Legends of Gaming: Women in the Industry

Those who are interested in the history of the video games industry may recognize the likes of gaming pioneers Shigeru Miyamoto, Will Wright or Ralph Baer, but too few people realize women were another force in bringing the multi-billion-dollar industry to its current social prominence.

Every demographic study and survey report reveals that women make up half of gaming consumers but only less than a quarter of gaming developers, meaning the time to critically analyze this mega industry in regard to female representation is long past due.

This list features ten significant women, of the past and present, who have made a difference in the gaming industry.

Anita Sarkeesian: Founder of Feminist Frequency, Sarkeesian has been the target of numerous threats of death, rape and other horrors because of her “Tropes Vs. Women In Video Games” videos in which she analyzes the portrayal of women as characters in games. The implications of her work are essential for the maturation of gaming as a pop culture industry. Gaming will live or die as a business based on the people that buy them; a lot of those people are women.

Roberta Williams: Co-founder of Sierra Entertainment and famous for “King’s Quest,” she is credited with revolutionizing stories for that medium in its early days. Back in 1979, Williams and her husband formulated ideas for “Mystery House,” which pioneered actual graphics in computer adventure games. Before Williams, adventure games were typically played as text based simulations devoid of any graphical images. She figured players would enjoy simulated images that would help with immersion. She was right and ended up changing adventure games forever.

Zoë Quinn: An independent developer, Quinn is known for her game “Depression Quest.” It was received generally well, but it ignited the same internet outrage aimed at Anita Sarkeesian. Quinn was accused of attaining positive coverage for an affair with a journalist, which was false. Quinn has aided and created support groups against online harassment ever since and has appeared before congress on the same issue that people, especially women, face on a daily basis.

Amy Hennig: The hit series “Uncharted” is one of Sony’s numerous treasures. Behind main character Nathan Drake’s signature half tuck shirt and necklace ring is the brilliant mind of Amy Hennig. Before the “Uncharted” trilogy, Hennig was known for directing the “Legacy of Kain” games, another franchise known for its compelling narrative. Currently, she’s directing Visceral Games’ “Star Wars” project, meaning no matter where she goes she will always be telling grand stories for giant games and bringing in serious bank to back it up.

Jade Raymond: In a way, Raymond accomplished what most college computer nerds dreams of. She attained her bachelor’s degree in computer science and went on to produce blockbuster franchises for industry giants like Electronic Arts and Ubisoft. With heavy hitters like “Assassin’s Creed,” “Watch Dogs” and “Splinter Cell” under her belt, it’s no surprise that she currently heads her own company Motive Studios. Under the EA umbrella, her studio will help generate new properties. For now, she’s backing up Amy Hennig on that “Star Wars” game. Talk about a dream team.

Pauline Jacquey: Managing director of Ubisoft Reflections, she has worked across several Ubisoft offices around the globe including in China, India, France, Canada and now the U.K. Since 1997, she has worked on mega successes like Rayman, Ghost Recon and Just Dance. At over 50 million units, the Just Dance franchise alone has significantly outsold the likes of major blockbusters such as Call of Duty and most Grand Theft Auto games. Ubisoft Reflections is currently co-developing Tom Clancy’s The Division, a new franchise positioned to be the next big name in the industry.

Cathy Preston: Magazines are a relic. Gone are the days of waiting every month for the latest issues of GamePro, Electronic Gaming Monthly or Nintendo Power. Still, Game Informer remains the fourth largest circulating magazine in America thanks to the likes of Cathy Preston and its over seven million paid subscribers. She has been the publisher since 2000 and has helped in making Game Informer not only one of the top magazines in the country, but also the number one digital magazine in the world.

Bonnie Ross: Halo 5 released in October and Bonnie Ross is one key person in Halo’s continued success. Microsoft was almost ready to end Halo but changed its mind once Bonnie Ross decided to helm at 343 Industries. By her own comparison, Bonnie Ross is to Halo what George Lucas is to Star Wars (in the good way). Halo branched out into other mediums as well. It’s now a TV show, a hit serial podcast and it continues to be a successful novel series.

Siobhan Reddy: Studio director, at Sony’s Media Molecule, Siobhan Reddy strives to make games fun and inclusive for both the player and developer. The critically acclaimed LittleBigPlanet series has sold over a dozen million units and Reddy’s team made sure to feature male and female playable characters. This way, she hopes to inspire women everywhere to get into game development and create experiences like no other medium could. Reddy Media Molecule is currently working on their PS4 title Dreams.

Rhianna Pratchett: Tomb Raider dug itself out of the late 1990s and managed to be relevant again with the help of its lead writer Rhianna Pratchett. She was named one of the top 100 women in the U.K. games industry and has written strong female lead characters in other hit games like Mirror’s Edge and Heavenly Sword in addition to writing other games such as Prince of Persia. She reprised her role as writer for Rise of the Tomb Raider, the sequel to the mega successful 2013 reboot.