About the Panel
Can games make the world better? They can certainly try. Each of the games in this panel -- Garden Story, To Be With You, and Solace State -- has a message and goal that goes beyond the hope of "having fun". In addition to providing an engaging experience, they are trying to convey specific areas of reflection and action they hope their players take by the time they've reached the credits. We'll discuss the power of narrative, and how each of these developers fuse real-world experiences, storytelling, and game design to create an unique experience that helps players consider the world we live in today, reflect on how they can make it better, and perhaps, begin to take action.
Panelists
Jenny Windom, Cara Hillstock, Picogram, Tanya Kan
Cara Hillstock
Cara is a queer, chronically ill, black writer, narrative designer, and variety streamer on Twitch. She's passionate about reframing the associations tied to “gaming” and “gamers,” making room for diversity, inclusivity, and compassion in the gaming space. She's also passionate about exploring interactivity through game design, and crafting experiences through games that expand empathy and help people learn about the world.
Picogram
I'm a Filipino gamedev from Hawaii, developing and pixeling since I was a kid! I enjoy long walks on the beach and being bad at video games. Currently, I'm working on Garden Story, my first full-length title, which is set for release in 2021.
Tanya Kan
Tanya Kan is the Executive Producer and Director of Vivid Foundry, a Canadian game studio creating dramatic games that reflect the social changes of our time. Tanya has worked in the Interactive Digital Media industry for 8.5 years, creating digital media for games, an amusement park, fashion storefronts, real estate, illustration software, and providing narrative and game design consultation to incubators and studios. Tanya is currently developing the award-winning Solace State, a cyberpunk choice-driven drama game about young hackers and activists speaking truth to power in a militarized biotech city-state.
Jenny Windom
Jenny Windom specializes in communications and community for indie games, and is most interested in using both those fields to make room for increased kindness and equity across all facets of the industry. In addition to working at studios like Rose City Games (Garden Story, Floppy Knights) and funds like Kowloon Nights, Jenny also strives to curate and highlight indie games through her livestreams and content creation.