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PRESS RELEASE: 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.