She Plays Games Podcast: Recent Episodes
She Plays Games
Welcome to the She Plays Games Podcast! Over the next weeks, months and years, I, Lauren, hope to speak to a broad spectrum of women who’re working in the video games industry to learn more about their amazing experiences and the paths they've taken to get to where they are today. Whether you’re thinking about joining the video games industry or are just interested to learn more about the incredible women that I’ll be speaking to, my goal is to inspire you through the telling of these stories.
Making the shift from Animation to Game Design
This episode, Abbie Willett, a game designer at Sumo Digital, joins us to talk about her experience working on popular titles such as Hitman 2 and Sackboy Adventures.
In this episode we discuss:
Abbie’s transition into game design from animation
Navigating the pressure of working on games with established franchise
Abbie’s love of all things crocodiles and PERSONA 5
This is episode 112 of She Plays Games.
Evolving Studios’ Accountability Through DEI Accreditation
Today we have the wonderful initiative Code Coven on the show to talk about their new DEI accreditation program, Evolve, which is designed to accredit studios and give them ratings based off of how closely they follow DEI policies and implement them in their work.
On the show I have the CEOs of Code Coven, Tara Mustapha and Cinzia Musio, to talk about the program and how exactly it will benefit the industry and highlight studios who are absolutely rocking DEI.
This episode we sit down with UK-based Game Audio Professional and Silver Script Games Studio Founder, Alyx Jones, known for her work on AAA titles like Elden Ring and Final Fantasy VII Remake. Alyx talks about her journey into games audio, her inspirations for composing, and the challenges of working on a game of Elden Ring's size. She also shares her experience as part of the BAFTA Breakthrough program and her new adventure developing her first game, “The Quiet Things”. Join us as we dive into the unique and collaborative world of game audio.
This is episode 110 of She Plays Games.
What Makes Failbetter A Place Where Diverse Talent Can Thrive
Welcome to the She Plays Games Podcast! In our latest episode, we have the pleasure of hosting two incredible women from Failbetter Games, Emily Short (Creative Director) and Lesleyann White (Principle QA Specialist). Join us as we delve into the world of Failbetter, an award-winning game company that has been recognized as one of GI Biz's best places to work five times.
Ever wondered how Emily and Lesleyann found themselves at Failbetter Games and what drew them to this exceptional company? We explore their personal journeys and discover the magnetic qualities that make Failbetter such an appealing workplace for talented individuals like themselves.
Creating positive spaces for asian women in the games industry
Join us for a special panel discussion with Project AWR, a diversity group dedicated to supporting and empowering Asian Women in the games industry.
Our panelists include:
- Marion Mỹ Anh Baxerres, founder of Project AWR and Global Community & Social Media Manager at Prime Matter/Plaion
- Karen Lee, co-founder of Project AWR and Senior Manager of the Global Core Community team on Apex Legends at Respawn
- Elisa Choi, mentor for Project AWR's mentorship scheme and Associate Producer at Epic Games
In this episode, we'll discuss:
- The importance of Project AWR existing
- Project AWR’s new Mentorship Program
- What a safe space for Asian women looks like on Discord
This is episode 108 of She Plays Games.
Breaking Barriers in Streaming: Gleaney is Helping the Next Gen of Streamers
Join us for an inspiring episode as we sit down with Twitch streamer Gleaney to discuss her streaming journey, from her acting background to her experience working with Twitch's diversity Gleaney shares her best transferable skills and strategies, advice for negotiating sponsored streams and regaining momentum during long streams. We also delve into her TikTok Streaming Tips series, benefits of belonging to Twitch support groups, and her unique approach to creating a safe space for shy viewers.
This is episode 107 of She Plays Games.
Gaming for Everyone: Insights from Xbox's Tara Voelker
In this episode of She Plays Games, we talk to Tara Voelker, the Senior Xbox Game Studios Accessibility Lead, about her journey into the field of game accessibility, her experience working in the gaming industry, and her thoughts on the future of accessibility in gaming. Tara discusses the importance of staying up to date with the latest accessibility trends and how Xbox Game Studios approaches implementing new concepts. She also shares her thoughts on how the mindset around accessibility has shifted over the years and how it has become a more prominent topic in the gaming industry. Finally, she gives us a sneak peek of what to expect from her upcoming presentation at GDC 2023 with Brannon Zahand.
This is Episode 106 of She Plays Games.
Levelling Up Your Marketing Agency With Livestreaming
This episode we have Digital Producer Taya B from Etch Play. Taya has made her way into games marketing from a more general marketing agency. This episode we discuss what a digital producer in games does, her experience coming into the games industry, and her advice for anyone coming in!
This is episode 105 of She Plays Games.
Creating Games To Process Life's Challenges
We have Madison Karrh, an indie developer, on the show to talk about her latest title Birth. Madison’s games all share very unique art styles and themes reflecting her own life. Birth is a puzzle game about overcoming loneliness by building your very own friend. This episode we talk about Madison’s self discovery through game development and how she’s been able to feel fulfilled through the experience.
This is episode 104 of she plays games.
How Belle Automata Found Its Voice With Wings Fund
This episode we have indie game dev Jessinia! Jessinia is the founder of the studio Jellyfish Parade, whose bio states that they create “ethnically diverse games that'll turn your heart to jelly!” In this episode we talk about Jessinia’s experience creating Belle Automata which releases on March 3rd! along with her journey into creating visual novels and how the support from the Wings Fund helped her to create her first ever full voice acted experience!
This is episode 103 of She Plays Games.
Abandoning the Unhealthy Commuter Life for Streaming
This episode we have content creator Mollie Evans also known as Littlemotac. Mollie is a disabled content creator a part of the Nnesaga Content Team and is also helping to consult people in diversity & equity in gaming. This episode we discuss her favorite streaming resources, what it’s been like to join Nnesaga and her love for Overwatch!
This is episode 102 of She Plays Games.
This episode of She Plays Games is our first ever live panel at Take-Two Interactive Software's studio where we sat down with marketing / influencer agency Disobey to discuss how brands can better their relationships with Influencers and make sure their communications are clear and effective. Joining us are Disobey's Strategy Lead Ruby and Influencer Manager Kolo.
Also known as QueenArrow, Sylvia has been thriving in the pro gaming space nabbing working now with Red Bull and making the Forbes Africa 30 under 30 list. This episode we talk about the need for more support in the Kenya gaming scene, how to get involved with Pro gaming tournaments and the benefits of developing careers alongside pro-gaming.
This episode we have writer, author, and entrepreneur Amanda Farough. Amanda started off her career in games journalism and has since taken opportunities in many different areas making her a real force within the games industry. We’re so happy to have Amanda with us to talk about the release of her new book with Dr. Rachel Kowert, Digital Playgrounds - Our Kids and Video Games along with a discussion about her experience helping indie dev achieve their potential with her company F-Squared.
Creating Games for those on the Spectrum
This episode we have founder and CEO of ChangingDay Alison Lang and Georgie Christoforou, Jr Community Manager for Neonhive.
Alison’s studio is developing a title specifically for those on the Spectrum and this episode we focus on how she got started in games development, their first title Blnnk and the Vacuum of Space and her main motivations for developing VR games aimed at those on the spectrum and also looking at it from Georgie’s perspective who was recently diagnosed with Autism.
This episode we have games Journalist Ellie Gibson. Ellie has been a real incredible force of good with in the games industry through her incredible writing and wit. This episode we talk about her experience coming into the industry and how it’s evolved since and of course, streaming choices on Twitch.
This is episode 97 of She Plays Games.
This episode we have Hannah Nicklin, Hannah is the studio lead at Gute Fabrik and a PhD in games. This episode we focus on her incredible book "Writing For Games" and talk about the future of games writing.
This is episode 96 of She Plays Games.
This episode we have Hannah Nicklin, Hannah is the studio lead at Gute Fabrik and a PhD in games. This episode we focus on her incredible book "Writing For Games" and talk about the future of games writing.
This is episode 96 of She Plays Games.
Capturing the true essence of indie game dev in fiction
Author Gabrielle Zevin's latest book Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow focuses on the lives of 3 game dev and the trials and tribulations that come into games development. It’s seen high acclaim with a spot on the New York Best Times list and Jimmy Fallon’s Book Club List as well as cred in the game dev scene for the book’s authenticity. We’re also delighted to have our friend and fellow indie Dev Jay Shin, Director at Arrogant Pixel, on the show to chat about her experience reading the book and relating it to her own challenges as a dev.
This is episode 95 of She Plays Games.
Capturing the true essence of indie game dev in fiction
Author Gabrielle Zevin's latest book Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow focuses on the lives of 3 game dev and the trials and tribulations that come into games development. It’s seen high acclaim with a spot on the New York Best Times list and Jimmy Fallon’s Book Club List as well as cred in the game dev scene for the book’s authenticity. We’re also delighted to have our friend and fellow indie Dev Jay Shin, Director at Arrogant Pixel, on the show to chat about her experience reading the book and relating it to her own challenges as a dev.
This is episode 95 of She Plays Games.
This episode we have Bee who is Social Media Manager at Modern Wolf! This episode we talk all about social media resources, how to identify what viral trend to latch on to, and advice on how to keep KPI Expectations in check.
This is episode 94 of She Plays Games.
This episode we have Bee who is Social Media Manager at Modern Wolf! This episode we talk all about social media resources, how to identify what viral trend to latch on to, and advice on how to keep KPI Expectations in check.
This is episode 94 of She Plays Games.
This episode we have Emzii who is the first Commonwealth Esports efootball Champion!
In this episode we talk about the importance of visibility in online competitive sports, how to keep yourself safe, and the benefits of having an esports coach!
This is episode 93 of She Plays Games.
This episode we have Emzii who is the first Commonwealth Esports efootball Champion!
In this episode we talk about the importance of visibility in online competitive sports, how to keep yourself safe, and the benefits of having an esports coach!
This is episode 93 of She Plays Games.
This episode we have Jazeena who is a Studio Manager at Interior Night and Twitch Streamer at Jazeena Plays.
Jazeena and I co-hosted the show Pixel Perfect on Ginx TV which at the time as well Jazeena was working as an operations manager while streaming the nights she had off. This episode we talk about her experience landing the job at GINX, Twitch community building and her advice on finding your Streaming Brand.
This is episode 92 of She Plays Games.
This episode we have Sophie Vo founder of Rise and Play and Games Investor. Through her platform and podcast called Rise and Play, Sophie shares her knowledge about leadership through a free masterclass and then interviews women in leadership positions in the games industry to further help those who are in need of advice. This episode we discuss the gender imbalance in learning about finance, the value in trust when leading a team, and the effectiveness of defining what you need in a home.
This is episode 91 of She Plays Games.
We have a special episode for you all today as it’s sponsored by Wings Fund. Wings is an organization which helps fund indie projects and so we will be featuring a few of their incredible devs to talk about their experience both in creating indie games and how Wings helped in their development.
This episode we have developer Alhvi Balcárcel. Alongside her partner, Ahlvi is helping to pave the way for game developers in Guatamala with their studio Selva Interactive. This episode we talk about her upcoming title Illuminaria which releases August 4th, advice for how to prepare your pitch deck for Wings and her work with the Global Game Jam.
We have a special episode for you all today as it’s sponsored by Wings Fund. Wings is an organization which helps fund indie projects and so we will be featuring a few of their incredible devs to talk about their experience both in creating indie games and how Wings helped in their development.
This episode we have developer Alhvi Balcárcel. Alongside her partner, Ahlvi is helping to pave the way for game developers in Guatamala with their studio Selva Interactive. This episode we talk about her upcoming title Illuminaria which releases August 4th, advice for how to prepare your pitch deck for Wings and her work with the Global Game Jam.
This is a special episode as we’re having a Supermassive Games special! We’re featuring 4 of the women who worked on their latest title, The Quarry, Mara Cerreti / Lighting Artist, Rose Kenny / Narrative Designer, Selen Ceri / Producer, and Thea Chetcuti / Designer.
In this episode the evolution of roles needed to make a game like this, how supermassive is tackling accessibility and our favorite characters.
This is episode 89 of She Plays Games.
We have a special episode for you all today as it’s sponsored by Wings Fund. Wings is an organization which helps fund indie projects and so we will be featuring a few of their incredible devs to talk about their experience both in creating indie games and how Wings helped in their development.
This episode we have Charlotte Sutherland. Charlotte is the founder and game developer of the indie studio Cave Monsters and is currently working on Lord Winklebottom Investigates. We first had Charlotte on the show 2 years ago and we’re delighted to have her on again to discuss finishing up the game for release on the 28th of July, how the Wings Fund has evolved her development, and of course, getting recognized by Geoff Keighley.
This episode we’re talking all about going to conferences. Joining us are Jay Shin from University of West London Lecturer and Director at Arrogant Pixel and Rosie Taylor, Communications Officer and Community Manager at Safe in our World and the host of the Safe Spaces Podcast. We talk about how to prepare for your first games industry conference, what to do when you’re there, and how to cope in uncomfortable situations.
This is episode 87 of She Plays Games.
Riana is a Brand Marketer having worked recently on the G4 relaunch and Product Marketing for Xbox. This episode we chat about finding the role that works best for you in games, planning out a brand strategy, and how What’s Good Games is paving the way for women in gaming.
This is episode 86 of She Plays Games.
Kelly is the Founder and CEO of Indie Megabooth as well as a Partner and Community Developer at the 1Up fund which is a Venture fund company setup by former Microsoft VP Ed Fries which works to finance diverse talent in the indie dev scene. This episode we talk about her experience deciding what games get funding, celebrating and HOSTING her last ever Independent Games Festival Event at GDC in April, and helping to shape Glaad’s video game division.
This is Episode 85 of She Plays Games.
Cassie is a streamer, community manager of The Noir Network, Director of Nox Lumina,and Co-Founder of Black Twitch UK! In this episode we talk about her mission to create more accessible events in the games industry, how Noir Network supports black femmes, and her exciting mixer she’s holding on behalf of Nox Lumina at Twitch Con in July.
This is episode 84 of She Plays Games.
How TikTok can Humanize your Brand This episode we have MJ Widomska.
MJ is the founder and Director of the Award-Winning Creative studio YRS Truly, helping brands in the games industry reach their KPI targets with influential campaigns with an amazing team that is fully gender diverse. In this episode we chat about the benefits of using TikTok, why its so important to market globally, and the impact The Witcher has had on Poland’s gaming landscape.
This is episode 83 of She Plays Games.
This episode we have Sally Sheppard. Sally is the founder of Wyrdren a studio she setup during the early stages of lockdown to help keep her gamedev skills sharp while she was in between projects, but has now blossomed into a full studio with Spellbound as their first game. In this episode we discuss what you need to look out for when starting up your own studio, the gap between big budget indie and low budget indie, and what the games industry can do to help support these amazing projects.
This is episode 82 of She Plays Games.
This episode we have Marie Albaza. Marie Ablaza, also known as Your Fairy Job Mother is a Talent Recruiter at Netflix Games who uses her experiences in hiring staff to help others land their dream job by sharing advice through her Linkedin page. In this episode we chat about how talent recruiters fit within the hiring process, what you should ask in the dreaded “Do you have any questions for us section”, and how to deal when your dream company doesn’t suit your career needs.
This is episode 81 of She Plays Games.
Mel is Editor-in-Chief at GGRecon, a news resource for E-sports. In this episode we talk about where to begin your career in games journalism, how to have an eye for bylines, and how esports is taking over the world. This is episode 80 of She Plays Games.
Kaalin is a popular twitch streamer from Scotland having previously been a Community Developer and in this episode we discuss her journey into streaming, how she manages her incredible community and Social Media channels and of course, Elden Ring.
This is episode 79 of She Plays Games.
This episode we have Veronica Ripley a.k.a Nikatine. Nikatine is a Twitch Ambassador, co-owner of Purple RP, and Founder of Transmission Gaming, a community for trans gamers who seek safe places in online games. In this episode we discuss navigating identity through games like the Sims, how having an incredible bond with her Dad has shaped her, and how to get into role-playing in games like Grand Theft Auto.
This is episode 78 of She Plays Games.
Coming from Sports Charities, Sarah brings a generous supply of knowledge to Safe in our World, a games industry charity which focuses on raising awareness for mental health. In this episode we discuss the importance of mental health training for games industry professionals, the various resources Safe in our World offers, and their new Play Your Way campaign which starts in May.
This is Episode 77 of She Plays Games.
This episode we have The GameHers Co-Founders, Rebecca Dixon and Laura Deutsch.
TheGameHers is hosting a 3 day professional bootcamp from Friday, April 29th to Sunday, May 1st and in honor of the occasion, we’ve had Rebecca and Laura on to discuss TheGameHers community and their incredible app. In this episode we discuss how the gamehers was formed and how their app is connecting women who love games. To learn more about the Professional Bootcamp Be Sure to check out the link in the show notes!
This is episode 76 of She Plays Games.
This episode we have Lauran Carter. Lauran is the head of comms and host at Liquid Crimson helping indie devs release and promote their games and helps run the Guildford Games Festival. She has worked with a number of brands including Modern World, Sega, and Lionhead Studios and even worked on the Animal Crossing Social Campaign with Maisie Williams and H&M. In this episode we discuss what comms should look out for in their influencers, how to develop relationships with your community heroes, and the best piece of advice she’s learnt from hosting. This is episode 75 of She Plays Games.
Leslee is a producer at Oculus with years of experience in many major studios in the games industry. In this episode we discuss the importance of producers in games, her amazing experience creating Braum from League of Legends, and of course, her epic Tik Tok, famous_streamer.
This is episode 74 of She Plays Games.
This episode we have four guests on the show to talk about their experiences as mothers working in the games industry. We discuss our first gaming experiences, common misconceptions about being a mother in games, and whether or not we're doing enough as an industry to give kids the same gaming origins that we had as children.
This episode we have Storm Stewart also known as Stormyjazzy
Storm is a model and Streamer having started in the games industry as a face model for Supermassive Games. She can be seen as Victoria in Until Dawn’s The InPatient, Jody in Hidden Agenda, and most famously, Captain Fliss in Man of Medan. This episode we discuss how the games industry could help raise voices of Face Models, Streaming on Behance, and the best things about couch co-op titles!
This is episode 72 of She Plays Games.
Sara is the Head of Recruitment at Hitmarker. In this episode we talk about her life working as a Brazilian in the UK games industry, tips for how to scope out whether or not a company is the right fit for you, and her role in the UK Kickstart Scheme which saw over 100 young unemployed people get their first roles in the games industry.
This is episode 71 of She Plays Games.
This episode again we’re welcoming Mary Kenney! We last spoke with Mary about 2 years ago and since then she has gone from strength to strength. This time we’ll be talking about her experience working at Insomniac on Spider Man Miles Morales, how she makes sure her scripts are true to life, and her new book which comes out later this year Gamer Girls.
This is episode 70 of She Plays Games.
This episode we have Sarah Makdad.
Sarah is a Corporate Community Developer at Focus Entertainment and in this episode we talk about her experience as a part of the Game Awards’ Future Class, the French game dev scene, and how she donates her time to the non-profit organization Friendship Garden which helps aspiring game devs get to GDC.
This is episode 69 of She Plays Games.
This episode we have Sarah Wellock.
Sarah is the Senior European Comms Manager for Sega Europe and in this episode we discuss the evolution of community management over the years, handling press events in a COVID world, and the immense difficulty journalists face playing games without guides.
This is episode 68 of She Plays Games.
This episode we have Gemma also known as KawaiiFoxita. Having started back in March 2020, Kawaii is a sims builder focusing on Architecture. In this episode we talk about her journey in finding the Sims, how the Sims lead her to pursuing a professional diploma in interior design and how she goes about planning her inspiring builds. This is episode 67 of she plays games.
This episode we have Victoria Tran.
Victoria is the Community Director on Among Us at Inner Sloth. In this episode we discuss her journey into games, how she manages to stay away from burnout, and her advice for any newcomers who are hoping to join the games industry.
This is episode 66 of She Plays Games.
Rosa is a Lead Game Designer at Loveshark having worked in the games industry for over 4 years. In her journey, Rosa’s been recognized for her achievements in games design as well as her work helping others to transition into games. In this episode we talk about her games design principles and how she managed to snag the amazing opportunity to work as an artist on the remake of Dear Esther with the Chinese Room.
This is episode 65 of She Plays Games.
Known as Riot Whiskies on Twitter, Grace is a Sr. Data Engineer at Riot Games. In this episode we discuss the responsibilities of a Data Engineer, what data can tell about players, the amazing way League of Legends handles post game data, and of course, Arcane.
Stevie is a really inspiring person in the UK games industry having started back in 2007. Stevie is currently a Community Developer PC Gamer and Consultant on the show Games Master. In this episode we discuss the evolution of online communities and her advice for keeping up with the latest platform as well as the benefits of coming into the career world armed with a theatre degree.
This is episode 63 of She Plays Games.
Having worked at some of the games industry’s most prestigious studios such as Square Enix and Naughty Dog, Gabby’s journey into games has been pretty impressive. Gabby is currently QA Engineer II and Quality Lead at Riot Games working on Valorant. In this episode we discuss her journey into the games industry, how to handle the pressure of starting at AAA studios, and how she has adapted from working QA on offline titles to online titles.
This is episode 62 of She Plays Games.
This episode we have Chel Wong. Chel is an award winning composer who has been recognised for both their talent in audio as well as their work helping people to achieve their dreams in the games industry. In this episode we discuss the benefits of being a freelance audio professional in games, their amazing newsletter “Building a sustainable and fulfilling freelance career” and the soundtracks that inspire us. This is episode 61 of She Plays Games.
Eliana is an audio professional working on video games, films, and podcasts having worked with many prestigious brands including Comedy Central, The North Face, and Julliard.
In this episode, we discuss their upcoming game #AudioIndustryGame which is a narrative experience featuring stories of mistreated marginalized people working in audio. We also cover expressing yourself through game dev, making the most out your university experience, and treating yourself as a professional.
This is episode 60 of She Plays Games.
Today’s episode I’m speaking with Nina Roussakoff. Nina’s journey into games began nearly 15 years ago with her roles adapting to the needs of the studios she worked at ranging from QA tester and programmer to Lead Scripter on Beyond A Steel Sky. Currently she’s the game director on the title Paleo Pines by the studio Italic Pig. In this episode we discuss managing teams with compassion, the mental weight of working as a director, and how to survive in the industry as a marginilized person.
On today’s episode I have Freya Brightwater. Freya is a 3D Software Engineer at Anything World which is a plugin game dev can use to easily add 3D assets from their extensive Library to their games. In this episode we discuss the Freya’s journey into games, responsibilities of a 3D Software Engineer, and Anything World’s Game Jam. This is episode 58 of She Plays Games.
Natalie is a renowned Featured Contributor at fanbyte.com having studied in English at University. She has often been recognized for her achievements in writing and is also a part of the Game Awards’ inaugural Future Class. In this episode we discuss her role as well as burnout and how having women in leadership roles at Fanbyte has helped drive her forward.
This is episode 57 of She Plays Games.
Dhayana is a marketing manager at Funimation and Madman Anime Group. She is also the founder of Women of Xbox and is heavily involved with promoting women in the games industry and providing safe spaces for women to come together and support each other. We discuss her journey into games as well as her role in the industry and the Women of Xbox community she has been building for the last few years. This is episode 56 of She Plays Games.
Twitch streamers' journeys aren't always created equal. Radders found herself in a dark place before discovering Twitch communities and through their work, she decided to stream herself. Now with over 28,000 followers, Radders (along with her cats) is a household name.Twitch streamers' journeys aren't always created equal. Radders found herself in a dark place before discovering Twitch communities and through their work, she decided to stream herself. Now with over 28,000 followers, Radders (along with her cats) is a household name.
Raven is a Twitch Streamer, Head of the The Underworld Charity Team who raise money and awareness for marginalized communities, and 1000DreamsFund winner.
In this episode we discuss Raven's journey into streaming and her their desire to one day develop their own horror games.
This is episode 54 of She Plays Games.
So many people in the games industry have various types of paths that led them here. Emma Rogers, Junior Programmer at Sumo Digital, made the jump from fashion to programming after seeing an advert for the Sumo Digital Academy which invites graduates with no prior training in coding. We talk about Emma's experience at Sumo, what lead her to choosing to change paths, and her interests in UI.
I’m speaking with Taylor Lyles. Taylor is an Associate Tech Editor at IGN. We’re going to cover her journey today from working as a Paralegal Contract Specialist to her work speaking with young professionals through the DreamWakers.
This is episode 52 of She Plays Games.
Shayna is a Senior Technical Program Manager at Unity Technologies and before that she worked at the famous Sony Santa Monica studios on God of War. In this episode we talk about her role, her feelings on games development documentaries and how working at Unity defers from working at a games studio.
Janet is a video games critic and content creator who has bseen working hard establishing herself in the industry. She has her own site Gaming For The Culture where she posts features and reviews, a YouTube channel and Twitch under the name Gameonysus, and is a co-host on podcasts like Kinda Funny’s PS I Love You XOXO and The Minn Max Show. On the show we speak about her childhood where she’d rent games from Blockbuster with her brother to her career now and her amazing work raising money for BLM charities through her streaming.
Sarah is a Casting Director for video games in Japan having moved to Japan from America a long time ago. In this episode we discuss how she became fluent in Japanese from watching countless anime and shows and the process of finding the right voice actor for her clients.
This is episode 49 of She Plays Games.
Libby is the Cofounder & Chief Marketing Officer at Radiance Media, a women-led company that was setup to unite brands by designing and executing events, campaigns, and influencer activations. Libby is also the social media manager for Cloud Imperium Games, helps the National Women’s Hockey League navigate Twitch and is also a prominent Twitch streamer herself, having raised over $33,000 for charity.
Based on this, I couldn’t wait to speak with Libby about her experiences and I really hope you enjoy her story!
I’m your host Lauren and this Episode I’m speaking with 2 programmers, Nikky Armstrong who is Senior Gameplay Programmer at Ubisoft Reflections and who is Mentor to our second guest Michelle Snowball who is coming into the industry from a Games Design degree.
This episode is sponsored by the Limit Break Mentorship Program which is aimed at underrepresented people working in the UK Games Industry! Those who join will be given the opportunity to pair up with a mentor who is established in their field.
This is episode 47 of She Plays Games.
Jade is currently an audio producer for Silver Rain Games. In this episode we discuss her transition coming from freelance to an inhouse role during lockdown and how she's bringing together professionals and students in the games industry as the Organiser and Community Leader for Game Dev London.
This is episode 46 of She Plays Games.
This episode is sponsored by the Limit Break Mentorship Program! And I’m so excited to have another mentor and mentee on to speak about their experiences.
Limit Break is an amazing mentorship program aimed at underrepresented people working in the UK Games Industry! Those who join will be given the opportunity to pair up with a mentor who is established in their field.
On today’s episode I’m joined by Joel Beardshaw, a lead game designer at ustwo games, and his mentee, Annie Grudeva, who is the Creative Director at Perpetual Games.
We discuss their experiences working together as Mentor and Mentee, the benefits of having someone to talk to about professional problems and why it’s not a bad thing to ask for help.
Molly has been creating content around The Sims now for over 7 years and has undergone quite the journey. Throughout this episode, we discuss the valuable role content creators play in the wider video games industry, what other developers could learn from how The Sims ecosystem works and what it was like to go on a reality TV show related to playing a non-competitive game, competitively!
I really hope you enjoy Molly’s story!
Charly is currently a PhD student at Abertay University where she’s looking at the use of interactive role playing games to enhance the learning of a second language. She is also helping Women in Games build out their esports offering and having travelled a ton, Charly is a huge advocate for the inclusivity and protection of culture within video games. I really hope you enjoy listening to Charly’s story. This is episode 43 of She Plays Games
Limit Break Mentorship Special Episode
I’m super excited to announce that today’s episode the first in a series that is sponsored by the Limitbreak Mentorship Program.
Limit Break is an amazing mentorship program aimed at underrepresented people working in the UK Games Industry! Those who join will be given the opportunity to pair up with a mentor who is established in their field.
This is Limit Break Mentorship’s 3rd year and they are collaborating with Out Making Games with support from other organizations such as UKIE #RaisetheGame, POC in Play and into games. If you want to take part in the Mentorship Program, Registration starts TODAY, 12th April, so head over to Limitbreak.co.uk for more information! The link is also in this episode’s show notes!
On today’s episode I’m joined with a previous mentor and mentee partnership, Tara Saunders who is the Studio Head at PlayStation London Studio and Cinzia Musio, the Diversity & Inclusion Advisor at Splash Damage.
We discuss their experiences working together as Mentor and Mentee, what makes a great partnership, and how they knew it was the right time to take part in a mentorship program.
This is episode 42 of She Plays Games.
Now working as the Director of Global Community at 505 Games, Antonela has risen rapidly over the past few years. But even though she now looks after the communications strategies for huge games like Control and Death Stranding… it was not the career she envisioned for herself after leaving University. In today’s show, we talk about some very valuable tips for community management, getting over the fear of sunk cost and being open to other opportunities that may come your way
This is episode 41 of She Plays Games.
On today's episode, I’m speaking with Dani also known as Ebonix
Ebonix has been playing The Sims since it first released over 20 years ago and has grown to become one of the most influential “Simmers” in the world. As part of this, she’s taught herself how to 3D model and has become a strong advocate for representation with the game, even working with EA on some recent updates.
I really hope you enjoy listening to Dani’s story
Haley is the Brand Communications Director at Tonic Games Group, who have become a huge name in the world of video gaming thanks to the release of Fall Guys. Throughout th
is episode, we talk about Haley’s journey into the gaming industry and how persistence and creating foundations really pay off.
I really hope you enjoy listening to Haley’s story.
Lucy is a Host and Senior Video Producer at GameSpot and after working for the UK division for numerous years, she now calls San Francisco her home!
Throughout this episode, we discuss Lucy’s inspiration for seeking out a career in the video games industry, why she misses big conferences like E3 and how she adjusts to new roles, expectations and working environments.
I really hope you enjoy listening to Lucy’s story.
Zoë works at Rockstar Games as a Tools Programmer and in this role she helps many of the other teams at Rockstar to do their jobs more efficiently. Given the scale of their games, it’s a pretty integral role and Zoe has received numerous plaudits for her work, such as being included in Develop’s 30 Under 30. Throughout this interview, we discuss a switch from musical theatre to programming and the importance of a family support network. I really hope you enjoy Zoë’s story!
Lauren hasn’t been in the video games industry for very long, but after switching over from corporate communications, she has made a considerable impact for numerous indie developers.
In a short period of time, Lauren has overseen four successful funding drives and she’s now serving as the community manager for Code Coven, an initiative to help marginalised developers, and the Chief Communications Office for Stardust, a small indie game studio who’re looking to push boundaries.
Throughout the episode, we discuss the merits of crowdfunding, why indie development is so important and why it might be good to consider a change in careers…
I really hope you enjoy listening to Lauren’s story
Tina is an Assistant Producer at Skyhook Studios, having just joined following a successful stint in QA at PlayStation, where she worked on games like The Last of Us II and Days Gone.
Throughout the episode, we discuss the various avenues available for people who’re looking to enter into the gaming industry and why QA deserves much more credit than it often gets.
I really hope you enjoy listening to Tina’s story!
Jay Shin is the co-founder of an independent studio called Arrogant Pixel and she’s also a lecturer on the Games, Design and Animation course at the University of West London. You may also recognise Jay as one of the moderators on the She Plays Games Discord server… and she’s awesome! I really hope you enjoy listening to Jay’s story.
Manda works for Codemasters as a Game Designer. Over the past year, she’s been hard at work on DiRT5, which has just launched on current generation and next generation platforms, and she’s had an absolute blast! Before that Amanda worked at Nomad Games, a small indie development studio who worked on creating video game versions of popular tabletop fantasy board game franchises - quite the change from working on off-road racing, I’m sure you’ll all agree! It makes for an interesting journey… I really hope you enjoy Manda’s story! This is episode 33 of She Plays Games.
Mia works for PlayStation as a Community Outreach Specialist and has been with PlayStation for over four years. Having found a passion for video editing during her time at school, Mia was able to find a role within the video game industry that suited her skills and with the support of her peers has been able to craft it into something very unique! I really hope you enjoy Mia’s story. This is episode 32 of She Plays Games.
Sally has been working in the video games industry now for a decade and spent six years at Ubisoft Reflections. During this time she worked on huge franchises like Just Dance, Watch Dogs and The Division and as a Producer, she managed the output of four separate teams, while liaising with other Ubisoft studios all around the world.
She left Ubisoft in 2018 to found her own studio, called Silent Games, and she works as the CEO alongside her role as a Senior Producer at No More Robots.
I really hope you enjoy Sally’s story.
Melissa is currently the Head of Client Strategy at a marketing and PR agency that specializes in indie games. It’s a role that suits her many skills, but it took her a lot of time and experimentation to find somewhere that she truly feels at home. I hope you enjoy learning more about Melissa's journey as we talk about her winding career path and how she is always looking to try push herself further. This is Episode 30 of She Plays Games.
After spending numerous years working in traditional art, Melissa felt the urge to make a change. It saw her enroll at the Vancouver Film School and after completing a course in game design, she landed a job at BioWare where she worked on Mass Effect Andromeda. Melissa has since worked on Battlefront II and the upcoming Star Wars Squadrons, but has recently joined a studio called Flight School who create more experimental games. It meant there was much to discuss and I really hope you enjoy Melissa’s story.
Sigrid has a wealth of experience within the video games industry, having spent almost five years at Blizzard working as part of the customer support team on World of Warcraft and Diablo III. She now works as the Global Marketing Manager for a company called Besedo, but has decided that now is the time to fulfil her dream of making her own video game.
After working in IT for numerous years, Elz decided to quit that life and explore her passions for presenting and gaming. It’s seen her become a presenter for BBC Sport and the Premier League, where she talks to some of the biggest names in sports, and she now has over 100,000 subscribers on her YouTube channel, where she entertains her audience by playing her favourite games. I really hope you enjoy Elz’s story!
Kim is the co-founder and president of Sweet Baby Inc. a narrative development company that she established in Montreal to help companies tighten up their stories.
Prior to that, she worked at Ubisoft, where she started out in community development before finding her calling in writing scenarios. And it was there that she got work on numerous projects, such as Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate and Far Cry 4.
Right now, Kim has a lot on her plate, as in addition to helping AAA and indie studios, she’s serving as the narrative consultant on Goodbye Volcano High. But she loves keeping busy and is a strong champion for inclusive narratives.
I really hope you enjoy Kim’s story!
Charlotte is an industry veteran, having worked in 3D animation for over thirteen years at studios like Rare, Sumo Digital and Traveller’s Tales. It’s seen her work on a multitude of AAA titles, but in recent times she decided to leave that all behind in order to work on her own property… Lord Winklebottom Investigates. This has launched Charlotte on a brand new journey and I really hope you enjoy her story.
Nareice is currently an associate producer at Lucid Games, where she’s working on Destruction AllStars, which was featured during the PlayStation 5 Reveal event! It was great to talk to Nareice about her journey so far and I really hope you enjoy her story.
Alice is currently the Video Producer at VG247, having previously fulfilled similar roles for Rock, Paper, Shotgun and PCGamesN. It was so much fun to talk with her about our shared past making music videos in Windows Movie Maker, the strange space Video Editing sites in, in terms of creativity and how streaming has helped her to progress as an on-screen personality.
I really hope you enjoy Alice’s story!
Emily is a Co-Director at Antler Studios, an Indie Games company comprised of herself and a few of her classmates she met while studying games design at Brunel University.
Along with her colleagues, Emily created Project Grove, an adventure puzzle game, which, after smashing their Kickstarter campaign, will be releasing on Steam in August. On this podcast we discuss her role in the team and the triumphs and struggles Antler Studios has faced trying to get their game exposure and funding.
I really hope you enjoy Emily’s story!
I’m really excited to share with you today’s episode as I got to speak with Anna Hollinrake, who’s a Principle Artist at Media Tonic.
After being inspired to draw by Manga, Anna took her passion and crafted something unique. It was fascinating to talk about how she developed her style and what she has learnt from working on numerous video games in numerous roles. I really hope you enjoy Anna’s story!
Rebecca has a really great resume so far, having her work featured on publications like EuroGamer, PushSquare, Tech Radar, Daily Star and that’s just to name a few. She’s been working as a freelancer for the past year and her experience so far has been incredibly inspiring.
I really hope you enjoy Rebecca’s story!
Keza started writing for magazine publications like GamesTM and has since moved from strength to strength with working at publications like Eurogamer, IGN, and Kotaku to now working at the Guardian to writing the Dark Souls Companion book You Died to now hosting Spawn Point, a podcast dedicated to parents in the video games industry. I really hope you enjoy Keza’s story!
Producing is something that has come naturally to Lauren and she found her calling after spending a few years working for the media production company, Hammerhead. She started there as an intern after leaving a career in finance and has never looked back. Now at Square Enix, Lauren is enjoying her time helping indie game developers get their start through Square Enix Collective. I really hope you enjoy Lauren’s story!
Clarissa started work as an intern at Ubisoft Singapore. Over the years, as her career prospered, she has also seen the wider Singaporean gaming industry flourish. Now in her role as Chief of Staff at Mighty Bear Games, it’s her role to nourish that talent and ensure her company produces the best games they can.
I really hope you enjoy Clarissa’s story!
Mary is a gifted writer in the games industry. She’s written for games like The Walking Dead, Dying Light 2, and is currently at Insomniac Games. As with many of the other women I’ve interviewed on the show, Mary grew into her role as a games writer having experience working as a journalist. She went back to school for game design and the rest is history!
This week I’m really excited to be talking with Frankie Ward who’s a freelance presenter working in gaming and e-sports.
Frankie has had a really intense road leading up to her current position and in this episode we discuss what it takes to succeed in her role, how to battle negativity, and how to best prepare for the different aspects of the job.
Lauren is one of the Founders of Theorycraft, a creative and strategic advisory firm for brands who want to reach out and connect with gaming and e-sports fans, however, she wasn’t always in the gaming scene.
Before creating Theorycraft, Lauren was doing Creative Marketing for a variety of brands like Burberry Group Inc. and Canada Goose. It wasn’t until she had the courage to ask her boss about possibly branching out into e-sports that she was able to combine her love of games with the work that she did.
I really hope you enjoy Lauren’s story!
Michelle is a Localization Editor and Coordinator. She also writes short stories and is a voice actor for video games and commercials! We talk about how she got into localization and how she manages such an impressive workload!
Kelsey and I go way back. She has worked her way up into the industry and is now the EMEA Events Marketing Manager for Twitch. In our chat we discuss how she got into the industry through video games journalism and how her transferable skills have helped get her to her current role. I really hope you enjoy Kelsey's story!
Anisa is a UI/UX Designer for Rebel Racing and the founder of Limit Break Mentorship which is a program that offers women and minorities an opportunity to meet industry professionals and receive help in their careers. Anisa has also judged the BAFTA game awards multiple times and even spoken at GDC.
Within this episode we talk about how Anisa found her place in the industry and the struggles she’s faced with visas while attempting to stay within the field that she loves.
Loukia Kyriakidou is a Freelance 2D artist with almost a decade of experience within the gaming industry. Lucy went into freelancing straight from university and has since managed to lend her artistic talents to over 20 games. Talking to Lucy was really enlightening as we spoke about her choice to work as a freelancer, the steps she took to secure her initial clients, and the drive she has to share these experiences through public speaking. Hope you enjoy Loukia's story!
Jean is the CEO of 1 More Story Games and in this position she acts as a speaker, mentor, educator and coach. After her husband, Blair's, near death experience the couple decided to create their own game engine in an effort to bridge the gap between reading books and playing video games. I really hope you enjoy Jean's story!
Sarah Lynn is currently a producer at Firaxis Games and she's worked on numerous titles including Civilisation VI. Prior to working as a producer, Sarah spent a lot of time working in QA, but also she's worked in marketing too and to try and inspire the next generation, she now hosts talks at all girls schools where she helps them to understand more about the roles that people take when developing video games. I really hope you enjoy her story!
Lily and Violet founded Nerd Pirates back in 2013 and help their clients with all of their PR and Marketing needs. They've worked on a load of creative projects; one of which was a companion book for the game Adventure Time: Pirates of the Enchiridion! It's also really awesome that they are twins and have been a team pretty much since birth. I first met Nerd Pirates at the Women in Games conference which they were hosting and was so inspired by their charisma and talent! I really hope you enjoy their story.
Debbie Timmins is a content creator producing Streams for Twitch as well as videos for her YouTube Channel, PokeWeefz. I first met Debbie years ago when we were both working on separate websites for Games Media Coverage; Debbie ran a site called Average Gamer while I was doing reviews and news on GamingUnion.net. It was really interesting to chat with her about how she's adapted with the times and I really hope you all enjoy her story.
Leanne is an Artist currently working as a Senior 2D Artist at Deep Silver but before that she was working with her husband on their mobile title Glyph Quest after they were both out of work right before the birth of their first child! I really love Leanne's story and I hope you enjoy it too!
Ashley Riza is a 3D Artist currently working at Kuato Studios. She found love working with games working for Dare (a creative agency) 3D visualisations for big brands like BMW and Barclaycard. At the moment she's recreating many of your favorite Disney characters for Kuato Studio's Disney Story Realms. I really hope you enjoy Ashley's story!
Ellie Rhodes is a Product Manager for Ubisoft. After reading her blog post on Ubisoft's official site, I knew I had to have Ellie Rhodes on our show! Her story is so inspiring as she worked her way up from retail in her local games store to running marking campaigns for Ubisoft; more specifically Assassin's Creed Odyssey's Story Creator Mode! It was so great to learn about her adventure in the games industry and I really hope you enjoy our chat!
Sandra Chau is an Export Assistant Product Manager for Square Enix. We first met a few years back at a Final Fantasy Theatrhythm event held at Square Enix's London offices. It's amazing to see her evolve through her gaming career leading to Square Enix as her current place of employment. For the next half hour you will get to hear some great advice about working in the industry, how she got started, and so much more.