HONORING WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

Well hello our little Squancheroos,

We hope you are having a good week! As we quickly approach the end of Women’s History Month, we wanted to take the opportunity to speak with some of the ladies of Squanch about what it means to be a woman in games, and what advice they have to share with other women and girls out there who are interested in pursuing a similar career.

Please read on to see what they had to say!

Rayna Balogh, Director of People Operations

“I’m glad to be a woman in the gaming industry, because I know that, if I had known of or seen more women in this industry while I was growing up, I would have “thrown my hat in the ring” sooner.

The gaming industry is still, to this day, fairly male-dominated, but we can change that: passively and actively. In my role, I can help shift the paradigm to help move this industry towards greater diversity and inclusion. Also, simply by being here and being visible, I hope to inspire other women--especially women of color--to pursue a fulfilling career in an industry that they genuinely love instead of settling for what has been deemed “acceptable” according to the status quo.

My advice to women looking to get into the gaming industry: don’t sell yourself short and don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t happen right away. Continue to perfect your art, whether that’s [actual] art or animation, production, programming, game design, or operations and you’ll find your opening. When you do, we’ll sure be glad to have you!”

Natalie Eades, People Operations Coordinator

Being a woman in the gaming industry feels magical. I'm humbled to be a part of blazing the trail for more women to feel confident and welcome in this male-dominated industry.

Tanya, our former CEO, really inspired me to show my authentic self in this industry. She showed me how to use my quirks and talents to become an integral part of the team.

If you identify as a woman, and you like games, keep honing your craft! I don't take a hands on part in the game-making, but I am skilled in keeping the team happy, healthy, and cared for so that they can make our badass games. Having a hand in recruiting, I'm always on the lookout for badass women. Let your authentic flag fly!

Jessica WL Kopp, Director of Marketing & Communications

As a gamer myself, being in the games industry is a dream come true. Being in the games industry as a woman, however, is eye opening. While the industry is slowly diversifying, it is still very male-dominated – and with that, comes its own set of unique challenges and opportunities.

As a woman, you sometimes find yourself going up against decades of preconceived notions of what a gamer looks like, who they are, and how you can contribute towards the growth of the industry. But while that may seem a bit intimidating, the key is to look at it as an opportunity to show your passion, to be compassionate, to educate, to inspire, and to drive change.

Over the course of my career, I have seen more and more women step into leadership positions where they are able to help usher in the diversity sorely needed within the industry. I am incredibly grateful to these women for laying a foundation for future generations to build upon, and encourage others to continue lifting one another up and supporting one another, so we can all improve and grow this industry together.

Andy Vatter, Content Designer

There's a pretty rough underabundance of women in the games industry, and I'm always trying to to the best work that I can without actively burning myself out in the process; it's hard enough to get into the industry, especially as a woman, but even harder to want to stay. But on a more positive note, I like to find other women who are doing what interests me: some names that come to mind are Jessica Harvey, Megan Fox, and Dia Lacina, who's an especially good writer whom I can only dream of impressing someday.

The best advice I have is: just do it. Just go for it! I was 27 and hadn't coded a day in my life, then just kinda started doing it. Picked up Unity as a hobby and ran with it. It doesn't work that way for everyone, but I also don't see the harm in suggesting fiddling with it in your free time. And in that same vein, you know that job listing that you're not sure if you're good enough for? Just apply. JUST A P P L Y.

Obviously if it's a web dev thing and you only know C++, or it's a senior role and you've only been doing this for two years, hold off, but if it comes down to "I'm not good enough" or "someone's better than me," then apply anyway. I did that, and now I'm writing this on the Squanch blog. The worst that can happen is they say no this time…

Sivonne Ward, Associate Producer

I love my job in games - it's one of those fields that you can never grow bored with because it's always growing and evolving.

I've met some amazing women in this industry, many of which have been here at Squanch, and it's always such a great reminder that we're in the room, bringing our own strengths to the table, and are making an impact in this constantly-adapting field. As my mom, my role model, always reminds me - there's more than enough space for all of us in the room.

For women considering getting into this industry, I'd say - don't lose your unique frame of reference. Your voices and perspectives can push this media to create ever better, deeper stories and representative experiences for everyone - especially the next generation of girl gamers.