Female Protagonists: International Women Game Makers Week in Taipei

"Female Protagonists" is a week-long game project by the Goethe-Institut Taipei, and curated by Yang Jing (Allison), that celebrates the contributions of both established and emerging female leaders in the global video game industry.

Amplifying Diversity in Gaming
Games Exhibition
Events
Additional Activities
Speakers & Collaborators
Location

While mainstream game culture may still perpetuate the stereotype that the video game scene is exclusively created by and for heterosexual men, the reality is quite different. Not only have players from diverse backgrounds immersed themselves in casual or professional gaming activities, but within the production and distribution sites, we witness a highly diverse population in terms of gender, sexuality, race, nationality, age, profession, and more, all coming together to create exceptional games. Together, we are changing the rules of the game, resisting the objectifying gaze towards "others", introducing authentic voices from real characters, and providing a richer and more inclusive gaming experience for all.

To challenge the myth of games being a boys' club and capture this pivotal moment in gaming history, "Female Protagonists" invites female game creators from different regions around the world. Together in Taipei, we will spotlight the remarkable achievements of women in the gaming industry and the broader gaming culture.

During a week-long program, we will showcase games, organize workshops, talks, and meetups with our invited guests and the public. Our goal is to create a platform where women from diverse backgrounds can share their personal and cultural experiences. Through open dialogues, we aim to build connections, foster rapport, and facilitate the exchange of ideas.

In addition to our focus on games and women, we are committed to learning and expanding the conversation to include the issues and solutions presented by LGBTQ communities. Our aim is to create a more inclusive space where all voices are not only heard but valued.

Join us this November if you are curious to witness a diverse creative energy in the gaming scene, eager to find a communal space to share your thoughts and ideas on creating/playing interesting games, or simply looking to meet friendly faces and enjoy awesome games. Come to "Female Protagonists" and support a more diversified game culture!

Amplifying Diversity in Gaming

Games Exhibition

November 24 - December 3, 2023

All games that can be played in the exhibition and opening hours

Events

November 24, 2023 (Friday)

6:00 pm - 7:00 pm Exhibition Opening
7:00 pm - 8:15 pm Lecture Performance: Challenge the Default

November 25, 2023 (Saturday)

11:30 am - 1:00 pm Workshop: One Hour World Builder
2:00 pm - 2:45 pm Let’s Play Together: A Game Theater of Waiting
3:00 pm - 4:30 pm Panel: Debugging - Deconstruct Normality
4:45 pm - 6:15 pm Panel: Real Women, Real Experience

November 26, 2023 (Sunday)

11:30 am - 1:00 pm Workshop: Inventing History - Authenticity in Historical Fiction
2:00 pm - 3:30 pm Panel: Navigating the Cultured Gender Map
3:45 pm - 5:15 pm Panel: Gear Up - Tools for Care and Sustainability
5:30 pm - 6:45 pm Panel: The Inclusion Quest - The Other Protagonists
6:45 pm - 7:15 pm Wrap Up: Throwing Ourselves to the Future

Additional Activities

Book talk: If you don’t like the game, change the rules

November 25, 2023 (Saturday) | 7:30 pm - 9:15 pm
Nowhere Bookstore
Address: No. 170-2, Sec. 1, Zhonghua Rd., Wanhua Dist., Taipei
Free admission and no registration required
Speaker: Marie Leblanc Flanagan

In the context of increasing burnout and the great resignation, finding healthy and sustainable work environments is crucial. The games industry is rife with burnout and infamous for churning through workers. Despite being systems designers by trade — who spend their careers rethinking everything from economies to entire worlds — most professional Canadian game creators recreate traditional, hierarchical working environments.

Out of curiosity, care and concern, Marie worked with a team of researchers and activists. They talk to more than 30 game professionals about their working conditions and alternative modes of game design. In addition to producing a white paper documenting the interviews and findings in detail, Marie created a comic book that explores alternative labor modes like co-ops and unions, including a panel discussion with co-op studio workers and union organizers.

The (comic) book talk will feature Marie Leblanc Flanagan. We welcome her to talk about her own journey working in games and art, as well as the wide research she and her colleague conducted in these projects, and of course, the stories in and behind the comic book.

All are welcome!

Taipei Game Makers Meetup

November 26, 2023 (Sunday) | Start from 9:00 pm at Team9 Studio
Closed event

After an intensive two-and-a-half day program, our final stop is bustling downtown Taipei. We will be hosted by local game studio Team9. A small networking party will be arranged where participants will meet local developers and players and playtest each other’s games and ideas. Team9 will also showcase their award-winning video game "Word Game", as well as their most recent adventure in running the social experiment ARG project: “Finding the next prophet in Taiwan”.

Speakers & Collaborators

Speakers

Collaborators

"Female Protagonists" is presented by Goethe-Institut Taipei and financed by the German Federal Foreign Office, in collaboration with Team9, Digital Art Center Taipei, Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia and Nowhere Bookstore, and curated by Yang Jing (Allison).

For enquiries, please contact the organizer team at the Goethe-Institut Taipei:
Kuan-Yu Chen Kuan-Yu.Chen@goethe.de
Theresa Hümmer Theresa.Huemmer@goethe.de

Location

Goethe-Institut Taipei
20 Heping West Road, Section 1, Taipei 100028, Taiwan
Games Exhibition on the 11th floor | Events on the 12th floor