Women in Games International (WIGI), formerly a part of the International Game Developers Association (IGDA), has gone off on its own and will now operate as an independent organization.
The group was formed in 2005 to support the “the inclusion and advancement of women in the game industry.” Belinda Van Sickle has been named the organization’s President and CEO. Additionally, Noelle Hunt-Bennett will act as Secretary while Krissie Franco will act as Treasurer and CFO.
Van Sickle offered:
Our focus for 2010 is on rejuvenating the organization, offering immediate and tangible value to members seeking jobs, career development and networking opportunities. Our Los Angeles and San Francisco chapters have already lined up some wonderful partnerships to get WIGI off to a great start in 2010 and we hope that they will serve as models for other chapters in this pivotal year of our new mission.
WIGI will sponsor an industry mixer at this year’s Game Developer Conference. The event takes place on March 10.
Comments
Re: Female Game Group Goes Independent
This is amazing to hear.
"It's better to be hated for who you are, then be loved for who you are not." - Montgomery Gentry
Re: Female Game Group Goes Independent
And I wonder why I've started going to other sites to find news that is actually relevent to me as a gamer.
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I LIKE the fence. I get 2 groups to laugh at then.
Re: Female Game Group Goes Independent
I've met plenty of female game developers--women are in all areas of the industry it's just a matter of who wants to do what, when, and where. Having said that, I've never had "specific needs" that have to do with my gender as it relates to being a gamer or pursuing a career in the industry. But that's just my identity-politics-less self....
www.gameslaw.net
Re: Female Game Group Goes Independent
Arrogant whores! Return to the kitchen and the sewing machine and the maternity ward, where you belong! *foams at the mouth with rage*
[/sarcasm]
*wipes the fake foam from his mouth* In all seriousness, how is their operation coming along so far? Seeing female game devs would be interesting to see. They already have female composers (Yoko Shimomura for Square-Enix and Michiru Yamane for Konami) so why not female developers?
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"A Chrono Trigger is anything that unleashes its will or desire to change history!" -Gaspar
"A Chrono Trigger is anything that unleashes its will or desire to change history!" -Gaspar
Re: Female Game Group Goes Independent
Makes me wonder why they went independent from the IGDA. You would think that the benefits of IGDA membership could have at lest helped the a little more. But who knows. I wish them luck in making QoL for women in game development and other issues better for all women.
E. Zachary Knight
Oklahoma City Chapter of the ECA
http://www.theeca.com/chapters_oklahoma
E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming
Random Tower: Game News and Commentary
Re: Female Game Group Goes Independent
Hard to say, hopefully at some point there will be some comment as to why.
If I had to guess though, they probably felt that their specific needs were not being met by a more general group. One of the classic problems with commity/democratic groups is that minorities often get their numbers/voices used to bolster the power of the group yet not get much return from a majority that does not share the same issues they do. So breaking off could give them the oppurtunity to focus on problems specific to their membership rather then having to fight for priority.
Though naturally, they might run into the same problem themselves ^_^