Womens in Games International

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Women In Games International was founded in 2005 in response to a growing demand around the world for the inclusion and advancement of women in the game industry.

Women In Games International is managed by a steering committee comprised of like-minded individuals, is supported by corporate and media sponsors, and directed by a global advisory board. The organization has been developed in partnership with the Women in Games Conference in Dundee, Scotland.


www.womeningamesinternational.org/

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EA Sponsors Women in Games International Conf

Electronic Arts isn't just the platinum sponsor for the 2007 Women in Games International conference, they're actually hosting the March 6 event at their company headquarters in Redwood Shores, California.

EA's Lcy Bradshow, Veep and head of production and dev for Maxis, is delivering the keynote entitled The Secrets of The Sims Success.

While I think that events like this are a wonderful idea, I can't help but wonder if by creating events to highlight and detail the perceived differences between male and female gamers they're sort of missing the point. Sure there is a difference, but lets not forget we're all still gamers.

We've come a long way since Barbie's adventures and other craptacular games, lets not return to that offal. Hit the jump for the full dealymabob.Brian Crecente

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. - January 30, 2007 - Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced that it is a platinum sponsor of the 2007 Women In Games International (WIGI) conference and will host the March 6th event at its company headquarters in Redwood Shores, California. The conference theme is "From Production to Profit: Creating and Marketing Games for Women". EA's Lucy Bradshaw, VP and Head of Production and Development for Maxis/Electronic Arts will deliver the opening keynote entitled, "The Secrets of The Sims Success". EA and WIGI are committed to promoting the inclusion and advancement of women in the growing interactive entertainment industry.

Representing 38% of the game playing population, according to the Entertainment Software Association, women players are a growing force within the gaming community. EA is responding to this demand by encouraging and empowering female students and young professionals to take the industry seriously and consider it for a future career.

With over 20% of its population comprised of females, EA is committed to driving that number higher through outreach and education programs such as this. Sponsorship of the conference is part of EA's diversity outreach program which also includes an annual scholarship at the USC Summer Camp which assures an aspiring female game designer a coveted spot in the school's unique computer science summer program. These initiatives are meant to encourage women to pursue their passion for gaming and enter the industry as professionals.

Gabrielle Toledano, Senior Vice President of Human Resources at EA commented that, "At EA, we are fortunate to have some of the industry's most talented women contributing to our teams. We are proud that women represent such a significant and important portion of our population but the ratio of women to men is still too low. We hope that this program and others like it help to inspire young women to consider interactive entertainment for their careers. And for the women already in the industry, the WIGI is a wonderful forum to raise issues and questions that relate to creative expertise, career opportunity and professional growth. We are thrilled to be a WIGI sponsor and to have so many empowered, insightful women contributing to the panels."
"This is an outstanding partnership," said Sheri Graner Ray, Executive Chair of Women in Games International. "WIGI is focused on getting the word out about the importance of women in this industry and we are so pleased that EA is helping lead the way. With our topical focus at this conference on women as players and consumers, this is also the chance for the industry to learn how EA and other publishers are re-considering the needs and interests of the female customer in their game production and marketing processes."

The Women In Games International Conference-San Francisco will be held at Electronic Arts' headquarters, located at 250 Shoreline Drive in Redwood Shores, California. Attendance is $45 for general attendees, $35 for WIGI members and $30 for students with I.D. Space is limited, so interested attendees are encouraged to secure their spot by registering at: www.womeningamesinternational.org.


www.kotaku.com/gaming/barbie/ea-sponsors-women-in-games-international-conf-232653.php

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Women in Games International Announces Savannah Conference

Savannah, GA — Wednesday, February 21, 2007--Women in Games International is collaborating with Savannah College of Art and Design to present their next regional conference, “Advancing Your Career in Game Development.” Located at the Savannah College of Art and Design campus, the WIGI conference will be held on Thursday, April 26, 1-7:30 p.m., at The River Club, 3 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.. The event will coincide with the college’s annual Game Developers eXchange conference.

WIGI, a nonprofit organization in the interactive entertainment industry, created their conference series to serve as a forum to discuss a wide range of issues pertaining to women in the gaming industry. This half-day conference will provide useful information for women and men, as well as new and veteran game developers. The conference consists of an opening keynote address, panels and roundtable discussions with top experts in the field, and a post-conference networking reception.

The conference kicks off with keynote speaker Jennifer MacLean, General Manager of Games, Comcast Interactive. In her keynote address titled “Everything I Need to Know, I Learned by Playing Games,” MacLean will discuss everything from the importance of communication to the value of diversity and the need to understand your priorities. MacLean will explain how games like Halo, Everquest, and Civilization teach attendees everything they need to know for personal and professional success. MacLean’s responsibilities as General Manager, Games at Comcast include management of all games products, strategy, and business development for the United States' largest cable company.

MacLean offers, “As a games enthusiast and former game developer, I’ve had the opportunity to experience games from the perspective of both creator and player. Professional women with that viewpoint have the ability to make a significant, lasting impact on the current and future development of games, as well as drive and shape growing sectors of the media and entertainment industries. Speaking at WIGI-Savannah is a great chance to demonstrate how men and women in the games industry can achieve greater professional results from this combined experience, and direct their career choices accordingly.”

"There are few things better than making games for a living," said Brenda Brathwaite, a veteran industry game designer and professor at the Savannah College of Art and Design, "and I understand precisely and personally why our students want to enter this field. Bringing Women in Games International to SCAD is a huge step for us and also a great benefit to our students."

Panel and roundtable topics include “Breaking In: How to Acquire The Skills and Get That First Job, focusing on the necessary skills for an entry level development job in the game industry; “An Array of Career Options,” designed to address the variety of careers available in the game industry, and, “The Ultimate Challenge: Balancing Work and Personal Life,” a timely discussion on challenges facing people in the game industry in achieving a work/live balance, and resolving quality of life issues.

Registration begins online March 1. Student registration is $20, and general registration before March 30 is a discounted price of $30. After March 30, the price for registration is $50. The registration fee also includes admission to GDX 2007 on Friday, April 27, an all-day event where game development experts share behind-the-scenes knowledge about the gaming industry, located at the Trustees Theater. To register for WIGI and GDX, visit www.scad.edu/gdx.

About Savannah College of Art and Design
www.scad.edu

Named “Hottest for Studying Art” among America’s 25 Hottest Colleges by Kaplan/Newsweek, the Savannah College of Art and Design is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution with locations in Atlanta and Savannah, Ga., and in Lacoste, France. Their Interactive Design and Game Development program is one of the most successful and recognized in the country.

For more details regarding Women in Games International, contact Morgan Ogburn, ThemePark Studios, 512/916-9633 or [e-mail], for more information.


www.gamedev.net/community/forums/topic.asp?topic_id=436584