Upcoming programs & News

Meet our GDC Scholarship Cohort!

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Contribute directly towards an equitable & diverse games industry by supporting our internationally recognized scholarship program.

PREVIOUS NEWS & EVENTS

Pixelles Make Games Showcase

EVENT COMPLETE

Workshop:
How to Get Started on a Cultural Game

EVENT COMPLETE

Pixelles Game Incubator 10 Year Reunion 🎉

EVENT COMPLETE

Pixelles Make Games Program

APPLICATIONS CLOSED

Workshop:
Game Dev Mom Micro Talks

The Montreal Game Writing Program returns!

Applications Closed

Fireside Chat:
Indigeneity in Games

Pixelles Ensemble at GDC25

Meet our cohort & sponsors!

We're returning to GDC with our scholarship program, Pixelles Ensemble! Through this scholarship, we provide a GDC pass and need-based travel funds, and host events to assist the Ensemble members in feeling welcome, safe, and empowered to pursue their professional goals. For many, attending this conference is an inspiration and a career highlight.Providing opportunities like this to marginalized developers directly improves the games industry and surrounding culture for years to come, by not only increasing the diversity of those who benefit from GDC, but improving GDC itself with their presence and experiences.This year, Pixelles Ensemble cohort comprises of experienced developers, from historically excluded genders, who are studio founders and grassroots / community organizers. Many of these developers have never had the chance to attend GDC. We’re honoured to assist them in achieving this career milestone with the help of our sponsors.

Our Sponsors

Without your generosity, many of these talented game developers would not be able to attend GDC. Thank you for your support and commitment to empowering a more diverse industry.

Meet Our Cohort

Jaclyn Seto

Writer @ Respawn Entertainment

I'm a Chinese-Canadian writer with a passion for creating authentic diverse stories and characters. I always enjoy working with other disciplines within the industry to deliver narrative through something new, innovative, and fun. When I'm not obsessing over character arcs, you'll find me cuddling with my dog, trying out a new recipe, or curled up on the couch with a controller in my hands.I'm looking forward to attending narrative design talks, meeting fellow developers, and learning more about disciplines outside of narrative.

Ashley "Ash" Poprik

Game Writer

Ashley "Ash" Poprik is a video game writer residing in Los Angeles, California. Her titles include Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Marvel's Spider-Man 2. Ashley values creating narratives that reflect human experiences that audiences can resonate with and learn from.I look forward to meeting with game developers in-person who have inspired me to push the envelope in the games industry!

Kay-Lynne Fehr

Community Manager @ Noodlecake

I'm really passionate about fostering a safe and welcoming environment for our players to interact with each other in positive ways. I'm a champion for diversity in gaming, and believe that everyone should feel represented in their favourite games. When I'm not working in video games or playing video games, I'm thinking about video games! I'm a lover of all things cozy, but I love a good rogue-like too. I promise I have other hobbies though, among them being gardening, reading and crafting. I'm a grandma in a 28 year old's body!This is my second time at GDC, and I look forward to meeting so many cool new people again and making some meaningful connections! I felt so inspired after my first year attending GDC, I'm so happy to keep the momentum going!

Ashley Cooper

Senior Writer @ Motive Studio

I write games and I love what I do so much. I've worked across indie and AAA including everything from RuPaul's Drag Race: Superstar to Jurassic Park: Survival. I'm currently working on Iron Man, which would make 12-year old me lose her mind. Video games are for everyone and representation matters!At GDC this year, I'm excited to meet new people, catch up with old friends, and watch talks that make me think differently about game narrative!

Meha Murthy

Game Designer @ Bad Robot Games and Indie Game Developer

I'm Meha, a game designer. I got my start in college directing "Larger than Light" with 20 others. I then worked at Toys for Bob Activision, handling all aspects of design. After mass layoffs in 2024, I joined Bad Robot Games as a Level Designer on their first major project.I've gone to GDC for the past 5 years, and my main goal is to make lasting connections. I also want to pitch and talk about the indie project I'm working on, as I have the eventual goal of getting it published.

Whitney Beltrán

Narrative Designer and Writer

Whitney is a multiple award-winning narrative designer and writer for games who has worked on various IPs such as Dungeons & Dragons, Warhammer, and Battletech. She's best known for her moving work in Bluebeard's Bride and HoloVista.I'm looking forward to connecting with industry friends and discussing the future of games.

Kaelan Doyle-Myerscough (they/he)

Freelance Narrative Designer

I'm a transmasc gamemaker & PhD Candidate in Media Studies at the University of Chicago, where I'm researching games as fictional worldbuilding methods. I'm the lead organizer for the Queerness and Games Conference (QGCon), which is happening this September in Montreal (you should apply!). Finally, I'm the art/narrative/design half of Never Done Games, a nascent studio working on our first commercial project.Looking forward to seeing old friends, building international solidarity with queer & trans people in games, and getting the word out about QGCon!

Megan Ginter

Co-Founder @ Dead Possum Games

Hi, I'm Megan, a San Francisco-based game designer and studio co-founder. I’ve been working in the industry since 2007, first as a producer and later as a game designer. Some of the titles I’ve worked on include a superhero MMO, The Sims 3 and The Sims 4, and Star Wars VR games. I recently cofounded Dead Possum Games, an indie studio focused on horror titles, and our first game, Tales of the Forgotten, is launching soon. In my free time, I like swing dancing, playing with dogs, and acting.I'm excited to go to game design and Indie games development talks, and meeting up with old friends!

Amelia Wales

Senior Producer @ Sprung Studios; Treasurer @ Full Indie Summit

Hi, I'm Amelia, an Australian dev currently living and working in Vancouver, BC. I work closely with UX/UI design and implementation as Senior Producer at Sprung Studios, and am also an organiser of the Full Indie Summit (an indie-dev focused developer conference) since 2019. Outside of work, I play beer league ice hockey, run a Dungeons and Dragons campaign, and spoil my extremely fluffy cat.Looking forward to hearing perspectives from other mid-career producers, learning from the problem solving methods of others, and broadening my skill set as an effective and empathetic manager for my team.

Tristan J. Tarwater

Writer, Producer, Narrative Designer, Game Dev

I'm a Portland, OR based writer, producer and narrative designer. While I'm new to the games industry, I've been working in various creative fields for over a decade, writing novels, comics and TTRPG content. Outside of work, I enjoy eating good food, karaoke and teaching ESOL to adult learners.I've never been to GDC before so I'm looking forward to attending and seeing what it's all about. I'm also looking forward to meeting people I've worked with in real life.

Carmen

Freelance Senior Lighting Artist

Hi, I’m a real-time lighting artist based in London with a big passion for video game cinematography. My career journey has taken me through AAA studios such as Blizzard Entertainment and Playground Games before deciding to go freelance. Right now, I’m lighting up the world of the ARPG No Rest for the Wicked.Outside of work, I co-organize the German FemDevs meetup, a welcoming community for women in game development. I can’t wait to dive into all the art direction talks and connect with other gamedevs.

Nikki A.

Game Designer & Creative Director/Founder @ Dark Nyx Studio

I’m a recent USC graduate and game designer, founder of Dark Nyx Studio (est. Sept 2024), where we’re crafting the indie horror game Jizo no Akumu. I’ve contributed to titles like Insomniac’s Spider-Man 2 and various indie projects. Outside of making video games I love anime, video games, and comics.I’m most looking forward to attending GDC talks to gain insights in game design, as well as networking with industry professionals to share ideas and build connections that can inspire and elevate my work.

Carina Kom (she/her/car2n)

Co-founder & CPO at Simply Sweet Games

Carina Kom is the co-founder and Chief Product Officer at Simply Sweet Games, with 17+ years in indie and AAA game development. A video game director, producer, and industry advocate, she’s worked with EA, Microsoft, and Unity. Passionate about inclusivity, she also volunteers, drinks tea, sips rum, walks with her dog, and visits her grandma on weekends.For me, GDC is the chance to pitch our vision and showcase what truly gives us leverage in a shifting industry. Our business model is built on inclusivity—not just as a value, but as a competitive advantage rooted in tech. With a $30B opportunity ahead, we’re here to prove that inclusive, premium games aren’t just the right thing to do—they’re the smart bet.

Vicky Bilbily

Programmer, Learning Experience Designer @ Creatubbles

Vicky is a Montréal-based designer/developer. Her background spans a Bachelors in Software Engineering, a Masters in Human-Computer Interaction, and several years as a Game Programmer. Now at Creatubbles, she explores the intersection of video games and education, developing interactive learning experiences for kids through the educational sandbox game SuperCode.For my first time at GDC, I'm excited to go to tons of talks and make new connections!

Amila Nuhodzic

Producer @ Moon Candy

I'm collaborative and empathetic digital producer with a background in UI/UX design. I have a deep interest in accessibility, inclusive design, and project management.I'm most looking forward to catching up with game dev friends & acquaintances and learning from others! I view GDC as as a time/place to gain knowledge so it's nice to have intentional, focused time to do that.

Ren

Narrative Designer, Writer and Game Designer @ Schell Games

Ren is a non-binary game developer with 4+ years of industry experience. A jack of all trades, they have a programming background, working fulltime as a game designer, and creating indie games as a narrative designer and writer. They are also an avid horror watcher, occasional cosplayer, and terrible painter.

Maria Vasilchikova

Associate Producer at Lightspeed LA

I am a game producer and creative located in Los Angeles. I believe that great games come from great diverse teams, and I’m dedicated to fostering a positive studio culture where creativity and innovation can flourish!I'm looking forward to meeting friends old and new; attending talks on the cutting edge of game development, and network!

Chel Wong

Video Game Composer

Chel Wong is an award winning freelance video game composer known for her work on Whisker Squadron: Survivor, Kine, and OnlyCans. She's also a professor at Northeastern University and runs a charity album for Able Gamers. She's an advocate for queer, POC, and disability rights. Outside of working games, she likes to play fighting games, flip butterfly knives, and eat bread.I'm really excited to catch up with friends, network, and hopefully karaoke!

Giselle

Game Writer and Narrative Designer

Hi, I'm Giselle! I have over 6 years of experience designing puzzles and writing stories for video games. You probably know me best from my work on Life Is Strange: Double Exposure. When I'm not playing or making games, you can probably find me singing karaoke, obsessing over DnD actual plays, or doing advocacy work.I haven't been to GDC since before Covid, so I'm excited to get together with industry friends in person again and make new connections!

Sandra Honigman

Product Manager @ NYT Games

Hello! I have worked in games for 8 years. Currently I'm a product manager bringing new games to the NYT Games (like Strands!). Previously, I was a game designer at Dots where I worked on Two Dots, Dots & Co, and Garden Tails. I'm Queens, NY based and have a dog named Jojo!I'm excited to meet new people from all kinds of backgrounds and expand my games-friendships! Plus all the great talks given by industry experts. It'll be fun.

Elizabeth Ballou

Writer, Candywriter

Elizabeth is a dual-wielding games writer and narrative designer currently creating zany, procedurally-generated adventures on BitLife. Previous titles she's worked on include Wylde Flowers, Life is Strange: Double Exposure, and educational games for the Dove Self-Esteem Project and the American Museum of Natural History. She's also a games educator, previously at NYU and Parsons School of Design and, these days, at Indiana University.I'm looking forward to bubble tea, hangouts in Yerba Buena Gardens, narrative design talks, and meeting new industry friends!

Karen Johana

Freelance 3D Prop and Environment Artist

Hey y'all! I'm a 3D artist with a background in animation/VFX production pipelines now making my way into games. I have over 3+ years experience in modeling professionally. I my free time I volunteer at the Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project in San Francisco and watch sci-fi films.This is going to be my very first GDC so I'm super excited to simply take it all in and maybe make a few friends!

Iris Xie

Iris Xie (they/them/theirs) is a disabled, neurodivergent, queer trans nonbinary 2nd generation Chinese American multi-discipline writer, artist, and game designer from the Bay Area. Iris is a Design MFA graduate at the University of California, Davis. Iris also graduated with a double B.A. in Gender, Sexuality, Women's Studies and English from the University of California, Davis. Iris designs interactive installations that include tabletop rpg mechanics, literary forms of lyric games and visual poetry and stim objects that explore neurodivergence and invisible disabilities through the framework of crip technoscience. Their knowing-making practice centers on finding rest and self-trust while traversing liminality through discovering their political identities as a disabled queer trans person of color

Henriette Myrlund

Game Director / Producer @ Seagulls

Hi! I’m Henriette from northern Norway. I’ve worked in games since 2010 and now co-founded Seagulls, our own remote studio, where we’re developing Tealings, a cozy pet sim and management game. I started at EA Playfish, once organized a traveling game jam on a cruise ship called SPLASH, and now also consult on game funding, stream on Twitch, and handle marketing for a music festival.I look forward to catching up with old friends and meeting new people, as well as the huge inspiration boost from going to talks!

Pixelles Coordinators

Elaine Gusella

Game & Marketing Director @ Artifact 5

Elaine is a Game Designer and Community Organizer based in Montreal. She has worked as a game design & marketing strategist with multiple indie game studios and organizations, and spearheaded community projects, including game jams, consumer events, and mentoring programs. Her personal projects delve into life-size installations and creating hybrid experiences between the digital and physical worlds. She is also the proud mom of two amazing girls.I am looking forward to meeting and catching up with game dev friends.

Maude Roussin

Level designer at EA Motive

Maude is a level designer for EA Motive, where she has been working for almost six years now. Prior to that, she has been studying in multiple fields such as cinema, communication and game design. She has been involved with Pixelles for a few years now as a coordinator for the Make Games program. She is also a former participant of the program herself, where she created her first game and discovered that she was truly passionate about game development.I can't wait to attend all the level design talks, and to meet the participants from this year's edition of the Ensemble!