Aurora 2025 announces 15 women and non-binary leaders shaping the future of Nordic games industry

• Fifteen exceptional women and non-binary professionals have been honoured for driving creativity, inclusion, and innovation across the Nordic games industry.
• The Aurora initiative spotlights the people not only building games, but building the future of the Nordic creative ecosystem.

The Nordic region has long been a powerhouse in global games, home to giants like Supercell, Remedy, and Rovio. But behind its creative and commercial success lies a growing network of women and non-binary professionals whose work inspires, challenges, and pushes the medium forward. From visionary artists and immersive sound designers to brilliant writers, programmers, producers, and trailblazing entrepreneurs, these people are making their mark in every corner of our sector.

At this year’s inaugural Aurora: Celebrating Women in the Nordic Games Industry, supported by Women in Games, that leadership took centre stage at Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki 2025. The showcase honoured 15 outstanding figures shaping the future of Nordic games from CEOs and artists to producers and educators, each recognised for their impact, creativity, and more.

Honouring authentic voices

Among this year’s honourees was Marjaana Auranen, Chairwoman, Producer, and Writer at Red Stage Entertainment Oy, one of the world’s only Sámi-led game studios. Auranen wrote and produced Skábma – Snowfall, the first Sámi console and PC game, and winner of Nordic Game of the Year. With a fully Sámi script and voice cast, it stands as a landmark in authentic Indigenous storytelling and cultural representation.

Another key honouree, Licia Prehn, DIB & HR Specialist at Netflix Finland Oy, has spent over a decade embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into the fabric of the Finnish games industry. From their time at Next Games to their board roles with Women in Games Finland and Better Games Together, Prehn’s work has helped make accessibility and inclusive design standard practice rather than afterthoughts.

At Supercell, Sari Latvala has spent 12 years shaping Hay Day, one of the studio’s longest-running titles. As Visual Lead, they've not only defined the game’s art direction but also built its art outsourcing pipeline, mentoring a new generation of artists while balancing creative ambition with long-term sustainability.

Bridging borders and building ecosystems

Aurora 2025 also celebrated the industry’s great connectors, those bridging geographies and communities.

Hind Toufga, Business Development Manager at Northify, has spent more than a decade working across the Nordics, MENA, and EMEA, from Peak Games Istanbul to today’s AAA studios. A mentor and inclusion advocate, Toufga embodies the increasingly borderless nature of game development.

Meanwhile, Suvi Latva, Chief Business Advisor at Neogames Finland, has been one of the architects of Finland’s global success story. A founding member of the national games hub, they have shaped the country’s strategy, research, and startup ecosystem for more than 20 years, connecting industry, academia, and government to strengthen every link in the chain.

At Supercell, Drussila Hollanda, Head of New Games, blends product leadership with a passion for education and access. Their 20-year career spans Digital Chocolate, Rovio, and Wooga, and they also the founder of Papukaya and Hive Helsinki, initiatives opening up coding and creative careers to broader audiences.

Katharina Schmid, Business Development Manager at Rovio, continues to connect the dots between product strategy and partnerships, ensuring collaborations with global brands enhance gameplay experiences and long-term sustainability.

And Elina Arponen, CEO and Co-Founder of Quicksave Interactive, is pushing boundaries with no-code tools like QSApp, helping brands and developers create interactive web content that blurs the lines between games, media, and technology.

Leadership, creativity, and community

Few embody modern games leadership quite like Saara Bergström, Managing Director at Next Games – A Netflix Game Studio. With nearly two decades in marketing, communications, and community management, they've led campaigns, product launches, and even an IPO - marrying creative vision with analytical precision.

Other honourees unable to attend but were announced included:

• Erla Arnadottir (LootLocker), a driving force behind Iceland’s emerging game industry;
• Anna Erlandsson (The Gang), a former journalist turned community builder;
• Tarja Porkka-Kontturi, producer and accessibility consultant;
• Paula ‘Fenjima’ Manrique, Sweden’s most recognisable TV voice for games;
• Jewell Morelli (Mojang), production leader and equity advocate;
• Isa Nordén, Operational Manager at The Game Assembly, one of the world’s top-ranked game development schools.

Together, these fifteen people represent the full spectrum of the Nordic industry, from development and education to media, business, and cultural change. They are a reflection of how far the industry has come, and a vision for what's next.

The Nordic industry remains a global leader not just in technology or design, but in reimagining what a truly representative creative culture can be.

And as Aurora proves, that future is already being built by the women and non-binary professionals defining the next era of play.