———-
From: "Rasheeqa Ahmad" <rasheeqa@broadway.org.uk>
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 2004 13:13:46 -0000
To: <rasheeqa@broadway.org.uk>
Subject: FW: [Digiplay] Women in Games conference in UK



—–Original Message—–
From: Aleks Krotoski [mailto:akrotoski@yahoo.com]
Sent: 02 March 2004 09:37
To: digiplay@topica.com
Subject: [Digiplay] Women in Games conference in UK

Hi there,

Sorry for the cross-posting, but this is great news.

A Women in Games Conference is being held at the
University of Portsmouth, UK on 10th and 11th June.
Click on the link and the release below, and tell all
your UK and European-based friends to come along (as
well as anyone else with access to a plane ticket)!
This is a first-of-a-kind event and is not to be
missed.

Aleks

Beyond the Sims and Barbie Magic Hair Styler!

At last: a conference for women who work in the games
industry! Still in a minority, there is a great need
for women to work in the games industry. A recent poll
by the Entertainment Software Association found that
more women were playing games than teenage boys (26%
women 18+, 21% boys 6 to 17).

On the 10th and 11th June 2004 the Department of
Creative Technologies at the University of Portsmouth
is holding a Women in Games Conference.

The conference is billed as 'Two days of empowerment
for women working in the games industry' and offers
important continuing professional development. This is
believed to be the first conference of its kind
anywhere in the world.

The full roster of speakers is not finalised yet, but
already Sheri Graner-Ray from Sony Online
Entertainment in Texas, the author of 'Gender
Inclusive Game Design', Helen Kennedy from the Play
Research Group at the University of the West of
England and Aleksandra Krotoski, presenter of Thumb
Bandits and Bits on Channel 4, who is researching into
games for her PhD at the University of Surrey, have
agreed to talk at the conference. Karl Jeffery, the
CEO of Climax, Europe's biggest independent game
developer, is giving an opening address and Tara
Solesbury from Wired Sussex is talking about her Game
Girl initiative, aimed at attracting girls to the
games industry.

There are both lectures and breakout sessions to give
attendees the opportunity to analyse the role of women
in the games industry and discuss the future of games
that appeal to female gamers. The event also promises
to be a great place for networking with a 'networking
meal' at a local restaurant on the Thursday night.

The Women in Games Conference is a unique opportunity
for reflecting on games and the games industry from a
feminine perspective.

For more information talk to Mark Eyles
(mark.eyles@port.ac.uk) or visit www.womeningames.com