Gaming

8 Notable women in game development

Doing what you love isn’t gender-bound

Published

March 24, 2018

Leez

The gaming industry is perceptibly becoming more progressive, or at least, I’d like to think so. With people developing new games, playing them, and voicing out their insights, much of the industry is under more scrutiny than the community is used to. The gender split amongst gaming professionals, however, has long been an interesting talking point over the years.

In 2014, the International Game Developer’s Association released a report detailing the prevalence of women in the gaming industry. The presence of female developers has doubled since 2009 despite the persistence of male dominance in the industry.

The industry hit a striking spike in female audiences and consumers over time. With more female developers creating games and women themselves playing professionally, things had to change. Here are eight women who broke the mold:

Carol Shaw

Carol Shaw was a former video game designer and was one of the first in the industry. She was known for having designed Happy Trails for the Intellivision and River Raid for the Atari 800 and Atari 5200. She worked for Atari and wrote Video Checkers (1978), 3-D Tic-Tac-Toe (1978), and Super Breakout (1978, alongside Nick Turner).

Jane Ng

Jane Ng is a 3D environment artist who worked on well-received games like Firewatch, The Cave, Brütal Legend, Stacking, Spore, Costume Quest, and The Godfather. She started as an intern in Ronin Studios, but later moved on to Electronic Arts, then Double Fine Productions, and now Campo Santo.

Robin Hunicke

Robin Hunicke is a game designer and producer, as well as a professor of game design at UC Santa Cruz. She is also the co-founder of Funomena.

She began her career in Electronic Arts and worked on MySims and Boom Blox. Her advocacies include her support of independent game development and championing of women within the games industry.

Amy Hennig

Amy Hennig is a game director and scriptwriter who believes that the creative direction of a script holds more importance than the graphics of the game. She worked on the Legacy of Kain series, the Jak and Daxter series, and the Uncharted series. She has been called one of the most influential women in the video game industry by Edge magazine.

Corrinne Yu

Corinne Yu started her career with the King’s Quest series for the Apple II. She wrote the original engine for the Spec Ops series and was a founding member of Microsoft’s Direct 3D Advisory Board. She programmed lighting, facial animation, and developed new technology for the 2012 video game Halo 4.

Kim Swift

Kim Swift is a video game designer known for her work at Valve on games such as Portal (2007) and Left 4 Dead (2008). Much later, She led the team that developed Quantum Conundrum (2012). Kim Swift was featured by Fortune as one of “30 Under 30” influential figures in the video game industry.

Kellee Santiago

Kellee is a video game designer and producer. While studying at the USC Interactive Media Division of the University of Southern California, Santiago with her friend, Jenova Chen, and a team of students, they produced the game Cloud. After graduating, Santiago and Chen founded Thatgamecompany — the developers of Flow, Flower, and Journey.

Yoko Kanno

Yoko Kanno is a Japanese composer, arranger, and musician known for her work on the soundtracks on anime films, television series, live-action films, video games, and advertisements. She has written scores for Cowboy Bebop, Nobunaga’s Ambition, Uncharted Waters, and Ragnarok Online 2.

It’s inspiring to find more women working towards what they enjoy and love doing — especially in an industry that is undeniably dominated by men.

Although a certain collective of men in the industry sustain the misogynistic view that women aren’t fit for jobs like those mentioned above, it’s nice to see women gather around to support each other towards their dreams in life. Even if the game development industry doesn’t necessarily enable misogyny, the environment is still persistently male-dominated, making the push for gender equality a constant struggle.

Despite that, the community has grown and has shown support towards a more gender-diverse environment. After all, doing what you love and creating what you find fulfilling is not gender-bound.

Gaming

SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance’s SEGA Villains Stage out on April 3

Face off against legendary SEGA bosses from different franchises

Published

March 21, 2026

GadgetMatch

The SEGA Villains Stage DLC for SHINOBI: Art of Vengeance will release on April 3 for PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox Series X|S, XBox One, Nintendo Switch, and Steam.

The DLC lets players face off against legendary SEGA bosses from different franchises: Like a Dragon and Yakuza, Golden Axe, and Sonic.

An animated trailer has been unveiled as part of the announcement. It features those franchises’ characters, Goro Majima, Death Adder, and Dr. Eggman.

There will be a total of five crossover stages, three bosses, and two Boss Rush modes featuring the bosses for the DLC.

In addition, there will be three more Ninpo, three new outfits, and six new music tracks. The SEGA Villains Stage DLC is a free update for all players.

Aside from the crossover, players can also try out a new Hardcore Mode which features changes in enemy placement and stronger boss attacks.

Additional combat settings also lets players adjust recovery frames, the flash effect, and camera shake. Various quality-of-life improvements are also planned for the 2D action-platformer.

Gaming

The hunt begins: The Witcher in Concert hits Manila with surprises in tow

The Continent comes alive

Published

March 19, 2026

GadgetMatch

If you’ve ever heard a haunting chant echo through a battlefield or felt the weight of a choice that isn’t as simple as good or evil, then you already know—the Path has a way of calling you back.

And if you haven’t stepped into that world just yet, consider this your invitation.

With less than two weeks to go, The Witcher in Concert is set to take over Manila for a one-night-only performance. It’s happening on March 28, 2026 at The Theatre at Solaire—bringing with it not just the music of a beloved RPG, but a full-on return to the Continent.

Celebrating the 10th anniversary of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, the concert transforms one of gaming’s most iconic soundtracks into a live experience. Expect performances from selected musicians of the Filharmonika Orchestra alongside Percival Schuttenbach—the Polish folk-metal band whose distinct sound helped define the game’s identity. Paired with in-game visuals, it’s a show designed to feel both nostalgic and entirely new.

As the night draws closer, here are three things fans can look forward to:

Relics from the Continent: official merchandise

For those who want to take a piece of the experience home, exclusive event merchandise will be available in limited quantities.

This includes the following:

Event Tee (PhP2,200)
Geralt Long Sleeve (PhP3,400)
Event Hoodie (PhP4,200)
Beanie (PhP1,800)
Tote bag (PhP1,800)
Key chain (PhP1,400)
Enamel pin set (PhP1,400)
Event magnet (PhP800)
Geralt gaming mouse pad (PhP2,000)

It’s the kind of loot drop fans won’t want to miss.

The path to Solaire: getting there made easier

Getting to the venue is part of the journey—and this time, it’s a little easier. Attendees can use the Grab code FCPH2026 to get 20% off rides (up to PhP75). With the condition of a minimum fare of PhP250. The promo is valid for two rides per user and applies to trips to and from Solaire Entertainment City.

A rare encounter: meet Percival Schuttenbach

For a handful of lucky fans, the experience goes beyond the stage. Ten winners will get the chance to meet Percival Schuttenbach and receive an autographed CD.

To join, ticket holders need to share any official The Witcher in Concert post on their Instagram Story. They need to write what they’re most excited to hear live and tag @filmconcerts.ph. They need to submit their entry before March 24, 2026 at 5:00 PM. Winners will be announced on March 25.

Answer the call

As the Continent arrives in Manila, fans are encouraged to lean all the way in—whether that means coming in cosplay as a monster hunter, mage, bard, or something far more dangerous.

Tickets are available via TicketWorld and participating outlets nationwide.

The Path is open. The question is—will you answer the call?

Gaming

Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains launching on June 11

Introducing a team-based, cinematic twist to the classic board game

Published

March 19, 2026

GadgetMatch

Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains will launch on June 11, Ubisoft has announced. It will debut on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 1 and 2, GeForce Now, and PC through Steam, Epic Games, and the Ubisoft Store.

The Behavior Interactive title introduces a team-based combat twist to the traditional real estate board game. It includes competitive 2v2 and 3v3 modes, available online and through couch co-op.

This transforms the classic Monopoly gameplay into an action-packed, strategic showdown where teamwork and hero combinations matter.

Every turn carries high stakes as properties change hands in an instant. Dynamic GO events also introduce game-altering twists.

The full reveal will be on April 29.

Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains transports players into the Star Wars galaxy with a custom Monopoly board, packed with iconic locations from across the saga.

The gameplay is reimagined with thrilling cinematic moments, themed spaces, and dynamic elements. These make up for a refreshed experience from start to finish.

Players can choose from a wide roster of Star Wars heroes and villains. There’s plenty of options, from Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia to Darth Vader and Darth Maul.

Each character brings unique abilities to shape the team’s strategy and affect the match’s complexion with every roll of the dice.