Women In Game Development

WomenGamers.com announces scholarship recipients

WomenGamers.com has announced two Winners and four Honorable Mentions in their essay competition for girls' scholarships to attend National Computer Camps this summer. The six award-winning essays are posted on the site. Go check out what these future women in game development have to say!

http://www.womengamers.com/scholarship/ncc-winners.php

WIGI Austin Conference in September

Women in Games International presents
WIGI-Austin Conference
She Got Game
Saturday, September 8, 2007
11am to 5 pm
Located at Austin Convention Center

Women in Games International is teaming up with the Austin Game Developers Conference, presented by CMP Game Group. WIGI-Austin will explore both the past and present experiences of the women working in our industry, as well as a bigger discussion about the current state of the industry, and where it appears to be headed.

http://www.womeningamesinternational.com

WITI Women and Technology EAST - March 29-30 in Boston

WITI Women and Technology EAST @ The Women's Congress Boston combines a two-day powerhouse professional conference with a uniquely interactive exhibit floor, showcasing cutting-edge technologies, new opportunities, products and services you need for your business, as well as travel, fitness, green living, family products and services. For more information, check out http://www.witi.com/center/conferences/2007/boston.

IGDA WIGD sessions at GDC

We're looking forward to seeing you at Game Developer's Conference 2007 in San Francisco! Here's info on a pair of topical IGDA sessions at The Moscone Center:

First there's the IGDA Women's Group gathering!
Overcrowding the IGDA Booth since 1999. ;)
It's on Wednesday at 9:00-10:00, centrally located at the IGDA booth in North Hall.

And a Panel on an extremely relevant subject:
Women and Games in the Future, Wednesday at 2:30 in room 3009, West Hall.
https://www.cmpevents.com/GD07/a.asp?option=C&V=11&SessID=3886

6th Annual Women in Gaming Night, hosted by Microsoft

Microsoft is hosting their 6th Annual Women in Gaming Night at GDC

Come join your fellow game developers for an evening of networking and fun!

Thursday, March 8th - 5:30 pm - 8 pm
ROE Restaurant and Lounge
651 Howard Street, San Francisco

RSVP to Karen Wilkins-Mickey, karenwi@microsoft.com

Computer camp scholarship for girls announced

WomenGamers.Com and National Computer Camp (NCCamp.com) are offering scholarships valued at $945 to two female students ages 8-18 for one week. Applicants need to submit an essay in response to the following question:

What will video games of the future be like and if you were in charge of designing a game, what would it be like?

The essay must be submitted no later than April 27, 2007.

For more information, visit: http://www.womengamers.com/scholarship/ncc.php
To read the full press release, visit: http://www.womengamers.com/scholarship/ncc-pr.php

WIGI San Francisco event during GDC week

Spaces are filling up fast for the WIGI-San Francisco event on Tuesday March 7 at EA Redwood Shores. To reserve your space and preview the event highlights, visit the WIGI registration page.

http://www.womeningamesinternational.org/register.html

She Got Game in Vancouver

Women wooed as gamers and video-game creators.

Not many of Lindsay Stewart's female friends play computer games. Maybe it's an image problem. With media attention focused on the action and war games that make up much of the market, content seems largely aimed at the male consumer.

http://www.straight.com/article-71995/she-got-game

Older women are driving the gaming market?

'According to a recent study, a large segment of those purchasing video games are women over the age of 40. They tend to favour casual games and put in more house gaming than many others. But how can they be drawn in to buying more?' - Rayna Anderson

http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/adwatch/?id=14273

Women in games on games for women

'With the launch of pink handheld gaming devices, Pocket Gamer interviews women in the industry on how they think women can be better attracted to gaming.' - Rayna Anderson

http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/Various/feature.asp?c=1776

Game Industry's 100 Most Influential Women

In anticipation of this week's Women in Games Conference in Seattle, Next-Gen.Biz has produced a list and biographies of 100 women in the game industry who are making a difference...

See 'Game Industry's 100 Most Influential Women' at:
http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3783&Itemid=2

Game Modding for Girls

The documented male to female ratio within the game industry is almost 9 to 1 as was recently reported by the International Game Developers Association (2005). Note, though, that this number includes human recourses and other administration jobs, which are not directly tied to game development. I am specifically interested in the problem of the reported small number of women in development, especially within design and programming teams.
- Magy Seif El-Nasr

Check out GameCareerGuide.com for full feature article on 'Game Modding for Girls'.
Visit: http://www.gamecareerguide.com/features/262/game_modding_for_girls.php?page=1

Also check out:

'Compulsory Game Development for Everyone':
http://www.gamecareerguide.com/features/134/compulsory_game_development_for_everyone.php?page=4

'...On Seven Predictions For Success':
http://www.gamecareerguide.com/industry_news/10562/eief_eas_gardner_on_seven_predictions_for_success.php

Women Lead Mobile Gaming

In a blurb from 1up.com a new study entitled "Electronic Gaming in the Digital Home" is quoted, from Parks Associates, saying 51% of US consumers playing games on their mobile phones are, in fact, women.

It also says, "Women are the foundation of the gaming market, and as an industry, we need to cater to their preferences."

Details
http://1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3151851&did=1

Upcoming WIGI Event 'The Balancing Act: Game Industry Careers and Quality of Life'

The next Women In Games International (WIGI) Conference is on how:

Finding a balance between quality of life and a successful career in the game industry can be extremely challenging.
It can also be a major obstacle for women who are considering the game industry as a career.

When: September 16, Seattle
What: 'The Balancing Act: Game Industry Careers and Quality of Life'

Keynote: Bonnie Ross, Director of Production for Microsoft Games Studios Publishing
...will discuss her own career as a games producer and executive, her own experiences managing teams in this demanding industry, networking and other strategies for women in the game industry, and how this can apply to your own career.

Details: http://www.womeningamesinternational.org/register.html
Register: http://www.acteva.com/booking.cfm?bevaID=114268

The draw of the Booth Babe

For the past few years, Booth Babes have been used to draw in crowds at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) conventions. Although possibly attractive to some, many gamers aren't being lured in by them. UCLA Associate Professor Yasmin Kafai has written an insightful piece about how Booth Babes are affecting game culture and how things are beginning to change.

Review article at: http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20060609/kafai_01.shtml