There are plenty of men in gaming who are always featured in discussions about the industry, but there are thousands of women across every studio who deserve just as much credit. So, this International Women’s Day, we’re going to celebrate five women (and one non-binary person) who have done great things in the gaming industry over the past year.
Ayako Furukawa
There were a whole host of visually stunning games in 2022, and one that cannot be overlooked is Triangle Strategy. Using the visual style commonly referred to as “HD-2D” that was popularised by Octopath Traveler, the lands of Norzelia were a sight to behold. Be it the detailed landscapes and battlefields, or the expressive character sprites, Furukawa’s work on Triangle Strategy shaped it into the best showcase of the HD-2D style to date.
Roberta Williams
If you don’t already know who Roberta Williams is, you should, as she was there when this gigantic industry began and shaped the direction it took. She wrote and designed games like Mystery House, Phantasmagoria, and King’s Quest over the years, all classics in their own right. She retired after selling Sierra Online and sailed the world, but she recently decided to recreate one of the first games she ever worked on, Colossal Cave, and we hope she does more work like this in the years to come.
Yuri Stern & Barbara Wittmann
You can’t talk about indie hits of 2022 without mentioning Signalis. This 2D survival horror game had a thrilling gameplay loop and engaging mystery – and it was the brainchild of just two people. This game was designed, directed, drawn, written, and programmed entirely by Stern & Wittman, bringing this fantastic game together. On top of that, it features a wonderfully touching story of a lesbian couple who fight to stay true to themselves – what’s not to love?
Manon Gage
Immortality was one of the most innovative games of last year. In it, you had to solve the mystery of a missing actor, Marissa Marcel, by watching clips from three films she’s starred in and investigating points of interest. Manon Gage played the part of Marcel in this game, which is a complex role. The lines of reality and fiction blurred with this performance as Gage had to play an actor with troubles and secrets beneath the surface – all while playing three different characters for the in-universe films. There are so many layers to it and Gage captures them all in her performance beautifully.
Mari Shimazaki
Shimazaki has had many major roles over the years as a character artist – most prominently for the Soul Calibur and Bayonetta series. Bayonetta 3 was one of 2022’s biggest releases, and Shimazaki’s work shines through as bright as always. Bayonetta herself is one of the best female characters in all of gaming, and Shimazaki presented over 100 potential designs for the character when first designing her. Every design in the game is stuffed with important details, including easter eggs that only the most dedicated of fans would notice.
Written by Georgina Young and Ryan Woodrow on behalf of GLHF.
