Right here at PocketGamer.biz we have a good time variety of all types. Talking to numerous inspiring girls at our Pocket Gamer Connects occasions all over the world, and being conscious that there’s nonetheless an actual must shout in regards to the topic, we determined to deal with females for December. On this sequence of options we are going to interview varied girls working in gaming, in addition to sharing different tales across the topic.
Harriet Hughes has a formidable profession spanning over 15 years in advertising. After receiving a diploma from The Chartered Institute of Advertising and marketing, Harriet adopted her ardour for music and attained a advertising function at Common Music Group. Throughout her profession within the music trade, she labored with a variety of music acts, together with U2 and The Sugarbabes.
Throughout the gaming trade Harriet has labored for illustrious names reminiscent of EA, on tasks for Nickelodeon in addition to the profitable Harry Potter gaming franchise. Harriet hopes to make the gaming trade a extra numerous and inclusive place. Not solely does she wish to improve illustration within the gaming trade normally, however she additionally desires to assist set up a broader illustration inside software program itself.
PocketGamer.biz: Please inform us just a little bit about your self and your present function?
I’m Harriet Hughes, Chief Advertising and marketing Officer at Playstack. Playstack is a London-based video games writer. We publish enjoyable and entertaining titles throughout all platforms and assist builders nonetheless we will, enabling them to achieve their full potential. My job focuses on overseeing all advertising and PR exercise, together with the assorted advertising campaigns for Playstack and our video games. I’ve been at Playstack for the reason that firm’s inception in 2016, and all through the years, have seen the crew develop to 70+ workers who’re unfold throughout the globe
What first attracted you to the gaming trade?
After graduating from College, I joined Common Music Group on a graduate trainee programme and from there labored my manner as much as Product Supervisor at Island Data. After 4 years, I took a 12 months out to journey and that simply occurred to be the 12 months that piracy (unlawful downloads) hit the trade very onerous. Once I returned, it was very a lot doom and gloom, so I made a decision to achieve out to my community and see what different alternatives existed in leisure. An ex-colleague from Polydor who was working at EA instructed me a couple of job emptiness there. I used to be fortunate sufficient to get an interview and the remainder, as they are saying, is historical past. EA had simply began making the Harry Potter video games so it was a vastly thrilling time to affix.
What impact do you assume the tradition inside which you grew up has had an affect in your profession path?
This trade by no means fails to encourage and affect me. It’s stuffed with extremely pushed, gifted individuals with extra abilities than I might ever have imagined. I’m in awe of anybody who can programme a sport. What conjures up me probably the most is how these working round you overcome participant challenges through code and use their programming data to give you actually gratifying options that delight the viewers.
Not like many different profession paths, working in video games lets you see a complete course of unfolding, from early design docs and prototypes (and even again of an envelope) concepts to the completed sport reaching the arms of gamers – and that’s one thing that I believe is wholly distinctive to us.
What challenges have you ever needed to face throughout your profession – considering particularly about being a feminine within the trade?
Whereas I’ve not personally confronted an excessive amount of negativity, I do have experiences the place my gender has affected how I’ve been spoken to or handled at work Traditionally, the sectors that relate to computer systems – be it programming, {hardware} or software program – have been male-dominated industries, and that may breed a sure tradition that at instances has been overwhelming. The one method to resolve that is for the trade to work collectively to maintain variety (gender and racial) on the prime of the agenda.
What recommendation would you give to corporations trying to enhance equality throughout the office?
Each firm must do extra to make sure it has a various workforce. There are such a lot of sensible, gifted and pushed girls who wish to become involved within the trade in a method or one other, and we must always do every part we will to assist them to succeed.
There must be extra finished on a grassroots degree, to foster and nurture these people and to make sure that they’re able to work within the trade they really feel enthusiastic about. We want extra alternatives to make it simpler for individuals to get into video games: reminiscent of college programs, mentoring programmes and internships.
The video games trade is likely one of the most welcoming, pleasant and enjoyable locations to work (hey, you might be actively inspired to play video games) however it’s moving into it that may be one of many essential challenges for lots of girls.
And what recommendation would you give to different girls becoming a member of the trade?
Take pleasure in each minute! Issues have undoubtedly improved since I began working in video games, and so they’re persevering with to enhance and evolve commonly. There are extra alternatives than ever for ladies’s opinions and voices to be heard, however we do nonetheless have some method to go. My recommendation is to seize each alternative you may, take pleasure in it, and respect it, because it’s a stupidly enjoyable, rewarding, good and customarily recession-proof trade to work in.
Who conjures up you probably the most (not essentially from inside video games)?
Mark Ritson who’s a Professor in Advertising and marketing and Model Marketing consultant is the one who conjures up me probably the most professionally. As firstly a marketer, I believe it’s vital to maintain updated with advertising traits and model campaigns and take into consideration what I can apply to my function. I took his Mini MBA throughout lockdown and he’s a guru. He predicted how issues could be post-pandemic: the tone of the adverts we’re now seeing on our TVs and the recession.
The trade as a complete is extremely inspiring and I’m surrounded by such inventive expertise. A few of our video games are solely made by a crew of two and The Entropy Centre, which we printed final month, was all from the thoughts of 1 man. A solo developer, he did all of the programming, all of the artwork, all the extent design – if that isn’t inspiring I don’t know what’s!
Because you entered the video games trade, what’s the largest change you’ve seen and is that this for higher or worse?
The exponential progress of cell video games has obtained to be the largest change I’ve witnessed. I’m displaying my age now however there weren’t very many video games on cell in any respect after I first began within the video games trade. There are actually billions of cell video games and billions of feminine gamers too. Cell has made video games extra accessible to girls, opening the doorways for many who could also be juggling work, youngsters and housekeeping. For individuals who would not have the time within the day to choose up a controller or sit right down to play a console or PC sport, they’ll get an enormous buzz out of enjoying one thing on their cell.
In the event you might change one factor in regards to the trade, what wouldn’t it be and why?
There must be extra variety. There are individuals from each stroll of life, from each background, ready to get their likelihood within the trade. It’s vital that they’re afforded this shot. Variety and illustration are key to not solely making our trade really feel heat and welcoming but additionally making extra thrilling video games.
In the event you might solely hold 3 video games in your cellphone for the remainder of the time, which might you select?
Sweet Crush (yep I stated it, it is stereotypical, however there you go)
Catchee or something from Laser Canine
Subway Surfer
