Women of Firesprite share industry insights and advice for new or aspiring developers looking to accelerate their careers
Proud to champion women’s voices as a Women in Games Corporate Ambassador, and inspired by the awareness and empowerment celebrated during Women’s History Month, we spoke with some of the women of Firesprite to discuss careers in gaming!
Recognising those who identify as women in the industry for driving positive change, creating supportive spaces, advocating diversity, and driving opportunities for the next generation of talent - and inspired by the 2025 International Women’s Day call to ‘Accelerate Action’ - these talented sprites offer the insights and advice they’d like to share with other women from their collective decades of experience in the industry.
Whether it’s via hands-on development, establishing our studio and team care goals, or showcasing who we are and what we do; this Women’s History Month we’d like to share a special thanks to all the women of Firesprite working in and leading teams across Code, Art, Animation, Design, Production, and Operations. Today we’re talking to:
How has the industry evolved for women and what is still needed to accelerate change?
Darshita: The gaming world has been leveling up for women, more visibility, more leadership, and more women breaking into everything from game development to eSports. Female characters in games are no longer just ‘the token girl’ they’re leading the charge in some epic games (like in our co-developed title with Guerrilla, Horizon Call of the Mountain)! Oh, and let’s not forget the amazing communities out there fighting for real change.
But let’s be real, there’s still some grinding to do. But hey, we’re not backing down! With women spotlighting zero tolerance policies, equity, and more opportunities for young girls to dive into game development by giving them mentorship and scholarship, we are making the future brighter!
Vlada: Yes, we do see more women pursuing careers in gaming, but we’re still a minority. Mentorship programs and encouraging young women to join the industry can help bring a much needed balance.
Hannah: I’ve been lucky to see meaningful changes for women in the gaming industry, myself and other colleagues are far more valued and heard. I’ve been able to see what does and doesn’t work. Being vocal is key for change, and most importantly in a productive way for everyone. I’ve found people are more open to change when it comes with understanding, and not everyone knows how to make the right changes to encourage positive growth. Make mistakes, make changes, but most importantly be a voice so the conversation is happening, whether that’s with a colleague over a tea or as a leader.
Caroline: Yeah, I feel that’s why spaces and opportunities like these can be so impactful. The industry has definitely made positive strides but, women - especially those from underrepresented backgrounds – do continue to face barriers in access, representation, and leadership. Inclusion accelerates innovation and the whole industry benefits from that. To me, accelerating change is creating inclusive hiring practices, investing in mentorship, and fostering environments where all voices are valued.
How can games drive change through diverse stories and characters?
Vlada: Despite what many folks say, games aren’t just entertainment - they’re an art form. Like a great book or film, they can shift your perspective, challenge your thinking, and leave a lasting impact. The more voices we bring in, the more unique perspectives and experiences we create, and, ultimately, it’s just more fun.
Hannah: Yeah games open new universes, characters and emotions that stick with people, forever.
Anyone can go to a game and escape their day to day, try on a new world, a new story, a new life for a short moment.
If you ask a friend, a colleague about a game that they remembered, that they loved growing up, they will have a story behind it. Who they were and how they saw the world and most importantly what they took from it ‘I wanted to be badass like Lara Croft’, ‘Crash Bandicoot made me want to explore the world’ , games are so powerful in influencing the way we think, see and feel about our lives.
Diverse stories that people fall in love with can be the catalyst to new perspectives, cultures and understandings, that without, they would never be exposed to in their day to day lives. Continuing to push and unveil diverse stories is not just an important responsibility to push forward with, but integral to drive change.
Nagia: People grow fond of stories and characters that are presented not only as charismatic and cool, but also relatable and believable. By having a more diverse industry, we are able to better understand each other by telling stories that have had input from all sorts of walks of life.
Caroline: They’re such a powerful storytelling medium. When we reflect real-world diversity in our characters and narratives, we build deeper player connection and empathy. Diverse teams lead to more authentic stories, and characters which helps push the industry forward in meaningful ways.
“games aren’t just entertainment - they’re an art form. Like a great book or film, they can shift your perspective, challenge your thinking, and leave a lasting impact.”
- Vlada, Principal Concept Artist
What role do community and mentorship play in supporting women in games?
Vlada: As an artist, I’ve always been pretty introverted, but when I started in concept art a decade ago, community made all the difference. Taking part in Level Up challenges on Facebook pushed me out of my shell, gave me confidence, and connected me with mentors who encouraged me to keep going. It meant everything and made me work even harder.
Hannah: For me, feeling supported by a community and mentorships has been integral to me feeling supported in games and transitions through my career. I’ve often reached out in emails and LinkedIn to other women for advice and mentoring, it’s given me a great blanket of support when I previously had none. When I’ve worried about doing a good job and the work I’m doing to progress. It’s famously painted in stories, jokes and media how great communicators women can be, I strongly believe that women being there for each other and using such great networks like social media and LinkedIn are such great tools for supporting women in games.
Emily: And it’s vital for everyone to have a space where they feel they belong. Especially for women in a male-dominated industry where you might have been the only woman in a meeting - for me, I think having that support is vital, even for small things - it can make a world of difference just to hear someone say: ‘I’ve been there, I understand.’
Caroline: Mentorship and peer support are critical to career growth and confidence. Building inclusive communities, both inside companies and across the industry, helps retain talent and ensures women feel seen, heard, and empowered to lead.
What advice do you have for women looking to accelerate their careers in gaming?
Gayathri: Find a few people that know a lot about the things you want to gain expertise on, the people whose work stands the test of time. Learn as much as you can from them at every opportunity, but do your homework first before using their time. Attempt to answer your question yourself as much as you can, before asking them. Absorb not only how they do things but why they chose one way and not another. The same thing can be done in many ways in game dev, and all ways are not equal.
Vlada: Beyond building and updating your portfolio on art platforms and LinkedIn, getting involved in industry events is a great way to make friends, find collaborators, and even find a job. If you’re just starting out, volunteering at gaming conventions, joining creative challenges, and putting yourself out there can lead to unexpected opportunities.
Hannah: Don’t be afraid, I’ve changed my career from working in film, to Games Video Artist and now Cinematic Designer. When I knew I wanted something more from my job, I reached out to so many people in the industry, different roles and different companies for advice, I made sure I was always doing something in the background that helped me slowly push towards my goal, no matter how small and did it at my own speed. Most importantly, I stopped comparing myself to other people. Confidence that you can do it, to continue learning and growing on your own path. Be true to yourself, no one else knows what you want and only you can push yourself to get where you want to be. If you don’t try you don’t know, failure is a part of growing so don’t be afraid to try.
Nagia: Connecting with other women in games is such a great way to support and learn from each other as well as provide graduates with support and resources to make their first steps into the industry. There are so many talented women out there that do industry talks and it’s always great to hear and learn from their experience!
Caroline: Seek out networks, mentors, and allies who support your growth. Be confident in your voice - your perspective is not only valid, it’s needed, your presence helps shape the future of the industry.
“Be true to yourself, no one else knows what you want and only you can push yourself to get where you want to be. If you don’t try you don’t know, failure is a part of growing so don’t be afraid to try.”
- Hannah, Senior Cinematic Designer
What useful resources would you recommend for women in the industry?
Vlada: I watch a lot of GDC talks, and SkillUp on YouTube is my go-to for the latest gaming industry updates!
Hannah: Honestly, Youtube. I tried buying lessons online elsewhere and developing my skills through other platforms, but every time I would always end up coming back to a YouTube tutorial for solving a problem or learning something new. The YouTube community and videos are so diverse and have such a large range, it’s a great place to start. I would come up with a small personal project, something small and achievable in the time you have. Something you can do quickly that you can tick off and succeed, as soon as it gets complicated and bigger, you’ll never finish. Start small, use YouTube and reach out to the community on there, or on social media, the gaming community is a beautiful place for support.
Caroline: Women in Games is fantastic space for building a network, learning, and opportunities to develop skills in a safe space - like presenting and panel discussions. LimitBreak is an excellent source of mentorship programmes which aim to support and progress the careers of underrepresented groups in the industry, and LinkedIn is of course a valuable resource for expanding a relevant professional network in-line with your skills, goals and ambitions.
A huge thank you to these sprites for their time and advice! We hope we inspire other women to follow their game dev dreams, feel ok to reach out for support when they need it, and feel positive about the future.
For more on opportunities to find community and career development; read our insightful interview with Women in Games CEO, Marie-Claire here and find much more from the women of Firesprite here.
If you’ve been inspired these amazing women, join them! Check out our career opportunities and build the future with Firesprite.
