kate-edwards
Latest
IGDA considering support groups for harassed developers
The International Game Developers Association is considering providing support groups for developers concerning the harassment they receive from their fans, Polygon's report on harassment in the industry revealed this week. IGDA Executive Director Kate Edwards said the harassment is "getting to a point where we're thinking, 'Yeah, it's becoming something we're going to need to talk about. It might be time to consider doing a more explicit support group or mechanism to help people who are dealing with this sort of thing." Edwards suggested the potential impact of the harassment could silence and hinder "content creators in ways that protect the interests of certain fan groups, which again is no justification for the kinds of abusive behavior and language seen online today."
IGDA defines new rules for future industry parties after GDC 'mistake'
During the week of GDC, the International Game Developers Association threw a party that featured underdressed, dancing women as part of the entertainment, prompting two IGDA members to resign and Executive Director Kate Edwards to issue a statement of regret.Today, Edwards defined a new set of regulations for future IGDA gatherings, starting with the goal to cut back on "parties" and instead offer more "networking events.""Building a community and providing networking opportunities are part of our core mission, and we want to create activities that provide that opportunity, and to do that in a way that will be appropriate and enjoyable for everyone," Edwards wrote.If a specific IGDA chapter wishes to throw a party, it may, but the organization still expects "chapters to uphold the IGDA's values of inclusion and diversity, regardless of the type of event and locale." Edwards said the IGDA will be vigilant when dealing with partners in the future, to provide "comprehensive oversight" of the entire event: The dancing women at this year's GDC party were courtesy of party sponsor YetiZen, which said it hired "avid gamers, who happened to be models." YetiZen said the IGDA approved all aspects of the party, including the dancers.Edwards outlined a set of actions for IGDA members to uphold while at other industry events, including a "walk out and talk out" policy for any party with content "contrary to the IGDA ideals, regardless of the potential value of being present.""Our humanity makes us prone to mistakes, but that does not diminish our resolve to be a force of change," Edwards concludes. "I hope the IGDA membership will rise to the challenge, and keep working together to help our industry reflect the reality of our diversity, whether it's at events, in the workplace or in the games we create." Read her full missive here.
IGDA increasing profile, plans on posting special interest group position papers
The International Game Developers Association (IGDA) will soon have its special interest groups post position papers on various topics impacting the industry, creating a more transparent sense of the organization. New IGDA Executive Director Kate Edwards told us today that she's aware of the organization's lack of profile outside of the development community, and would like to see it be an organization."We have our special interest groups in the IGDA who represent different topical areas like women in games, diversity, anti-censorship committee," said Edwards, listing several more groups. "For every one of these topics that makes sense to do so, we're going to have position statements on these issues. Basically, have something more overt out there, like: 'What does the IGDA think about sexism in the industry?'"The IGDA will also have speakers on each of these topics. Edwards continued, "Every one of these major topics we will have position statements, we will have information on the website."Asked if the IGDA was turning into a lobbying group for developers (like the ESA is for publishers), Edwards clarified it's not a lobbying group, but they see their "lobbying" as empowering individual members to speak up on the behalf of the development community. So when legislators try to enact unfair laws, the community reacts.The IGDA won't get involved in the drama du jour, but according to Edwards, "Obviously, when big issues like SOPA come along, we'll be very vocal about it."
Kate Edwards named IGDA's new executive director
Gordon Bellamy stepped down as the director of the Interational Game Developers' Association last July, and the organization has finally named his successor. Kate Edwards will serve as the group's new executive director, after being an IGDA member for 16 years, and founding and chairing the IGDA's Localization Special Interest Group.Global cultural strategy is Edwards' specialty: She worked for Microsoft as a geopolitical strategist in the '90s, and more recently worked at her own company, Englobe, since 2005. In addition to her other experience with the IGDA, Edwards also helped co-organize the Game Developers' Conference Localization Summit. The IGDA's chairman, Dustin Clingman, says he hopes Edwards will use her talents to help the group "lay a foundation for ongoing international growth."
