Videogames fair kicks off with biggest female presence ever

Gamelab 2018 is underway. For two days, the Catalan capital becomes a hub for all things gaming, bringing together some of the most influential names in the industry, including David Jones, the creator of old-skool classic Lemmings, and the original Grand Theft Auto.

And this year’s edition, there has been a noticeable difference. “We have a feminine Gamelab,” explained co-founder Gonzo Suárez. “We have the big female international creative figures in the world of videogames.”

One of these creators is Amy Hennig, the mastermind behind Unchartered. In fact, at this Gamelab, 40% of the speakers taking part are women, making it the edition with the biggest female presence to date. According to Suárez, this was not “on purpose.”

More women in industry

The founder of Platonic Games, Valeria Castro, explained how she hoped it was no coincidence. “Luckily there are more and more women developing, more women publishing, more women doing business, and more women in all of the sector,” she said.  

Castro has been coming to Gameslab for ten years. According to her, the growth in femal presence is “something that has been evolving little by little.” Her company Platonic Games makes simple games for mobiles, based on the aesthetic of being “cute.” She is presenting the company’s latest creation Sailor Cats at the event.

Other big names to watch out for include Shawn Layden, head of software development at Playstation, Daryl Holt, vice-president of EA studios, and Todd Howard, the designer behind modern narrative classics Fallout and Skyrim.