I was a concept artist for “Drawn to Death” and “Cards and Castles” before pausing for family. It’s very pleasing to see when an art style and story compliment each other so much they become near inseparable.

“The majority of the Game Narrative Summit, as well as the VFX roundtable …and meeting up with the kids who started me out in my career.”

I am a game designer who has been with Disney for the last 5 years. I’ve worked primarily on virtual worlds for kids – such as Pixie Hollow and Club Penguin – but have since moved into casual mobile gaming. My passion lies with creating and balancing systems, although one day I would also like to make horror games.

“I am most looking forward to connecting with and learning from incredible designers whose work I greatly admire.”

I have always had a passion for stories and I know that video games are one of the best ways to have them told. I believe the best games are the ones that combine narrative and mechanics together, and I want to one day be a part of a development team that can blend the two together as close to perfectly as possible.

“I am most looking forward to meeting people within the industry, seeing how the games industry is changing and developing, and learning more about how I can contribute to and benefit from the industry as an individual. I’m also looking forward to spending time with the excellent folk from Pixelles! They’ve provided me with a great opportunity and I couldn’t be more excited to go to GDC with them.”

Dina is a Lebanese game artist and narrative designer fluent in Arabic, French, English and Japanese. No stranger to travel, she has lived, studied and worked in cities from Beirut to Paris to Oslo to Koln to Osaka on mobile and console titles alike. She is currently working on two autobiographical games set to release mid-2016.

“I’m looking forward to picking more panels than I’ll ever be able to attend, meeting other women in the industry and eating every variation on a burrito SF can throw at me.”

“I can’t wait to see the panels about gender, identity and diversity in games – also “Thinking and writing in different languages”.

It will be a great opportunity to learn how I can translate games in a better way!”

Arts student by day, game writer by night; I’m a Kiwi with a strong interest in narrative-focused games. I’m currently finishing work on a queer-historical-fantasy visual novel called Inverness Nights, and beginning work on a Masters’ thesis on creating history in game cities.

“Listening to the talks in the narrative summit”

Nicole is a storyteller, game maker, and dreamer with a deep interest in emergent narratives and other experimental forms of storytelling. She loves using games to explore the way we learn, play, and interact with our environments.

“Talks. Meeting other awesome game devs. Horchatas.”

I live and work as an animator in Montreal. I am making a kids game about geometry at the moment.

“Meeting people and going to the lectures”

I have a background in games research, looking at identity intersections in mmorpgs and other games from a philosophical perspective. I’m really interested in games (or subversive uses of games) that serve femme interests, and creating femme games either as an escape from white supremacist heteropatriarchy, or a subversion of it. I am also interested in design choices that make games accessible to a wider variety of people. When I am not writing or working on games, I work as a personal chef and I rescue/foster kitties. I also like outdoorsy things, reading excessively, and playing dungeons and dragons!

“At GDC this year I am most looking forward to networking with like-minded game devs and community organizers to learn everything I can from everyone.”

The driving force behind Intropy Games, Lisa has worked in a software development for over ten years. Armed with a degree in computer science and design, she has the perfect combination to bring digital works of art to life. She founded Intropy Games to make super cute games that tug on your heartstrings, including Usagi-chan Bunny Treats on iOS which garnered over 350,000 downloads and Astral Breakers on Wii U and Steam.

“GDC is a great time to connect with people you would otherwise never see in person in the gaming industry, share ideas and knowledge, and generally be inspired by all the new happenings surrounding gaming.”

I’m a game developer and designer, currently working on freelance projects, mostly developing in Unity3D. I have dozens of game ideas I’d love to implement, and I work on those when I have time. I published a physical card game called Fireside Tales (you can find a link on my website)! In my spare time I enjoy playing board games with friends, watching disaster movies, and working on improving myself in every aspect.

“Meeting lots of cool people, gaining a better understanding of the game industry, game design panels, and being open to opportunities that come up!”

I am a visual development and concept artist based in Toronto. I’m also the creator of #PROJECTSOLACE – the graphic novel, and I’m also a member of Dames Making Games, and the Hand Eye Society where I’m helping run Comics VS Games this year.

“I always look forward to the art talks to see how people manage similar problems to me.”

Frenglish quirky multipotentialite, usually making too much puns in her work for animated movies and series, French TV shows, children books… and games. I’ve been wandering in the industry for a while, working for big and small studios as a writer or a translator.

“All the talks about game writing and indie gaming look really amazing. I can’t wait to mingle with so many talented and inspiring people.”

Hope Erin Phillips is an artist/game maker, with a broad interest in play as a vehicle for therapy, healing, and community building, whose work often orbits around their experiences as a gender nonconforming queer and/or facilitating platforms of expression of others’ parallel and varying experiences.

“California sunshine. ; )”

Aline is a programmer, and a game developer. She graduated with a degree in Computer Science, and a specialization in computer games from Concordia University in 2014. Currently, she is working as a programmer at Ubisoft Montreal. In her spare time, she enjoys music, and playing games.

“I am most looking forward to attending programming, and visual arts talks, and the experimental gameplay workshop”

Amanda is interested in storytelling through games and interactive art about topics that are relevant and mindful in today’s world. She was also part of Critical Hit 2015, where she made the (un)done, a non-linear narrative game which was showcased at GamePlay Space in Montreal.

“At GDC she is looking forward to attending multiple talks and panels, and meeting people who are also interested in the similar types of games as she is.”

Rachél is a web programmer by day and a game designer by night. She is a programmer focused on intertwining interactive experiences with responsive and efficient design. She aims to design games with the capacity to tell stories through gameplay that continue to push boundaries of how we perceive the capabilities of the medium. She also co-founded and co-hosts a monthly podcast called Games, Seriously. Aside from building all the things, Rachél spends a portion of her time teaching game programming as an after school teacher and with the Code Liberation Foundation.

“I’m looking forward to ping ponging between sessions in the narrative, design and programming summits. There so much to earn and not enough hours in the day. ”

Hey! I’m Virginie Lesiège, a 25 years old student at University of Montreal. I’ve got a BAC in Films Studies and Literature and a Certificate in Communication. I’ve almost finished my DESS in Game Design and hope to start working in the game industry next year. I would like to be a narrative Game Designer or to work like a community manager.

“GDC is an awesome opportunity to meet people in the Game Industry, to know more about them, games and the careers. I’m really looking forward to attend the conferences and to discuss them with people of all around the world.”

I am an Iranian-Canadian artist and live-streamer interested in creating games and feminist spaces. My work is influenced by a passion for socioeconomique critique, the importance of representation and non-appropriate practices, activism, and community building. Also, lots and lots of animals!

“I think what I’m most looking forward to at GDC is meeting like-minded creators and attending talks on advocacy, design, and visual arts – many of which are being given by people who inspire me. I think GDC provides an opportunity for people that are in the margins of games and technology to meet one another as well as participate with a larger community. I’m also looking forward to writing about my time at GDC and if I am lucky, I hope to work on making a small game with some of the amazing people I’m traveling with.”

Valérie has a background in cinema. After being a high school teacher, a teacher assistant at Concordia and a waitress, she started working in the game industry. For the last three years, she’s been learning how to make game from a coordinator point of view and the medium grew on her. Being a really creative persone she’s now ready to make her own. An indie artsy one.

“I’m really excited by the diversity talks as well as everything that’s linked to design, game design, narrative and management. And the people!!!”

Currently excited to be working on Planet Coaster – a theme park game in the spirit of the best games of the 90s. Previously Senior UI Designer on Elite: Dangerous, I love anything to do with UI or UX.

“I’m very interested to learn how other developers have been tackling virtual reality interfaces – it’s a new frontier of UI design.”

When I discovered communication, as a real job, in the university, I immediately knew that this would be my future work. I like to meet new people, work in a team, exchange ideas and experience… Today, I combine this passion with another: video games. Participate in the creation of fun and pleasant experiences is priceless!

“The GDC will be the perfect occasion to meet people all around the world, exchange on what we are doing, what we could do together to help each other or to change the world, exchange contacts, listen to great lecturers… And also introduce my game to other developers, gather feedbacks and advices. I can’t wait!”

I started playing video games when I was three years old, and it’s been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember. My all-time favorite games are Baldur’s Gate 2, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and Morrowind, though I also really enjoy FPS and RTS games. In university, I switched to a Computer Science program specifically to go into game development and I’ve now been working at Ubisoft Montréal for almost 4 years. I’ve had the pleasure of working on the AI of Rainbow Six, the UI of Child of Light, and the Gameplay of For Honor. I’m also a kick-ass swordfighter by the way.

“I am most looking forward to going to all the talks about game design and programming!”

♥

Hi I’m Marion! I’m a game maker and I love the indie game scene. I love cute things and magical girls and I always try to make games without being afraid that some people might dislike them.

“GDC is this huge event when you meet all the people you truly admire and discover even more amazing game developers. I’m really looking forward to making new connections and attending wonderful conferences. I’m kind of a shy person so GDC is a really great challenge for me!”

Tanya X. Short co-founded Pixelles with Rebecca! By day she is the director of Kitfox Games, the small studio behind Moon Hunters and Shattered Planet. Previously, she worked as a designer at Funcom Games on The Secret World and Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures. She also writes and publishes game design articles and short fiction.

“Looking forward to: Sitting on the grass and just chilling with so many friends I haven’t seen since last GDC.”

“The talks, the expo, and feeling the sun on my bare skin in March.”

Rebecca is a self-taught graphic designer and programmer specializing in the realm of user interfaces (UI, HUDs, menus, etc). She used to be a full-time web designer for too many years before switching into the games industry. So far she’s shipped Your Shape, Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate, and hopefully many more to come!

“It’s my first GDC ever! I’m definitely looking forward to meeting new people, going to advocacy track talks, dishing over ever-changing UI trends, and dancing!”