Despite playing a significant role in the industry, women remain underrepresented in game development, design, leadership, and innovation roles. To address this issue and to shine a light on the contributions and challenges of women in the workforce, M-League Foundation has kicked off its first-ever Mabel Addis Women in Games Month.
Taking place in Bengaluru through the month of February, the initiative aims to provide women with the resources, mentorship, and opportunities needed to thrive in a fast-growing industry that is still largely male-dominated.
Named after Mabel Addis, who created The Sumerian Game in 1964, the initiative honours her role as one of the first female game designers. The Sumerian Game, which is often regarded as one of the first narrative-driven video games, was an important step in the development of interactive storytelling in gaming. Despite the significance of her work, Addis’ contributions remained largely overlooked for years.
Gender gap limits the creative potential of the gaming world, and the Mabel Addis Women in Games Month seeks to address this imbalance. Throughout the month, the initiative will feature various events, including workshops, panel discussions, and networking opportunities, all designed to inspire and support women pursuing careers in gaming. By providing a platform for education, mentorship, and connection, the campaign hopes to encourage more women to explore gaming as a dynamic and rewarding career path.
The initiative will also highlight stories of several women who are already making significant strides in India’s gaming industry: Salone Sehgal who has backed some of the most innovative gaming startups as the Founding General Partner of Lumikai, Namratha Swamy of MPL, Laxmi Khanolkar of Apar Games, Archana Mankar of JetSynthesys’ Nautilus Mobile, Parul Tyagi of Google, among others.
