Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki 2019 will take place on October 1st to October 2nd. To give you a taste of what to expect, we'll regularly be publishing interviews with the speakers at the show.
For more details on PGC Helsinki and to book a ticket, head to the website here.
In this speaker spotlight we caught up with Emilia Machuca, the Co-Founder and Vice President of Women in Games Finland.
At Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki 2019 Machuca will be part of a panel discussing being a foreign employee in a new country.
Pocketgamer.biz: Tell us a bit about the company
Emilia Machuca: Women in Games Finland is a non-profit organisation for everyone looking to improve diversity and inclusiveness within the games industry. We currently have around 70 members and a community of more than a thousand people.
What does your role entail?
My responsibilities include stakeholder cooperation, funding, the official NGO business and our community's internal communications.
Why did you want to work in the games industry?
I have been following the industry since the early days of Rovio, before Angry Birds. When I was studying international relations and politics I didn’t realise that my hobbies that included video games would be the key in starting my career path. The games industry intrigues me in its constantly changing nature.
What advice would you give to anyone looking to get into it?
Remember that your skills are a combination of your formal education and the knowledge that you gather from your interests.
What are your thoughts on the industry in the last 12 months?
We need to improve diversity and inclusiveness within the games industry. Only 20% of the people working within the Finnish games industry are women and other minorities.
What major trends do you predict in the next 12 months?
The impact of micro-influencers will continue to grow.
How has the games industry changed since you first started?
Grown in size and maturity. But still a lot to do. Diversity in game development needs to better align with the players. The players are a diverse group: in 2019, 63% of all mobile gamers are women
Which part of the Connects event are you most looking forward to and why?
An Outlook for 2020: Predictions and Future Trends will help me to plan WiGFi's future activities.
