The latest platform the IGDA has created to support their mission of supporting and empowering game developers around the world in achieving fulfilling and sustainable careers is the IGDA Discord, available at: https://discord.gg/igda

This Discord provides access to all IGDA Chapters and SIGs, as well as more general channels for asking general development questions and connecting across IGDA's 150+ community groups. 

In addition to this Discord, the IGDA has launched their own Twitch channel, https://www.twitch.tv/igda, that will be hosting various webinars and streams from IGDA events, including from IGDA Chapters. Make sure to subscribe to not miss out on any of these valuable learning opportunities!

The IGDA has 111 local chapters around the globe, each serving their local game developers with events, community networks, and other resources. This week we would like to feature the hard work and efforts of our Manila Chapter. 

In 2019, IGDA Manila worked tirelessly to strengthen community relationships through monthly GameDevDrinkUps, organizing meetups, initiating an annual games job fair, and working with media outlets to increase public awareness on the local game industry. The media features have included Women in Games, LGBTQ+ in Games, Games for Learning and Social Change, Games Celebrating Philippine Culture, and promoting #selfcare during game jams.

 

In spite of the typhoons and cancellation, IGDA Academic Chapter iAcademy collaborated with GUILD in rolling out the first ever Game Jam+ in the Philippines. IGDA Manila supported the event by selecting industry practitioners to mentor and judge. They also provided the promising games booths to ESGS’ Indie Fiesta. MDEC also graciously provided tickets to top team for Level Up in Kuala Lumpur this November. 

 

IGDA Manila’s community contribution to the game development education in the Philippines was highlighted during the 10th year anniversary of De La Salle-College of St. Benilde’s GDD Program last September. IGDA Member Norman Lee was recognized as the father of Game Development Education of the Philippines. IGDA Manila’s Former Chairperson Gabby Dizon and Paul Gadi were also awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award; and IGDA Manila’s current board member Gwen Foster was awarded Community Contributor, alongside fellow IGDA Member Solon Chen of Kooapps Philippines. 

The year is not over, IGDA Manila is working alongside Academic Institutions to organize and support LARO Conference in October. Spearheaded by the DLS-CSB Faculty and hosted by GDAP, it is an avenue to present game development and game studies research to elevate the perception and the cultural impact of games in the Philippines. To close the year, IGDA Manila is organizing the first locally initiated game arts exhibit at ASPACE titled Digital Kids in November and supporting as a Community Partner for Nexus’ Gamecraft and Esports Expo powered by Globe and Melody Road’s Video Game Concert in December.

These commendable efforts highlight the strength of the IGDA Manila Chapter and their community. We are honored to celebrate this wonderful Chapter! 

IGDA Finland is the local Finnish chapter of IGDA that is committed to advancing the careers and enhancing the lives of game developers based in Finland. They are also working to further develop the international recognition of the Finnish game developers community.

Their hard work is shown in their multiple conferences and countless Chapter events, all which help engage their active and tight-knit community. Due to these efforts, IGDA Finland has been recognized as one of the most vibrant and fastest growing chapters and were awarded the IGDA MVP Award in 2007.

IGDA Finland works to uplift their gaming community and to create events and opportunities for everyone to enjoy by empowering inclusiveness and diversity. In 2018, they piloted IGDA Future concept, focused on uplifting youth and the next generation of developers. This initiative has been supported by Finnish government and local municipalities, and it is still developing and improving. 

Additionally, when they noticed there are no dedicated games leadership conferences in Europe, they put together their own-- Leadership Day by IGDA Finland will take place on September 30th, 2019 in Helsinki, is an international event about how to build companies, teams and working cultures to make better games! For more information please visit:  

https://www.igda.fi/leadership-day

IGDA Finland is comprised of local hubs, each which support their local communities. They have 13 hubs across Finland (Helsinki, Turku, Tampere, Jyväskylä, Kotka, Satakunta, Vaasa, Joensuu, Kajaani, Oulu, Rovaniemi, Kuopio and Lahti), and each hub organizing own monthly gatherings and other special events. In turn, these hubs together host over 150 events for IGDA Finland each year!

Their Chapter Chair, Natasha Skult, wanted to express her thanks for everyone who makes their Chapter and their events possible, “Our Chapter is entirely run by hundreds of volunteers on their free time with the kind and generous support of our many sponsors and affiliates. One day we will figure out a proper way to thank you all!”

The IGDA Romance and Sexuality Special Interest Group is a multi-disciplinary community focused on discussing romance, sex, and sexuality in games. Inspired by the original Sex in Games SIG, their aim is to provide a safe, welcoming, and informative space to learn and talk about every aspect of relationships and sex in games. They cover topics ranging from portrayals of loving relationships to depictions of “fanservice” and sex appeal, from thematic game mechanics to the markets for romance or erotic games, and everything in-between.

The SIG hosts a Discord server for discussion, resources, and socialization; they also host monthly roundtable voice chats on a variety of focused romance and sex-related topics. They enjoyed their first in-person social meet-up at GDC 2019 at the sex-positive cafe Wicked Grounds. Michelle Clough, the Chair of the Romance and Sexuality SIG, commented on their GDC event, "It was an absolute pleasure for all involved, and we look forward to hosting more events in future!" 

Clough and her SIG welcome all to join their group and discussions, "We welcome professional and aspiring game developers of every kind and anyone interested in how games can explore and evoke romantic love, sexual desire, or both! We are dedicated to promoting romance and sex in games in ways that are respectful and inclusive to people of all genders and sexualities." 

Osama Dorias has worked in the Canadian game industry for over a decade, but his cheerful demeanor and talented design skills are known worldwide. He has contributed to the design of over a dozen titles, including the wildly popular For Honor.

Dorias, though a longtime resident of Montreal, has not always lived in Canada. He was born in Baghdad, Iraq, and his family fled their home from the terrible Iraq-Iran war in 1980. They traveled all over the world, searching for a new home, before settling in Montreal when Dorias was just 5 years old. 

Once in Canada, Dorias began nurturing his love for video games and other nerdy mediums. “I grew up between worlds as I was completely enamored with geek culture,” he commented. “Movies, comics, video games, I couldn’t get enough of them. It’s this love of video games that lead me to the path of becoming a game designer.”

Over his career, Dorias found success at many game studios, including Ubisoft, Gameloft, Minority Media, and GEE Media, and he is very proud of the game industry in Canada. “Canada is huge when it comes to game development,” he noted. “We are known around the world as a game development hub, and we have a reputation of making great games.”

Now as a Lead Game Designer at Warner Brothers Games Montreal and a professor of Game Design at Dawson College, Dorias is passionate about giving back to the industry that enabled him to follow his dreams; He founded the Montreal Independant Game Awards with his partner, Salim Larochelle, and is a proud participant of IGDA Foundation’s Next Gen Leader program, a multi-year program that supports under-represented minors in game development with development opportunities, coaching, and mentorship. 

Dorias also co-leads the IGDA’s Muslims in Games Special Interest Group. He states this group has two main goals: “providing safe spaces, both real and online, for Muslim game devs to come together” and “to become a resource and contact point for any game dev who wants to know more about Muslim representation.” 

“I love to empower people in expressing themselves through game making,” commented Dorias on his motivations behind these valiant efforts. “I especially love to give a voice to marginalized people and causes.”

The IGDA Localization SIG (LocSIG) was created in 2007 to provide a focal point for the growing number of game localization professionals in order to build community and draw together best practices and processes. Among the many successes the LocSIG community has accomplished in the last decade, the following are just a few examples worth mentioning:

• Successfully organizing activities at industry events. The most relevant effort is the program organization of the Localization Summit, a full-day conference held in cooperation with UBM and the Game Developers Conference. Held from 2009 to 2014, the Localization Summit attracted over 200 attendees every year thanks to presentations, panels, and case studies from developers, publishers, localization companies, and other game localization professionals.
• Compiling the Game Localization Best Practices document - a “How To” guide for the translation and culturalization of game content. A true community effort, the document is a compilation of suggestions by LocSIG members with years of experience in the game localization field. The aim is to help newcomers learn the trade, as well as to offer insights into tricks and tips that even more experienced localization staff can adapt and apply to their future projects. The document has been created in early 2011 and republished in an updated version in English in 2012. Community members have also translated the document into Japanese and Brazilian Portuguese. Creating and running the LocJAM. Born as an idea of a SIG member, the LocJam is a free and non-competitive game translation contest, that can act as a showcase for videogame localization among students, young professional and developers. Started in 2014 with no budget, the LocJAM has been a resounding success, with four major editions (from English into Arabic, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish) and one spin-off (from Japanese into English), hundreds of participants and dozens of workshops held worldwide, from Tokyo to Madrid, from Montevideo to Minsk. LocJAM organizers have even been asked to present the contest and its results at the #TranslatingEurope Forum, organized by the European Commission.

What’s next for the IGDA LocSIG?

As in most community efforts, charting a long-term plan for the group is challenging, But these are the relevant areas for the growth of the SIG:

• Online presence. The SIG Facebook group has over 3,600 localization experts and interested parties. It’s a Closed group that needs to be moderated to avoid spam and blatant self-promotion. Other collaboration platforms like Slack and DIscord have been taken into consideration, but the group has never started the effort to move (or open a secondary channel) there. It’s important to re-evaluate the current communication tools and act accordingly.
• Offline presence. The group has been organizing roundtables and meetups for years now. There is space for a bigger effort now, though. Another Localization Summit, an event at Gamescom or ChinaJoy, a one or two-day conference at GDC… The opportunities are endless.
• Credits. A hot topic in the game localization industry. The IGDA has been tackling this topic for years now, even creating a dedicated SIG. Not much has changed for translators and, to a lesser degree, localization companies, whose name almost never appears in game credits. Liasing with the IGDA Developer Credit SIG, the Localization SIG could plan a dedicated effort to push for the recognition of the members of the group deserve.

Get Involved!

We can’t do it without you. Like all IGDA Chapters and Special Interest Groups, the IGDA LocSIG runs on the efforts of volunteers around the world; if you are interested in getting involved in the general leadership of the SIG, any of the efforts listed above, or with specific tasks, please reach out at chapsigdev-AT-igda-DOT-org.

Video Game organizations seek to create safer, more inclusive environments

SEATTLE, WA - September 4, 2019 -- In this past week, many traumatic events have both been brought to light and have occurred within the game industry. The tragic nature of these events compels us to take action and to offer immediate support to those who are directly affected. 

For those who are suffering:

We want to make sure the community is aware of the resources and tools available to those who are suffering.

The trauma and abuse that are currently news in the game community are horrific and can resurface memories and feelings which survivors of trauma prefer to leave in the past. It is important to acknowledge that these events and accounts can produce a wide variety of emotions and reactions. It can be very difficult to reconcile conflicting emotions without reacting strongly or quickly. These feelings are normal.

Harassment of any kind is terrifying and has very real consequences. These consequences can manifest differently for every person and can range from short-term discomfort to debilitating long-term trauma.

Suicide is tragic and traumatic for those left behind. It is estimated that every suicide affects about 135 people - and everyone’s grief is very real.

It is also important to understand that suicide is not caused by a single event or traceable to a single cause. It is the result of an accumulation of factors, often very complex.

It is important to reiterate that everyone deserves help and safety, no matter what.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, in need of immediate intervention, and based in the US, please visit the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or call 1-800-273-8255. You can also text AFK to 741741 in the US. 

Additional mental health resources, including resources for other countries, can be found on Take This’ website, and we also suggest reaching out to Rise Above the Disorder, which helps people in games access free mental health care.

For tips about how to talk about mental health in a way that is validating and supportive, please see the Take This FAQ on How to Talk About Mental Health.

Moving Forward

Take This, the International Game Developers Association (IGDA), and the International Game Developers Association Foundation (IGDAF) are working together on recommendations and next steps that will make our industry and games, in general, safer for all groups of people. We have invited experts and stakeholders to inform our approach, and we invite those who are passionate about these subjects to reach out to us to participate in this important discussion. We are working towards a day where anyone may play video games and pursue their game development dreams without fear of harassment and persecution.

There is no place in games or game-related spaces for harassment, whether online or in person. Everyone deserves to feel safe enjoying video games and pursuing their passions. It is imperative that we come together to create safer, more inclusive environments that can be enjoyed by the billions of gamers from all backgrounds. 

About Take This

The mission of Take This is to decrease the stigma, and increase the support for, mental health within the game industry and the game enthusiast community. Our Vision is a game community that welcomes and supports people experiencing mental health challenges, and that recognizes the humanity and mental health of game creators. We combine clinical best practice with a love of all things gamer, providing a safe, accepting space for gamers and game developers. 

Take This runs AFK Rooms at game industry conventions and tradeshows, publishes research on mental health in the game industry and in games, provides training and consulting to game companies, and works with Take This Streaming Ambassadors who amplify Take This’ campaign against the stigma, hopelessness, and isolation commonly found when dealing with or discussing mental health issues in the game community.

About the International Game Developers Association (IGDA)

The International Game Developers Association (IGDA) is the world’s largest nonprofit membership organization serving all individuals who create games.

The IGDA is a U.S.-based 501(c)6 non-profit professional association and a global network of collaborative projects and communities of individuals from all fields of game development. The IGDA’s diverse membership encompasses programmers and producers, designers and artists, writers, business people, QA team members, localization experts, and anyone else who participates in the game development process.

The mission of the IGDA is to support and empower game developers around the world in achieving fulfilling and sustainable careers.

For more info, please visit www.igda.org.

About the IGDA Foundation (IGDAF)

The IGDA Foundation advances a diverse workforce and ecosystem for the video game industry to better reflect the millions of passionate players enjoying video games worldwide. 

The IGDAF focuses on promoting a game development community representative of, and welcoming and inclusive to, every person who wants to make games. The IGDAF garners support for diversity and inclusion in the video game industry with initiatives such as its IGDA Scholars, Velocity and Next Gen Leaders programs, with others in the pipeline.

The IGDA Foundation is a public charity, registered as a 501(c)3 organization in the United States.

To find out more about the IGDA Foundation’s initiatives visit http://igdafoundation.org.

Media Contacts

Lena LeRay / Robert Brown

Stride PR for IGDA

press@igda.org

Today we would like to highlight our largest Special Interest Group, the IGDA Women in Games SIG (WIG SIG). WIG SIG is a valuable resource for people to seek advice, connect with talented women in the games industry, and become inspired by their talent and resilience.

WIG SIG is devoted to highlighting women and trans women in our industry, but also supports all underrepresented people through the challenges they face.

For years, the WIG SIG has run and organized the official Women in Games Roundtable at GDC, sponsored by the IGDA. It is a space for women of all career levels and game development professions to discuss the state of the industry for women, highlight and discuss issues, and make suggestions for improvement of both the industry and the SIG.

WIG SIG also posts a monthly profile of a woman in games on its blog as well as maintains a twitter feed to promote women in the industry and highlight calls for submissions, events, and other relevant topics.

In 2018, the SIG increased its efforts in supporting mid-career women, especially on initiatives and resources to retain talent in our industry. The SIG is working with the new IGDA leadership to provide more resources for mid-career women, especially those in times of need and crisis in connection to their ongoing success in the games industry.

In the coming years, WIG SIG plans to offer resources and support for people who deal with complex workplace situations as well as those who want to grow into leadership roles.

The group is also working to team up with other organizations to connect more women with event organizers for speaking engagements and support other groups working toward advancing and supporting women in games.

Recently, the WIG SIG has launched its own Discord channel with a short application process. Anyone from students to senior executives is encouraged to apply. In this Discord, everyone can discuss topics related to supporting women in the games industry.

Check out their website at https://women.igda.org/ to read their women in games profile features, access their resources, and learn more about how to get involved with the important work they are doing for everyone in the game industry.  

In March, IGDA Chicago hosted three GDC related events. First, the chapter hosted a workshop at Columbia College to prepare first-time attendees of GDC for their time in San Francisco. Next, IGDA Chicago organized a Midwest Mingle at GDC to facilitate networking and connections during the conference. Finally, the chapter hosted a GDC postmortem so that GDC attendees could share lessons learned with one another and plan for attending next year.

The Summer was devoted to connecting with their membership and the Chicago game development community at large. They made large improvements to their social media presence and launched a new Discord Channel, Twitch Channel, and website at www.igdachicago.com. The website includes new features like an updated jobs board, event calendar, and will soon host a history of Chicago’s contributions to the video game industry.

Most recently, IGDA Chicago participated in Chicago’s largest arcade festival pop-up, Bit Bash. This public showcase of over 80 independent games was held this weekend at Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry, the largest science museum in western hemisphere, and drew an audience of thousands.

IGDA Chicago contributed to this groundbreaking event by showcasing a selection of games from its most recent game jam. These games were inspired by the Atari-era of gaming, and were featured on authentic period-accurate hardware. Made by students from Columbia College and DePaul University, these games demonstrated how video games are a medium that foster creativity, collaboration, and community.

The year is not over yet, and IGDA Chicago is just getting started. It has a variety of events planned for the remainder of the year, and several initiatives planned for the Fall designed to increase value to our membership, our partners, and their local community. Be sure to follow them on social media for more updates!

Today the IGDA would like to feature one of our hardworking volunteer leaders, Tim Cullings. Tim has been on the Board of IGDA Seattle since 2015 and has seen the chapter undergo many changes over the years. He is well known for his work in the Seattle game development scene, providing a hand to both rising and established game developers through hosting events and providing other resources. 

IGDA Seattle has shone in 2019, starting off with their Career Night event, Global Game Jam then their Games and Education Breakout session, a recruiting event for people affected by layoffs in the area followed by a couple of wonderful talks by the creators of Moss and Slay the Spire.

Their highly anticipated summer BBQ is just around the corner and Tim has promised the IGDA Seattle has more great events lined up for the Fall that should be exciting for our members.

Tim also leads Seattle Indies, a non-profit dedicated to building community for the independent game developers in the Seattle area. Seattle Indies Expo is also just a couple of weeks away where attendees will get to play 25 of the best locally made games and meet the developers behind them.

IGDA Presents to FTC About Loot Boxes and ESA Adopts IGDA Recommendations

IGDA Executive Director Travels to Washington, D.C. to Represent Game Developers’ Interests

WASHINGTON, D.C. – August 10, 2019 – Renee Gittins, the newly appointed Executive Director of the IGDA, traveled to Washington, D.C. to present in the Federal Trade Commission’s workshop on loot boxes, Inside the Game: Unlocking the Consumer Issues Surrounding Loot Boxes. 

Her presentation focused on the complexity of the range of mechanics that could fall under loot box definitions, including a warning that improper restrictions of randomized rewards could affect a huge range of games reaching back to 1980 by harming the core game mechanics of random loot drops from monsters and quests.  

The presentation from Gittins also noted how implementation costs of any required changes can be more harmful for small and mid-sized developers, particularly independent mobile developers who rely on a fast release cadence and, thus, have a large backlog of released games that they draw their income from.  

Gittins also shared opinions from game developers that ranged from supporting to opposing regulations on loot boxes, before iterating IGDA’s previous recommendations for industry self-regulation, which have gained traction among developers. During the panel, the Entertainment Software Association announced that they were adopting part of IGDA’s November 2018 Call to Action on loot boxes, with Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo requiring loot box odds disclosures for all new loot box related content. 

The IGDA is proud to use its voice to represent game developers in important issues affecting their careers and industry, and will continue to speak up globally for the best interests of game developers.

Media Contacts

Lena LeRay / Robert Brown

Stride PR for IGDA

press@igda.org

Joint Statement from the International Game Developers Association (IGDA) and International Game Developers Association Foundation (IGDAF)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – August 4, 2019 – Our deepest condolences and hearts go out to the victims and families affected by the tragic events in Dayton, Ohio and El Paso, Texas. Society has endured too many senseless acts of violence and horrific mass shootings. Blaming video games distracts from the broader issues at hand. There is an overwhelming amount of research that finds there is no evidence linking video games to violence. Video games do not cause violence, and we support efforts to discontinue this misguided information.

- Executive Directors, Renee Gittins (IGDA) and Nika Nour (IGDAF)

Media Contacts

Lena LeRay / Robert Brown

Stride PR for IGDA

press@igda.org

IGDA Appoints New Executive Director Renee Gittins

 Nika Nour Takes Over as Executive Director For IGDA Foundation

TORONTO – July 10, 2019 – The International Game Developers Association (IGDA), the world’s largest organization serving individuals who create games, has appointed current board member and secretary Renee Gittins as the new executive director to succeed Jen MacLean, who stepped down in April 2019.

The IGDA Foundation (IGDAF), the charitable organization forging new paths on diversity and inclusion in games, which MacLean also helmed, has chosen former Entertainment Software Association (ESA) head of public affairs Nika Nour as its new executive director.

Gittins brings a wealth of advocacy and game development experience to the role of Executive Director, having previously served on the IGDA board of directors for more than two years. Prior to joining the IGDA Gittins worked as a technical producer at several game studios, and will now step down from her current position as a Solutions Architect at Spirit AI to focus her efforts on the IGDA. She will retain her role as CEO of Stumbling Cat.

The bedrock of Gittins’ plans for the IGDA is to better support its members and volunteer leaders and take a more active role in representing the needs and rights of the developer community. As part of that objective the IGDA will develop a multi-part initiative to foster the IGDA’s community through increased focus on global support for local chapters and special interest groups, while working to bring these communities together online. Gittins puts a strong emphasis on boosting benefits for the entire IGDA community, including established developers and industry newcomers.

“The success of the game industry and developers is the success of the IGDA. As a global organization, the IGDA is ready to take its support of developers to the next level,” said Gittins. “Having served on the IGDA board for years, I know the breadth of knowledge and experience each member brings to the table. Working together, we can continue to support and empower the lives and careers of game developers from all facets of the industry.”

“Renee has been an indie developer and a game community organizer for years, even before joining the board. I’m excited to have her lead the IGDA and provide a strong voice for game developers’ rights and needs worldwide,” said Lucien Parsons, IGDA board of directors chair who has served as interim executive director since MacLean stepped down in April. “The board of directors has the utmost confidence in her ability to make the IGDA an even better resource for game developers around the world.''

Nika Nour steps into the IGDAF executive director role after spending more than a decade with internet and video game companies working on social and cultural impact initiatives. In addition to her role at the ESA, she also served as director of communications and creative strategies for the Internet Association and new media specialist for the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Under Nour, the IGDA Foundation will empower the next generation of diverse talent while advocating for current leaders in the industry. To inspire young people to leap into game development, the IGDAF will amplify the positive achievements of the industry and deliver on impact-oriented projects, foster new ideas, and collaborate on solutions.

“Diversity and inclusion efforts are critical to ensuring the growth and success of video game developers, players and businesses,” said Nour. “The industry can do more to support women, minorities, LGBTQ, accessibility needs and underserved communities, and the IGDA Foundation’s work would be incomplete if we didn’t focus on the whole inclusivity pipeline.”

“Nika has established herself as a leader in diversity and inclusion in our industry,” said Luke Dicken, chair of the IGDA Foundation board of trustees and interim executive director before Nour’s appointment. “I’m thoroughly excited by the skillset Nika Nour brings to the table, and can’t wait to see the impact she will have on our organization and more broadly this industry.”

For more information, please visit the IGDA website and IGDA Foundation website or follow the IGDA Twitter, IGDA Executive Director Twitter, IGDA Foundation Twitter, IGDA Facebook and IGDA Foundation Facebook. A new secretary will be chosen from the current IGDA board members in the near future.

Assets

IGDA Headshot, Logo Downloads

IGDA Foundation Headshot, Logo Downloads

About the International Game Developers Association (IGDA®)

The International Game Developers Association (IGDA) is the world’s largest nonprofit membership organization serving all individuals who create games.

The IGDA is a U.S.-based 501(c)6 non-profit professional association and a global network of collaborative projects and communities of individuals from all fields of game development. The IGDA’s diverse membership encompasses programmers and producers, designers and artists, writers, business people, QA team members, localization experts, and anyone else who participates in the game development process.

The mission of the IGDA is to support and empower game developers around the world in achieving fulfilling and sustainable careers.

For more info, please visit www.igda.org.

About the IGDA Foundation (IGDAF)

The IGDA Foundation advances a diverse workforce and ecosystem for the video game industry to better reflect the millions of passionate players enjoying video games worldwide. 

The IGDAF focuses on promoting a game development community representative of, and welcoming and inclusive to, every person who wants to make games. The IGDAF garners support for diversity and inclusion in the video game industry with initiatives such as its IGDA Scholars, Velocity and Next Gen Leaders programs, with others in the pipeline.

The IGDA Foundation is a public charity, registered as a 501(c)3 organization in the United States.

To find out more about the IGDA Foundation’s initiatives visit http://igdafoundation.org.

Media Contacts

Lena LeRay / Robert Brown

Stride PR for IGDA

lena@stridepr.com / robert@stridepr.com

IGDA Brings its Mentor Café to Games for Change

The IGDA is thrilled to bring its Mentor Café to the 2019 Games For Change Festival! Held at game industry events around the world, IGDA Mentor Cafés are designed to provide bursts of meaningful learning and each one is as unique as its participants. Open to anyone in the game development community seeking mentorship regardless of years of experience, IGDA Mentor Café topics range from advancing your career, indie studio start-up, diversity initiatives, and much more.

Apply to be a Mentee
Interested in being mentored? Want to get advice and ask questions of industry professionals?
Apply for mentorship: http://bit.ly/IGDA-G4C19-Mentee

Sign up to Be a Mentor
We are looking for industry leaders interested in giving back and sharing advice with individuals at all stages of their careers in short mentoring bursts.
Sign up to mentor: http://bit.ly/IGDA-G4C19-Mentor

Save 20% on #G4C19 Registration
IGDA member? Save 20% on registration to the event! Learn more at www.igda.org/benefitsdetails (requires login).

IGDA Executive Director

The Executive Director of the International Game Developers Association (IGDA) is responsible for setting the strategy of the organization in consultation with the Board of Directors and overseeing all operations of the IGDA, functioning as the association’s chief executive officer.

The IGDA is the largest professional association for game developers, with over 10,000 members, 111 Chapters and 36 Special Interest Groups around the world, and partnerships with leading companies, service providers, and events. The IGDA’s mission is to help game developers have sustainable, fulfilling careers through connecting game developers to their peers, and advocating on issues that are important to the professional and personal success of game developers. In its mission, the IGDA provides educational and career resources, leading research on the issues that matter most to game developers, and encourage inclusivity, respect, and ethical behavior in the game development community.

Specific responsibilities of the IGDA Foundation Executive Director include:

• Organizational management: The Executive Director is responsible for management of the operations of the IGDA, including but not limited to managing the organization’s Staff and Association Management Company, overseeing all of the organization’s projects and activities, and creating and implementing programs to deliver member value to game developers around the world.
• Fundraising, financial management, and business development: The Executive Director is responsible for ensuring the IGDA’s finances are managed responsibly, with oversight by the Board of Directors, and that the organization’s resources are used in a way that delivers maximum value to its members around the world. As part of these activities, the Executive Director provides an initial draft of the organization’s budget and regular financial updates; ensures that spending is consistent with revenue; and identifies and pursues new forms of revenue, including partnerships and services for members.
• Communications and advocacy: The IGDA has a significant number of key stakeholders, including its volunteer leadership, membership, aspiring game developers, and public. As the primary public face of the IGDA, the Executive Director is responsible for communicating the organization’s mission and activities to these audiences - including via press and social media - as well as advocating for the interests of game developers around the world.

Learn more about the IGDA Executive Director opportunity on the IGDA Career Center. If you are interested in being considered for this role, please email us at EDsearch [at] igda [dot] org.

The IGDA is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status, parental status, ancestry, disability, gender identity, veteran status, genetic information, other distinguishing characteristics of diversity and inclusion, or any other protected status. This is a remote/work from home opportunity. If you are interested in being considered for this role, please email us at EDsearch -AT- igda -DOT- org.

IGDA Foundation Executive Director

The Executive Director of the IGDA Foundation is responsible for setting the strategy of the organization in consultation with the Board of Directors and overseeing all operations of the IGDA Foundation, functioning as the association’s chief executive officer.

The IGDA Foundation focuses on supporting a more diverse and inclusive game development community. We believe that every person should love playing games, and the best way to make this happen is to create a development community that is welcoming to, and inclusive of, every person who wants to make games. The IGDA Foundation manages a number of initiatives, including location-specific programs at conferences (IGDA Scholars, Velocity, Next Gen Leaders), the Speaker Diversity Initiative, and the Community and Pipeline (CAP) program currently under development.

Specific responsibilities of the IGDA Foundation Executive Director include:

• Organizational management: The Executive Director is responsible for management of the operations of the IGDA Foundation, including but not limited to managing the organization’s staff and volunteers, overseeing all of the organization’s projects and activities, and creating and implementing programs to build a more inclusive game development community around the world.
• Fundraising, financial management, and business development: The Executive Director is responsible for ensuring the IGDA Foundation’s finances are managed responsibly, with oversight by the Board of Directors, and that the organization’s resources are used in a way that delivers high-quality programs for its participants, with measurable impact on the diversity and inclusivity of the game development community. As part of these activities, the Executive Director provides an initial draft of the organization’s budget and regular financial updates; ensures that spending is consistent with revenue; and identifies and pursues new forms of revenue, including partnerships and services for program participants.
• Communications and advocacy: The IGDA Foundation has a significant number of key stakeholders, including its volunteer leadership, participants, aspiring game developers, and public. As the primary public face of the IGDA Foundation, the Executive Director is responsible for communicating the organization’s mission and activities to these audiences as well as advocating for more diverse and inclusive game development community.

Learn more about the IGDA Foundation Executive Director opportunity on the IGDA Career Center. If you are interested in being considered for this role, please email us at EDsearch [at] igda [dot] org.

The IGDA Foundation is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status, parental status, ancestry, disability, gender identity, veteran status, genetic information, other distinguishing characteristics of diversity and inclusion, or any other protected status. This is a remote/work from home opportunity. If you are interested in being considered for this role, please email us at EDsearch -AT- igda -DOT- org.

Almost two years ago, I was given one of the biggest opportunities of my career-to lead the IGDA through developing and implementing a new mission and renewing its commitment to the global game development community. Over the past year and a half, with the support of the IGDA’s Board of Directors, our dedicated staff, and volunteers around the world, we’ve expanded to 111 Chapters on six continents, with 53 Studio Affiliates, and 36 Special Interest Groups, all more than at any other time in the IGDA’s history.

Most important to me, however, has been the opportunity to support game developers at every stage in their career through the introduction of new and improved IGDA member benefits, whether it’s equipment discounts from Dell, research from the leading game intelligence provider, or more than $5,000 in discounts on events and services.

So while I’m proud of everything we’ve accomplished, I’m also happysad. I have a new opportunity to help game developers in a different way that I simply can’t pass up, so I’m stepping down as the IGDA’s Executive Director, effective 14 April. I’ll be taking a one-year Board of Directors role with the IGDA to assist in a smooth transition, and Lucien Parsons, the IGDA’s Chairperson, will act as the interim Executive Director until the role is filled. I’m looking forward to helping the new Executive Director build on the successes of the past year and support the global game development community even more, and I’m confident that with the guidance of the IGDA’s Board, its Staff, and our volunteer leaders, the new Executive Director will lead the IGDA through its twenty-fifth year and into a very bright future.

I’m also excited to share that our new Board member, Marta Daglow, is leading the search for a new Executive Director for the IGDA. You can read more about the role here, and submit yourself for consideration (or ask questions about the role) at EDsearch [at] igda [dot] org.

To the IGDA’s members, volunteer leaders, affiliates, partners, and sponsors around the world, and to the global game development community, thank you for an amazing experience. I wish you all the very best, and look forward to working with you in the future.

TORONTO – APRIL 8, 2019 – The International Game Developers Association (IGDA^®) executive director, Jen MacLean, is stepping down after nearly two years of tireless work fulfilling the IGDA’s mission of supporting and empowering game developers around the world in achieving fulfilling and sustainable careers. Lucien Parsons, chair of the IGDA board, steps in as interim executive director and MacLean will assume a one-year term on the IGDA board to assist with the transition to a new executive director, continuing her commitment to the work of the IGDA while she pursues a new career opportunity.

MacLean’s term as executive director saw the IGDA expand its representation of international game developers, including new chapters in Pakistan, Istanbul, Kenya, and Fortaleza, Brazil. Meanwhile, existing international chapters in Guatemala, Argentina, and Kaliningrad are among IGDA's fastest growing chapters.

Along with the guidance of the IGDA board, MacLean assisted the founding of special interest groups for Latinx and Muslim game developers, along with special interest groups (SIGs) for Analytics, Game Art, and Games for Health. Existing SIGs for Game Art, Romance & Sexuality, Students, Credit Standards, and Accessibility were the fastest growing during MacLean’s tenure.

"Jen's tenure was a massive success. Her leadership helped us achieve incredible growth in membership signups and renewals,” said Parsons. “More studios and chapters are part of IGDA than at any point in the history of the organization and their membership is more valuable to them than ever before thanks to the partnerships she brokered. Jen leaves the IGDA and its members in a great place, well positioned for our future."

"My time as executive director has been the most rewarding part of my time in the games industry, and I thank the IGDA board and staff for their support and hard work to help our developers. I’m proud especially of how we expanded the IGDA to truly represent our international mission and diverse membership." said Jen MacLean. "This was the ideal time for me to move on and for us to find a fresh new voice to guide the IGDA into the 2020s. In the interim, I know Lucien will continue our strong work."

About the International Game Developers Association (IGDA)

Now in its 25th year, the International Game Developers Association is the largest non-profit membership organization serving individuals who create games. The association exists to advance the careers and enhance the lives of game developers by connecting members with their peers, promoting professional development, and advocating on issues that affect the developer community.

For more information, please visit the official IGDA website or follow the IGDA on Twitter and Facebook.

Media Contacts

Lena LeRay / Robert Brown
Stride PR for IGDA
lena [at] stridepr [dot] com / robert [at] stridepr [dot] com

The Activision/Blizzard layoffs that happened yesterday impacted great people, and we want to help everyone find a new opportunity in game development as quickly as possible. Our Chapters in Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, and Seattle are working on events and resources for their local communities, and IGDA HQ is also helping companies looking to hire in those communities with a special offer for posts in the IGDA Career Center.

The IGDA is offering companies with at least 10 open positions in an area with people impacted by the layoffs the following special benefits to help fill their positions as quickly as possible:

• Up to 20 free Basic Postings (US$299 value each) in the IGDA Career Center
• Up to 20 resume purchases (US$35 value each) in the IGDA Career Center

IGDA Studio Affiliates already receive complimentary Enhanced Postings in the Career Center as part of their IGDA membership; in recognition of their support, we're happy to provide our Studio Affiliates with the following additional benefits regardless of their location:

• Up to 20 free additional Enhanced Postings (US$399 value each) in the IGDA Career Center
• Up to 40 resume purchases (US$35 value each) in the IGDA Career Center

To take advantage of this opportunity, a studio should email membership@igda.org with a link to their job openings; IGDA will provide codes for the postings and resumes that the studio can use at their convenience.

Please share this opportunity with your local studios and community.

The IGDA Games Research and User Experience Special Interest Group (IGDA GRUX SIG) aims to improve the state of games user research and user experience within the industry. The ultimate goal of Games User Research and of Games User Experience is to help game designers reach their design goals by applying scientific and user experience design principles to ensure that players are having experience developers intend.

Our main approach to the above is to facilitate community and information sharing among user researchers and user experience professionals at game companies, consultancies, and academia. We also take an advocacy and educational role in terms of spreading best practice user research, user experience design practices, and knowledge within the games industry via our two annual summits (One in the USA and one in the UK), and via our social media accounts and communities.

To further the above goals we have a wide range of resources that are available via our website including:

• A LinkedIn Group, Discord Channel, and Twitter account.
• Our Discord server and Twitter are particularly active, with the Discord channel providing opportunities to interact with some of the most experienced User Experience professionals in the industry.
• Videos from our two annual Summits going back to 2010.
• Career resources including a jobs board, jobs twitter account, and mentoring program that pairs senior volunteers in the Games User Experience community with mentees.

So if you are interested in any of the above please check out our website, join our SIG and Discord, follow our Twitter, and attend or sponsor our Summits!

The size of Switzerland’s game development industry is comparable to some of IGDA Finland’s hubs! It’s small scale has the benefit of fostering a strong community spirit that can be felt at local and overseas events. Another contributing factor to the tight-knit community is that the majority of Swiss studios are small to medium-sized indies that are mainly concentrated in Zurich, Lausanne and Geneva. Notable names include GIANTS Software, Tourmaline Studio, apelab, Stray Fawn Studio, Playables, Disney Research, Artanim, CtrlMovie and Okomotive.

The IGDA Switzerland Chapter regularly supports the Swiss Arts Council, Pro Helvetia, and increasingly collaborates with the Swiss Game Developers Association (SGDA). The team’s contributions to the IGDA and local Swiss scene have included the Business Sustainability Guidelines white paper (PDF); the establishment of processes to assist Swiss developers with cases of harassment, discrimination and business malpractice; workshops on game design, production, pitching and publishing; and the development of a "micro-conference" format that hosts international special guests participating remotely alongside local developers around topical themes that have included death and consequence, empathy and diversity, and LGBQT characters in game design.

The latter, micro-conference format, is similar in spirit to the IGDA's Mentor Cafés. The inspiration that such events generate is invaluable—enabling participants to connect with industry veterans while overcoming accessibility issues, since Switzerland is located somewhat aside from game studio hotspots like the UK, France and US. We’re honored to have remotely hosted the likes of Masaya Matsuura (PaRappa the Rapper, et al.), Jenova Chen and Mike Laidlaw.

Our main social media channels are Facebook and Twitter. Twitter is perhaps the best place to check in on what’s going on countrywide, since everybody uses the #swissgames hashtag to share their events, activities and successes. If you happen to be in the vicinity of Zurich towards the end of January then please be sure to attend Ludicious Zurich Game Festival (31 January to 3 February, 2019), which will feature talks by Richard Lemarchand, Anita Sarkeesian and Robin Hunicke, among many others, as well as an official IGDA party. Ludicious has kindly given IGDA members a 15% discount. Visit the IGDA member benefits details page (requires log in) to access discount information.

2019 IGDA Board of Directors Election Schedule:

• 10 December 2018: Nomination Period Begins
  
• 9 January 2019: Nomination Period Closes; All voting eligible members of record as of this date may vote
• 14 January - 10 February: Nominating Committee interviews
• 11 February: Nominating Committee provides recommendations to Board
• 18 February - 10 March: Election Period; Election materials are emailed to all voting eligible members on record as of 9 January 2018
• 21 March: New Board Members Announced
• 1 April: New Term Begins

To vote in the 2019 election, you must be a voting eligible member by the close of nominations on 9 January 2019. All members eligible to vote will receive an email with voting instructions starting 18 February 2018. As of 2019, student members ARE eligible to vote.

MOUNT ROYAL, N.J. – November 26, 2018 – The International Game Developers Association (IGDA) has appointed Vesa Raudasoja as new chair of the board of directors, promoting him from the vice-chair position at the world’s largest organization serving individuals who create games. Previous chairman David Seltzer will continue to serve on the board as chair emeritus, with current board member Emily Greer stepping in as new vice-chair while Lucien Parsons continues as treasurer and Renee Gittins as secretary.

Vesa Raudasoja is a game consultant and community developer based in Finland. His career covers more than a decade in international collaborations, community building and grass roots efforts helping people get involved in games. He helped grow IGDA Finland into one of IGDA's flagship chapters with more than 1,700 members and 12 hubs and was awarded with the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015. He is also a board member and evangelist with the Finnish Game Jam Association as well as co-founder of Devs.tv.

Emily Greer co-founded Kongregate in 2006 and took over as CEO in February 2014. Greer led the company’s rapid rise as a free-to-play web destination along with its expansion to mobile, PC and console game publishing, as well as the launch of the company’s new PC platform Kartridge. She is also well-known in the game industry for her presentations on the economics and psychology of free-to-play games.

Lucien Parsons is a games business and operations expert with a programming background and an MBA in Innovation Management from The Wharton School. With experience covering four continents, eight years of game development and 18 years of technical project management and production, Parsons has worked on everything from social media games and AAA titles at companies including ZeniMax to projects for the U.S. government and hospitals.

Renee Gittins is a multi-disciplinary leader with expertise in software engineering, creative direction and marketing at companies including X2 Biosystems and Xbox Games before becoming the creative director and CEO of Stumbling Cat. She is an outspoken advocate for diversity in the game industry and supports the growth of developers by organizing game-jams, panels, job fairs and other events as a board member of IGDA Seattle and by actively mentoring game development students at Foundry10.

“Although we are sad to see David go, we are confident the IGDA’s new leadership is going to accomplish great things,” said Jen MacLean, executive director, IGDA. “Vesa’s ongoing dedication to the international gaming community and Emily’s track record as the founder and CEO of a successful gaming company are a potent combination for furthering the IGDA’s goals of helping developers all over the world develop successful careers.”

Assets

               Vesa Raudasoja                                                   Emily Greer

About the International Game Developers Association (IGDA)

Now in its 24th year, the International Game Developers Association is the largest non-profit membership organization serving individuals who create games. The association exists to advance the careers and enhance the lives of game developers by connecting members with their peers, promoting professional development, and advocating on issues that affect the developer community.

For more information, visit the official website or follow the IGDA on Twitter and Facebook.

Media Contacts

Lena LeRay / Robert Brown

Stride PR for IGDA

lena@stridepr.com / robert@stridepr.com

AUSTIN, Texas – Sept. 13, 2018 – The International Game Developers Association (IGDA) and Interactive Entertainment Professionals (IEP) today announced a new collaboration to improve the commercial viability of independent game studios through online based learning opportunities and webinar programs.

Initially the education initiative will consist of a series of online learning videos and AMA style webinars with leading industry experts. The first four topics to be covered include: Financial Fundamentals,  Working with Contracts, Business Continuity Planning and Managing Your Brand and Reputation. 

The free webinar based program will launch late 2018, with a more robust on-demand learning program available for IGDA members to purchase in 2019.

“This year the IGDA embraced a new mission statement focused on supporting and empowering game developers around the world in achieving fulfilling and sustainable careers,” said Jen MacLean, executive director, IGDA. “A critical component of this is providing access to education and best practices that not only help individuals, but also promote more sustainable studios and job stability for the workforce. We chose to partner with IEP, because it offers some of the industry’s best workforce education programs in this area.”

“While there are many institutions that teach technical skills, IEP focuses on improving the resilience, agility and commercial viability of video game individuals and their organizations,“ said Greg Short, president, IEP. “Our collaboration with the IGDA will help business operators prepare for the rapid change and dynamic forces that exist in the video games industry.”

About the International Game Developers Association (IGDA)

Now in its 24th year, the International Game Developers Association is the largest non-profit membership organization serving individuals who create games. The association exists to support and empower game developers around the world in achieving fulfilling and sustainable careers by connecting members with their peers, promoting professional development and advocating on issues that affect the developer community.

For more information, visit the official website or follow the IGDA Twitter and Facebook.

About Interactive Entertainment Professionals (IEP)

With insights from veterans across the industry, Interactive Entertainment Professionals (IEP) is the leading provider of continuing education and workforce transformation programs for the video games industry.  IEP programs are delivered via online, offline and blended solutions with contributions from more than 400 industry experts.

By providing greater access to fundamental knowledge and best practices, IEP supports the development of industry professionals capable of achieving greater impact in their video games careers.

For more information visit www.iepro.com.

Media Contacts

Lena LeRay / Robert Brown
Stride PR for IGDA
lena@stridepr.com / robert@stridepr.com

Greg Short
IEP
greg@iepro.com

Tune in on Monday, 17 September at 9:00AM PST/12:00PM EST/4:00PM UTC to learn more about the risk game developers face because of the Global Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and the steps you need to take to protect your game, players, and company. IGDA insurance partner HUB International will discuss GDPR, how it impacts game developers around the world, and how to manage compliance and risk.

Regardless of geographic location, the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) affects any business that offers goods or services to EU citizens, and handles their personal data. As a game developer, this means you must address how you manage your European customers’ data, and ensure you comply with all legal requirements. Otherwise, you can face serious fines.

Learn how to follow regulation, and best protect your company and data. Join HUB International in a webinar to discuss:

• An overview of GDPR compliance obligations
• Best practices in responding to a data breach
• Risk transfer with cyber insurance, and what policies do and do not cover
• Modifying current policies to accommodate next-generation privacy laws

Sign up now: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1DQHPYA2v5Ds9pSNmhiMzijKU9B5X_q_hSqic1OJt23o/edit

Meet the Presenters

John Farley
John Farley serves as VP, Cyber Risk Practice Leader – Risk Services Division at HUB International. With 25 years of experience, he has provided a variety of cyber risk consulting services for business clients across many industries.

Arturo Perez-Reyes
Arturo Perez-Reyes serves as SVP, Cyber Technology Leader – San Francisco at HUB International. Arturo has over 18 years of cyber insurance and consulting experience.

IGDA Relaunches with New Member Benefits

Three New Elected Board Members Announced

BOSTON – March 22, 2018 – The International Game Developers Association (IGDA) today announced a relaunch with a new mission statement and changes to its member benefits, as well as the newest additions to the board of directors.

The new mission statement of the largest organization in the world serving people who make games proclaims the “IGDA supports and empowers game developers around the world in achieving fulfilling and sustainable careers.”

“The shape of game development has changed since the IGDA was founded 24 years ago. It’s the easiest it’s ever been to become a game developer, but conversely harder than ever to succeed as one,” said Jen MacLean, executive director, IGDA. “Consequently, we’re losing talent. This impacts both the short- and long-term successes of individuals and studios throughout our industry. We need to actively support our small and medium-sized studios and the people who work for them because they become the Blizzards, Valves and Bethesdas of the future.”

Effective starting March 22, IGDA members will have access to a host of new benefits including professional education partnerships, increased support for new and existing IGDA chapters and special interest groups, expanded research including a new developer survey and partnerships with organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League to support diverse communities of game developers and players. The IGDA will also be launching an Expert Resource Library later this year, populated with articles and videos from industry veterans to help game developers at all stages of their careers.

Joining the board of directors are Hans ten Cate, a 15-year industry veteran who has worked on titles including The Sims and Dante’s Inferno; Bernard Yee, executive producer and TPM at Oculus, with experience at studios including PopCap, Bungie, Harmonix, Atari, Disney Interactive and Sony Online Entertainment; and Christopher Hamilton, a producer at Rovio Entertainment with prior experience at NGOs in the US, Russia, and Europe.

As part of its ongoing efforts to recognize organizations making great contributions to the game development community, the IGDA is honoring Global Game Jam, the world’s largest game jam event taking place at physical locations, with its 2018 Positive Impact Award.

Since its inception in 2009, Global Game Jam has expanded from having 1,650 participants make 370 games at 53 sites in 23 countries to having more than 42,000 participants create over 8,600 games at 803 locations in 108 countries. The largest single Global Game Jam site in 2018’s event was in Cairo, Egypt, with more than 2,000 participants.

For more information, please visit the IGDA website.

Assets

      Christopher Hamilton                      Hans Ten Cate                           Bernard Yee 

About the International Game Developers Association (IGDA)

Now in its 24th year, the International Game Developers Association is the largest non-profit membership organization serving individuals who create games. The association exists to support and empower game developers around the world in achieving fulfilling and sustainable careers by connecting members with their peers, promoting professional development, and advocating on issues that affect the developer community.

For more information, visit the official website or follow the IGDA on Twitter and Facebook.

Media Contacts

Lena LeRay / Robert Brown

Stride PR for IGDA

lena@stridepr.com / robert@stridepr.com