Ellie Weaver, journalist at Quest Daily (Supplied)
Today marks International Women’s Day, a time where we reflect on the women that shaped our history, our society and our gaming!
The theme this year is #EmbraceEquity and the gaming industry has been continuously evolving to embrace women and girls in this space in a manner where everyone feels welcome.
I have been gaming since before I was a teenager and venturing into the online aspect of games when I got into my teen years wasn’t exactly a welcoming environment. In fact, it was an intimidating place due to comments from boys and men spanning from insults, uncomfortable mentions about my voice and unnecessary sexualisation of gameplay.
Positively, however, I can express how far the gaming industry has come in the ways of social acceptance in chat rooms, social spaces, and even on development teams.
With many women making phenomenal moves in the gaming world, I’d like to highlight a few.
Stephanie Bendixsen, aka Hex (stephaniebendixsen.com)
Starting with someone close to home, Aussie-born Stephanie Bendixsen.
Going by Hex in the gaming world, she was all over my television as a young gamer, representing girls and women on television programs such as Good Game.
Today she continues to hold that baton hosting, presenting, streaming, and writing anything and everything to do with gaming.
It’s important to have had an idol such as Hex as a child, as she gave me confidence in my hobby even when it was considered ‘a boy thing’.
Now that I too, enjoy streaming and gaming media she’s not only a role model in the gaming space but for gaming careers, too.
Amy Hennig
American-born Amy Hennig is another notable name is gaming.
She’s been in the industry since the 1980’s taking on many roles during her career including artist, animator, writer, director and producer.
She’s worked for Nintendo, Sony, Naughty Dog and more, holding positions of leadership where she has been able to take creative lead in titles we know and love such as the Legacy of Kain series, Uncharted series and Jak and Daxter series – just to highlight a few.
Hennig is currently working at Skydance Media and has been in the driving seat of many projects yet to hit our screens.
Jade Raymond
Jade Raymond is a Canadian woman who has been a leader for gaming studios to bring classics to our consoles like the mega Assassins Creed franchise. She currently runs her own development studio, Haven Entertainment Studios, after years of working with Google and EA.
She holds many skills in game development, programming and leadership; running her own teams with backing from Sony Interactive Entertainment.
Raymond continues to be a role model not only in game development but the business world as opening your own studio isn’t something that happens overnight. It is done with hard work, networking and having passion for bringing unique games to shelves.
Each day Raymond thrives in game development and is currently working on an original IP for PlayStation.
Women are consistently being raised up by each other as well as men and non-binary people in the gaming community. It’s fantastic to see and experience as video games themselves are a male-dominated hobby.
There will continuously be room for improvement, with comments of sexism, bullying and harassment due to gender and gender identity still existing in gaming chat rooms.
The necessity for standing up for what’s right and speaking out when things turn nasty is a responsibility we all bare.
Creating a welcoming and empowering space for women in gaming is happening now and will forever evolve as time passes.
Happy International Women’s day, get gaming girls!
