especially at the bigger studios, where network effects and lack of sponsorship become serious issues. My top role model is also a personal friend, so it's a bit odd, but I have to say, I am continually inspired and motivated by all the incredible work that Rebekah Saltsman does as a CEO of Finji and an awesome mom. She's incredible, and it's a bit humbling, but if I can achieve even a fraction of what she has, I'll be very proud of my career.What games are you playing or looking forward to playing?
I'm loving PotionCraft right now, but I'm also very much looking forward to the Wandering Village someday, which seems like exactly my kind of city builder. I'm a Kickstarter backer and yet resisted playing the demo to keep it fully unspoiled; that's how excited I am. I'm so happy for the CEO and lead designer, Philomena Schwab, who deserves all the success her brilliant game can bring.Vida Starčević - Community Manager Remedy Entertainment
You're the community manager of a game with a female protagonist. What was it like to represent a game like that successfully?
In a word: awesome. In a few more words: I joined Remedy when Control was still being worked on, and when I heard the initial pitch for the game, saw the direction it would go in, and heard that it was Remedy’s first game with a female lead, I knew I wanted to take the job. It’s hugely important to me to see myself, as a woman, be well and fairly represented in video games. I think the entire Remedy development team did a fantastic job with Jesse Faden and all the other female characters in Control. It was a pleasure to work with Courtney Hope, who played Jesse Faden, and witness her love for and dedication to the character. I was, and continue to be, extremely proud to work on Control. The highlight was seeing the players’ reactions to the game and to the lead character, and it’s a delight to see how well-loved Jesse is by the community.Who are the women in games that you look up to or have received mentorship from?
All of us. I think women in the industry, especially women who aren’t cis, who aren’t white, are disabled, and who come from otherwise underprivileged backgrounds or belong to marginalized groups, have to do so much more to get the recognition they deserve than others who come into the industries with certain privileges. I admire anyone who doesn’t give up in the face of those odds. Personally, I’ve been lucky to learn a lot from women I’ve collaborated with on projects—Antonela Pounder from 505 Games and Amy Graves from Epic Games Publishing are two women I’ve worked closely with and who’ve taught me a lot about what it means to be a good community manager. My dear friend Sarah Wellock from SEGA Europe has been a huge inspiration when it comes to professionalism, getting things done and done well, and being a great communicator. She’s been a constant support in times of doubt and uncertainty. And Hollie Bennett from Frontier has always been someone whose work ethic and creativity I admire and who’s been great to bounce ideas and thoughts between.Any tips for women looking to join the games industry?
It’s hard to give universal advice since my experience as an Eastern European working in Northern Europe is so different from the experience of someone who might be from America, the UK, or anywhere else. But I think it’s important to believe in yourself and your own capabilities. Don’t sell yourself short, and work hard to conquer the fear of standing up for yourself, for your principles, and what you believe is right. I think it also helps to find a community of like-minded people that can support you and who you can learn from.What games are you playing or looking forward to playing?
Horizon Forbidden West, along with the rest of the gaming world. I’m really interested in Hellblade 2. I think the team at Ninja Theory did such a great job with the first one. I’m curious to see where they go with the sequel. I’m very excited to get my hands on Forspoken once the game comes out—that game looks incredible, and I’m very intrigued to see what it will play like.Victoria Tran - Community Director at Innersloth
We love how playful the Among Us community is. As the Community Director, how do you successfully achieve that feeling of inclusive silliness?
Aw, thank you! There's a lot of different things that go into this—fantastic mods, taking the time (literally hours) just responding to comments, ensuring our marketing efforts match our values and sense of humor, paying attention to what the community is saying, the team just being generally down for silliness ... the list goes on. It all centers around creating meaningful moments for our community and growing together. Community-led growth is all about investing time, cultivating, and caring for our players through social, in-game features, and encouraging them to be excellent to each other no matter where they go. I basically boil down the strategy to: We take our games and player experience seriously, but we don't take ourselves seriously!You're also a co-organizer for Game & Colour. How did you get involved? What work does the org do?
Game & Colour is a grassroots organization Saleem Dabbous, Rebecca Cohen-Palacios, Lateef Martin, and I started as a space for game developers of color in Canada. We wanted to create something that other devs of color would find support and advice in, and we've held various meet-ups where we played prototypes, chatted, and learned from each other. Since it mainly relied on in-person meet-ups, things have slowed down on that front due to COVID, but we still maintain the group spaces! Hopefully, once the world is safer, we can do more again.Any tips for women looking to join the games industry?
Your specific values, interests, and background are what make you suited for the industry—there's no set path, and there's no “true” way to get in. Staying curious, leaning into my interests, and knowing my values helped me a ton when I first started. I hope that wherever you find yourself, you are given the space to explore what makes you so uniquely suited for this work. I’ll be cheering you on! That being said, it's not just about tips for women joining the industry—I'm calling out the structural part of it too: studio leaders, management, etc. I hope we can all create and enforce better culture and policies that welcome, support, and encourage all marginalized genders.Who are the women in games that you look up to or have received good mentorship from?
Tanya X. Short, captain of Kitfox Games, is someone I am forever indebted to. She took a chance on me, gave me so many opportunities to succeed, and taught me a lot about games, business, and values. It's one thing to succeed and another to “share the elevator” as you go up, and I've seen Tanya sharing it again and again. And if you've seen ANY of her talks, you'll know she's as sharp as a knife, too. Can the rest of this post just be about her? No? Are you sure??What games are you playing or looking forward to playing?
Right now, I'm so hyped for Thirsty Suitors by Outerloop and Little Witch in the Woods by Sunny Side Up! Give it to me! GIVE IT TO ME!Gwen Frey - Founder and Lead Developer of Chump Squad
You’re in a leadership position that’s both creative and managerial. How do you lead in those spaces successfully?
I work with very talented developers, and they are all passionately opinionated about their specific craft. When leading a team like this, it is important that everyone has ownership over their domain expertise and ownership over everything they create. So, for example, if an artist created a 3D model and I don’t think it matches the rest of the art in a level, I will write up detailed thoughts on this 3D model and do a paint over of it with different suggestions for how it could be revised. I will never delete someone’s work from a level or rework a model myself; I will instead give an artist my feedback and work with them until we have a consensus on how to proceed. If a model needs to be deleted, then the artist that crafted that model will both understand why this model wasn’t working, and they will delete the model themselves. Working in this way takes a lot more time, but it ensures that everyone understands why decisions are made, and everyone feels proud of what they have contributed to the finished game.Who are the women in games that you look up to or have received good mentorship from?
I have always admired Amy Hennig and have a great respect for her contribution to the Uncharted Franchise. I’ve never met Hennig personally, but I have listened to the various interviews she had over the years, and they always strongly resonated with me. There was an AIAS podcast she was a part of a few years ago that I still habitually recommend to young ladies interested in leadership positions in our field.Any tips for women looking to join the games industry?
Before applying for an entry-level job, go on LinkedIn and find people who are already in the job you want at the company you are applying to. Basically, look at the portfolios and resumes of the people your target company has hired into the role you want, and make your portfolio and resume look like their’s. After that, apply. Completely disregard the “qualifications” on the job listing—often, those are copy-pasted from elsewhere by HR and have nothing to do with the actual role. For example, you obviously do not need to have three years of experience for an entry-level job … that doesn’t even make sense! Look at what companies do, not what they say.What games are you playing or looking forward to playing?
I’m on maternity leave right now, and the only gaming I can do involves sitting on my couch with a baby napping in my lap. Thankfully, some games really lend themselves to this! The Artful Escape was particularly fantastic! I’m really glad such a unique game was able to be made!Chel Wong - Audio Composer for games
You’re a specialist in music and sound design. What have your career highlights been so far?
I think so far, Kine has been one of the most challenging and exciting things I've worked on that's been released, but 2022 has several fun and exciting things coming out and getting announced this year!
Is there anything you particularly enjoy or appreciate about being a freelancer in the games industry?
I actually have an invisible disability which makes working a regular 9-5 very difficult for me. It's a LOT of work, and it requires a lot of active hustling to find work, but it suits my strengths very well and accommodates the needs of my life. I like having the freedom to take on cool and interesting projects and all the freedoms that come with being a freelancer, despite the difficulties (especially as an American freelancer.)
Who are the women in games that you look up to/have received good mentorship from?
Gwen Frey is one of the first people I got to work with. While not officially my mentor, working with her was one of the best learning experiences ever. She is an absolute force, particularly in seeing how an industry veteran like her operates throughout production but also in networking environments. She's helped me in so many ways, teaching me how the business side of things work, bringing me to various events, and other such things. I can't thank her enough. I also want to shout out Alanna Linayre and Bertine Van Hövell for being incredibly supportive friends who always give fantastic, grounded, and applicable advice. I wish I could list all the women in this industry I look up to, but that would be an unending list.
Any tips for women looking to join the games industry?
My advice for anyone starting out is to do game jams and get used to starting and finishing things on a deadline. It's a process that makes you pragmatic about development really quickly. I also always recommend finding people working in the same discipline at roughly the same point in your career because it can be very daunting at times in this line of work. Being in a supportive community helps infinitely with motivation, and people can share advice and collaborate. There are many communities for marginalized people in the games industry which provide a safe environment for people to learn and grow together. I'm also just an absolute fiend about networking, so I also always recommend getting to know people well. It helps to be the first person someone thinks about when your role is mentioned.
What games are you playing or looking forward to playing?
I'm infinitely slow in playing single-player games, and I'm usually several years behind. I'm currently slowly going through Sable, Nier Gestalt, and doing post-game content for Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Super Mario Odyssey. Lately, though, I've mostly just been playing Warframe and Guilty Gear Strive. As for games I'm looking forward to: Kirby. I want the new Kirby game so badly.Bekah Saltsman - CEO and Co-Founder of Finji
Your game studio calls itself a 'mom-and-pop' operation. How do you create a game developer with that structure in mind, and how do you make it succeed?
Finji was co-founded by myself and Adam Saltsman, and it is not a coincidence that we have the same last name. Adam is my husband. Since the beginning, both on our development teams and in our publishing relationships, we viewed our collaborative work as just one piece of a very big puzzle. In 2014, teams really were just getting us—Adam mentoring design, technology, and production and me running a game’s business development, marketing, and budgets. We really were just a mom-and-pop operation. Finji has a lot more process and structure now than it did back in 2014. The part of Finji’s culture that we have worked really hard to maintain as we have grown from just the two of us is a requirement for all of our staff to value excellent communication with team members from all disciplines. We talk about building a community not just among our fans but with each other as we make games. We try really hard to not limit our creative efforts to only our internal development team. We make better things together, and we work really hard to make sure there is a space for everyone to pitch ideas, to work with other disciplines, and to contribute to the cool work we do on our internal and partner projects. Adam and I know we aren’t always right, and we know that if we don’t create a space for other ideas to take shape at Finji, we won’t grow as designers, mentors, and people.
Any tips for women looking to join the games industry?
I came into the industry from a side path. I didn’t go to school for games. I never considered a career in games. I really did fall into games and eventually fell in love with working in games. The games industry can be a brutal place—you will engage with bad actors who will insult and belittle you, you will often feel alone at your studio as one of the few (or only) women who work there. You will struggle to find a studio that makes good on the promise of a decent work-life balance. All of this sucks. There is no way to sugar coat this, and it is why we lose so many talented and brilliant, marginalized collaborators and friends to other, potentially safer, industries every single day. My only advice is to find a mentor. Find someone who sees you and sees your value and is there to prop you up as you find your space in the industry. Over the last few years, I have gotten to know over a hundred other working moms in the industry. So many of us are completely alone at our studios as the only mom in the whole building. It’s really hard to build a community when you are a party of one. These friends are mentors in a way they probably don’t even understand. Find those people to give you perspective, to be your lookout when you aren’t able to act as that yourself. We are out here, and we want to look out for you too, because your voice matters.
Any books or articles you found helpful in your career that you can recommend?
I am an avid reader. Right now, I am reading Fear is the Mindkiller: How to Build a Training Culture that Fosters Strength and Resilience by Kaja Sadowski (a martial arts trainer). The main theme focuses on how we can build training environments to help everyone grow—both those who are ready and those that are coming from a place of personal or systemic vulnerability. It is written from the perspective of mental growth to encourage martial arts growt. But the principles appear to overlap when you are considering equity and safety within a studio process. There are a few other things that have stuck out to me over the years. Over 10 years ago, I attended an author-focused book publishing workshop at Book People in Austin, Texas. Many of my foundational opinions on personal and studio branding came out of that workshop. I can track back the way I designed Finji’s approach to our convention presence, the way we vet interviews and talk acceptance, the way I design sticky marketing and PR plans—almost everything outward-facing that I have worked on started after this workshop. The workshop had nothing to do with games. I pull ideas from almost everything I read—including fiction. You can learn a lot about consumer culture and fandom from studying celebrity culture. You can understand major marketing focus shifts from huge companies if you watch what they say and how they say it. All of these inform the way I position Finji both in the industry and in my community.
Who are the women in games that you look up to or have received good mentorship from?
Unlike a lot of people in the industry, I have been lucky enough to travel over the years and have been able to meet some truly spectacular women in the industry. There are a lot of women that I look up to (looking at you Sioban Reddy, Brenda Romero, and Amy Hennig) who I have not had the opportunity to overlap as much as I would like. Despite that, I have had the chance to get to know several women over the last few years who have stepped in as mentors officially and unofficially, and I appreciate their constant support. Hannah Nicklin is the studio director and narrative designer for Die Gute Fabrik and has been both my mentee and narrative design mentor since 2019. Leyla Johnson of Mohawk Games is someone I can text any time. Karen Mitchell, Jane Ng, Mira Metchley, and Kate Ludlow are all women I look up to and will call on when I need smarter brains in the room.
What games are you playing or looking forward to playing?
I am super excited for a launch I have later this year, which is women-led! It is called I Was a Teenage Exocolonist. I have been intentionally putting off my first complete play-through of Exocolonist because I want to experience this one as close to launch as possible. Also, I will play anything Hannah Nicklin works on because she is brilliant. In the AAA space, I am really excited to play Amy Hennig’s new project. From some recent game announcements, there are two games featuring women or diverse casting that I am excited to play—both Thirsty Suitors and Goodbye Volcano High are WAY HIGH on my list of must-plays this year. I cannot wait to see the work being done by the incredibly talented developers at Possibility Space. I can’t wait to see The Glory Society’s next project milestone. Every time Heather Penn drops new art on her Twitter timeline, I get excited for the game she is building. I want to see these games that are created by dynamic teams working together to do something different.Christine Lai - Delivery Lead for Teamfight Tactics Cosmetics at Riot Games
How do you manage in your space successfully?
Creating a safe and collaborative working environment is so important, and I am very lucky to have a team that fosters this so well. This environment opens up the opportunity for so many more conversations that spark cool ideas to exceed player expectations. It also helps the teams bond better together and creates a good foundation of trust. In addition, it makes it a safe space for folks to deliver feedback and create a place where creatives feel safe to fail, especially in a space where we embrace feedback and innovation so much!
How do you find inspiration in your role?
I try to find inspiration from everything in life —from friends, hobbies, TV shows …all of them. From The Great British Bake Off, I learned how to deliver well-balanced feedback. From Formula 1, I learned about team management styles and the outcomes of the style of leadership. From chatting with friends, I get to bounce ideas off of them and learn. The hard part is recognizing the opportunities that you can turn into inspiration points—there’s a lot out there, but finding it and connecting the dots will make the magic happen to continue raising the bar.
Any tips for women looking to join the games industry?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions! The art of asking questions is beyond just getting answers—you won’t just gain knowledge but can also build trust and rapport with others. What may seem like a basic question (For example, what does this service do?) can sometimes open up lots of opportunities for other conversations on top of getting the answer you need and better understand the work of your colleagues, especially when we collaborate across crafts and disciplines. Also, it’s okay to ask for time to process thoughts and then ask the question if you are responding to something!
Any book or articles you found helpful in your career that you can recommend?
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck is a fantastic book all around. My mentor recommended it to me, and I read it when I just started a role in Game Production. It’s helped me reflect on my journey up to that point and also learn to become a leader that empowers people, celebrates their success, and is there to support them when they need it.
Who are the women in games that you look up to / have received good mentorship from?
All the women I’ve worked with on this journey. I wish I could name them all! Listening to their journeys has been inspiring; each one is so different. I really appreciate that they shared their stories with me and let me ask questions, which helped me learn from their experience. Learning from the people around you gives you diverse perspectives, which I think is important in general, as there are just too many routes you can take.
What games are you playing or looking forward to playing?
Animal Crossing: New Horizons! No, it’s not a new version, but the one from 2 years ago. I didn’t have a Switch when it came out, but now I do, and I’m excited to terraform my own space and add a ton of cute decorations!Hana Dinh—Product Lead for League of Legends’ Behavioral Systems
How do you manage in your space successfully?
In the player behavior space, there are three key skills I lean into to ensure I successfully create the best outcomes for our players:Empathy: Player behavior can be an incredibly charged space. We are lucky to have such passion for our game, but as a result, it invariably surfaces strong feelings ranging from frustration to skepticism and everything in-between. It is my responsibility to understand all of these perspectives so that I can meet people where they are at and ensure I am advocating for our players and meeting their needs.
Research: While this space is relatively new, there have still been several different strategies that have been tried with varying degrees of success. It is important to be familiar with the successes and pitfalls of the past, so we can ensure that we’re learning from them to make the best decisions.
Outside of what has already been attempted in games, the factors that contribute to player behavior are intricate and multifaceted. Getting a better understanding of all of these components, ranging from online disinhibition to deindividuation, and learning from other more developed disciplines like psychology is invaluable in approaching this space in a holistic manner. Innovation: Globally, success in this space has been somewhat limited. Many of the successes that have been achieved are counteracted by the increasing challenges that arise as normative behaviors shift online. As a result, it’s so important to be trying new approaches by thinking outside of the box, connecting the dots between multiple disciplines, and drawing from different perspectives.
How do you find inspiration in your role?
I find inspiration in tying my work back to our players. Each day when I show up to work, I am motivated by the millions of players who are so passionate about our game and the joy it can bring them. But I am grounded in the knowledge that for many individuals, challenges around player behavior removes the joy from their experience. Doing whatever I can to prevent that from happening continues to fuel my drive.Ultimately, my hope is to understand how we can utilize the immense power of technology to build healthy communities where we naturally interact with one another to create connections, not divides. While I know that may be considered a lofty goal, recognizing that each day I get marginally closer makes it an incredibly meaningful endeavor.
Any tips for women looking to join the games industry?
Lean in to what makes you unique! Gaming is in dire need of diverse, unique perspectives. Ensuring you represent yours in the most authentic way possible will be invaluable for the future success of the industry.Any book or articles you found helpful in your career that you can recommend?
Throughout different stages of my life, each of the following books have been pivotal for my growth:Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg
Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas Kristof & Sheryl WuDunn
Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone by Brené Brown
The Four Pivots: Reimagining Justice, Reimagining Ourselves by Shawn Ginwright
What games you’re playing or looking forward to playing!
Kena: Bridge of SpiritsSome interviews were edited for clarity and brevity.