Have you ever heard the expression standing on the shoulders of giants? I’ve always liked it, in part because I am a big fan of things that are either too big or too small. But also because it’s important to remember that the roads we walk today were paved by those who came before us. The games industry is still struggling with all kinds of diversity issues, but by talking about and learning from the past we can keep pushing for a more equal future.
The 1980’s were an exciting time, especially for games. Tabletop games were going strong and video games were making waves. This was the start of the industry that we know today, which at the time was mainly made up of men. But let’s look at some of the women who pioneered the field from the early days and helped shape the games that we’re making today.
1981 – Arcade Cult Classics
Arcades celebrated the social aspect of gaming in a beautiful way, and not just because if you ran out of snacks you could share some with a friend. You could play with other people but just as easily gather around someone else’s game to cheer them on.
One of the machines that would attract a crowd that wasn’t just made up of men was Centipede, and it also happened to be one of the few games that had been worked on by a team including women. Dona Bailey, the only female employee in that division, was tasked with programming the now cult classic. It was one of Atari’s best-selling coin-operated games, and was introduced to the world in 1981. The story goes that Bailey picked the concept for Centipede from a list of ideas because the thought of shooting a bug appealed to her. As someone who avoids caves, both real and blocky, because of the high chance of coming face to face with a spider – this resonates with me.
Besides pioneering the coin-op world at Atari, Bailey has worked at Video and Activision, holds three different Master’s Degrees, and in 2013 she received the Women in Gaming Lifetime Achievement Award.
There aren’t that many arcade halls around anymore, but the joy of playing a game on a big machine lives on. There are still games that can be played on this platform, including Minecraft Dungeons Arcade!
1983 – Real Blocks, Real Action
You know that we love a good block around here, so it should come as no surprise to learn that we don’t turn down a game of Jenga. The classic tabletop game involves stacking wooden blocks, removing them, and then stacking them again. I can feel the tension of extracting a risky block just writing about it.
The creator of Jenga, Leslie Scott, based the game on an improvised game her family played during her childhood. Using the Swahili word, “kujenga”, for the name of the game, she launched the first version at the London Toy Fair in 1983, but it would take a few years for it to take the world by storm. Today, it is a household name. It’s easy to learn the rules, but you need a cool head to master the art of removing the right block at the right time.
Since the creation of Jenga, Scott has created over 30 games, including Ex Libris and Runestone. We’re big fans of board games at Mojang Studios, so much so that we created our own! Builders and Biomes has plenty of blocks and even a few sneaky creepers.
1984 – The First Lady of RPGs
Rieko Kodama also goes by Phoenix Rye, but she holds another title – The First Lady of RPGs. Kodama first stepped into SEGA’s offices in 1984. Starting off as a graphic designer, Kodama would move on to game design and then to the director role she holds today. Her early start in the industry has earned her a spot as one of the first female video game developers, but her work was what earned her accolades and awards such as the GDC Pioneer Award in 2019.
It’s not hard to see why Kodama earned the her place in role playing game history, considering she worked on Phantasy Star from the very beginning of the celebrated series. Kodama was also involved in other SEGA classics like Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle, Magic Knight Rayearth, and 7th Dragon. Her legacy of creating games for all genders and avoiding damaging tropes is paving the way for a world of inclusive and creative games.
Kodama has also worked on a character that recently made an appearance in the Overworld – Sonic the Hedgehog! I wonder if she knew that 30 years after Sonic’s first run, he would be able to dash through rings both round and blocky?
The gaming world has many other amazing women who have blazed trails for today’s creators. We don't need a reason, but Women's History Month serves as a reminder to take a look around the internet and see what other stories you can find.
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