representation is 100% necessary in indie games.

Summary

Helena, studio director of Cozy Cat Games, discusses the importance of representation in the indie game industry, emphasizing the need for diverse creators to tell unique stories. She highlights the challenges faced by women in game development and encourages more female developers to join the field, sharing her studio's Kickstarter campaign for their cozy baking game, Madame Fifi's Bakery.

Takeaways

• 🌟 Helena is the studio director of Cozy Cat Games, an indie game studio specializing in a cozy baking game called Madame Fifi's Bakery.
• 📅 There are 17 days left to pledge to their Kickstarter campaign, which aims to raise 55,000 Canadian dollars for full funding.
• 🎁 Kickstarter pledges come with exclusive rewards such as an art book, exclusive outfit, recipe books, beta testing privileges, and more.
• 🎮 A free demo of Madame Fifi's Bakery is available on platforms like Steam and itch.io for interested players to try out.
• 📚 Helena emphasizes the importance of diversity and representation in storytelling, especially in the indie game industry.
• 👩‍🎨 The studio consists of four women, highlighting the need for more female voices in game development to bring different perspectives and experiences.
• 💬 Helena discusses the negative feedback received on a previous video, highlighting the challenges faced by women in the gaming industry.
• 🎨 The creative art director of the studio, Cat, contributes beautiful art to the project, showcasing the team's collaborative efforts.
• 🌐 Helena stresses the need for more minority groups to be represented in game development to create a more inclusive and diverse gaming landscape.
• 👧 Helena encourages more girls to get involved in game development and consumption, arguing that gaming is a gender-neutral hobby.
• 🌐 She also mentions the importance of having diverse creators in the indie game scene to inspire others and make gaming more accessible to everyone.

Q & A

What is the main theme of Helena's video?

The main theme of Helena's video is the importance of representation in the indie game industry, particularly the need for more diversity and inclusion of underrepresented groups in game development.

What is the name of Helena's indie game studio?

Helena's indie game studio is called Cozy Cat Games.

What game is Cozy Cat Games currently developing?

Cozy Cat Games is currently developing a cozy baking game called Madame Fifi's Bakery.

What is the goal amount for Cozy Cat Games' Kickstarter campaign?

The goal amount for Cozy Cat Games' Kickstarter campaign is 55,000 Canadian dollars.

What are some of the exclusive rewards offered in the Kickstarter campaign for Madame Fifi's Bakery?

Some of the exclusive rewards offered in the Kickstarter campaign include an art book, a Kickstarter exclusive outfit, recipe books, beta testing privileges, and more.

What was the title of the video Helena made two days prior to the one discussed in the script?

The title of the video Helena made two days prior was 'Why more girls need to make games'.

What was the negative feedback Helena received on her previous video about girls making games?

Helena received negative feedback such as comments asking for an OnlyFans, questioning her and her teammate's gamer status, and derogatory remarks that led her to take down the video and re-upload it without her teammate.

Why does Helena believe it's important for women to make games?

Helena believes it's important for women to make games because they bring a different perspective and worldview to storytelling, creating games that resonate more authentically with female players.

What is the name of the studio that inspired Helena with their cozy games?

The studio that inspired Helena is called Cozy Bee Games.

What is Helena's stance on the gender neutrality of game development and consumption?

Helena's stance is that game development, consumption, and playing games should not be male-dominated hobbies, as they are gender-neutral activities.

How does Helena feel about the lack of representation in indie game tutorials and success stories?

Helena feels discouraged by the lack of representation, as most tutorials and success stories feature white men, which can be disheartening for those who do not see themselves represented in the industry.

What does Helena suggest as a solution to encourage more diversity in the game development industry?

Helena suggests that having a diverse array of creators, especially in the indie game scene, and showcasing stories from different backgrounds will encourage more people from underrepresented groups to join the industry.

Outlines

00:00

🎮 The Importance of Representation in Indie Games

Helena, the studio director of Cozy Cat Games, discusses the significance of assigning meaning to life and how humans often find this through fictional works like movies, books, comics, and especially video games. She emphasizes the importance of diversity and representation in storytelling, particularly in the indie game industry. Helena highlights the need for stories told by all groups, focusing on her personal experience as a female game developer. She introduces her studio's Kickstarter campaign for a cozy baking game called Madame Fifi's Bakery, encouraging viewers to pledge and support their project. The discussion also touches on the negative feedback received from a previous video, stressing the importance of understanding the experiences of minority groups in game development.

05:01

🌟 Encouraging Female Developers and Diverse Stories

Helena continues her discussion on the importance of representation in the gaming industry, focusing on the need for more female developers to create games that resonate with a broader audience, particularly women. She argues that games made by women can offer unique perspectives and narratives that may not be as prevalent in games developed by men. Helena uses the example of 'venba', a game about an immigrant Indian family, to illustrate how diverse creators can bring new and enriching stories to the gaming world. She also reflects on her own experiences in the industry, noting the lack of diversity in tutorials and success stories, which can be discouraging for aspiring developers who do not see themselves represented. Helena concludes by urging viewers to support her Kickstarter campaign and to share the message of diversity and representation in game development.

Keywords

💡Meaning of Life

The concept of the 'meaning of life' in the video is explored as a philosophical question about the purpose and significance of human existence. It is used to set the stage for discussing how individuals assign meaning to their lives through personal experiences and narratives. Helena, the speaker, suggests that without a beginning, development, and conclusion to our lives, we might feel a lack of purpose, which connects to the broader theme of seeking meaning through storytelling and media consumption.

💡Fictional Works

Fictional works, such as movies, books, comics, and video games, are highlighted as a means through which people find value and meaning in their lives. Helena argues that these narratives provide a structured way to understand and discuss our experiences and beliefs. This concept is central to the video, as it leads into the discussion about the importance of diverse storytelling in games, particularly in the indie game industry.

💡Representation

Representation in the video refers to the inclusion and portrayal of diverse groups in media, particularly in the context of game development. Helena emphasizes the importance of having stories told by and for all kinds of people, not just the dominant majority. This is crucial for creating a more inclusive and relatable media landscape, as it allows for a broader range of experiences and perspectives to be shared and understood.

💡Indie Games

Indie games are a focus in the video as a platform for diverse storytelling and representation. Helena, who is part of an indie game studio, discusses the unique opportunities that indie games provide for developers to create personal and meaningful narratives that might not be possible in larger, more commercial game development environments. Indie games are seen as a space where underrepresented voices can tell their stories.

💡Cozy Cat Games

Cozy Cat Games is the indie game studio that Helena is a part of. The studio is developing a game called Madame Fifi's Bakery, which is described as a cozy baking game. This example is used to illustrate the kind of personal and narrative-driven games that can be created by diverse teams, contrasting with the more common action-oriented games often associated with the gaming industry.

💡Kickstarter

Kickstarter is mentioned as the crowdfunding platform that Cozy Cat Games is using to fund their game, Madame Fifi's Bakery. Helena encourages viewers to pledge to their campaign, highlighting the importance of community support in the development process of indie games. This also serves as a practical example of how representation and diversity in game development can be supported financially.

💡Diversity

Diversity is a key theme in the video, emphasizing the need for a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives in game development. Helena argues that diversity in storytelling enriches the gaming experience and allows for more authentic and relatable narratives. This is particularly relevant in the context of indie games, where there is often more freedom to explore different themes and stories.

💡Minority Groups

Minority groups in the video are discussed in the context of their underrepresentation in the gaming industry. Helena points out that women, as well as other minority groups, bring unique perspectives to game development that can lead to more varied and inclusive games. The video calls for greater visibility and opportunities for these groups to tell their stories through games.

💡Narrative Games

Narrative games are games that focus on storytelling and character development, as opposed to action or competition. Helena expresses a personal preference for these types of games and argues that they can provide a more intimate and engaging experience for players. This preference is used to illustrate the importance of having diverse types of games that cater to different player interests.

💡Game Consumption

Game consumption in the video refers to the act of playing and engaging with video games. Helena argues that game consumption should not be seen as a male-dominated hobby, as it is a gender-neutral activity that involves consuming stories and interacting with game mechanics. This perspective challenges traditional gender stereotypes in the gaming community and calls for a more inclusive approach to game development and play.

Highlights

Helena, the studio director of Cozy Cat Games, discusses the importance of assigning meaning to life and the role of stories in shaping our perceptions.

People are drawn to fictional works like movies, books, and video games to add value and meaning to their lives.

Indie games are emphasized as a medium for diverse storytelling, especially important for representation in the industry.

Helena introduces herself and her team's Kickstarter campaign for their cozy baking game, Madame Fifi's Bakery.

The campaign's goal is to raise 55,000 Canadian dollars with unique rewards for backers.

A free demo of Madame Fifi's Bakery is available for interested players to try on Steam or itch.io.

Helena's video on why more girls need to make games received mixed feedback, highlighting the need for diversity in game development.

The gaming industry's perception problem and the importance of minority groups' narratives in game development.

The experience of being a woman in the gaming industry and the unique stories they bring to game development.

Cozy Be Games as an inspiration for creating cozy and narrative-driven games that resonate with certain audiences.

The historical misrepresentation of women in games targeted towards them in the 90s and its impact on gaming preferences.

The need for female developers to create games that resonate with a majority of women's interests.

The importance of representation in game development for encouraging more people from diverse backgrounds to join the industry.

Helena's personal experience with the lack of diversity in game development tutorials and resources.

The significance of having a diverse array of creators in the indie game scene to tell unique and authentic stories.

Venba, an example of a game that tells a story of an immigrant Indian family, showcasing the value of diverse perspectives in games.

Helena's call to action for viewers to support the Kickstarter, play the demo, and share the campaign to promote diversity in gaming.

Transcripts

what meaning does life have if we don't

assign meaning to it what purpose do we

as humans even have in this reality if

we don't have a beginning a development

a rising action and a conclusion whether

that be a happy ending or a sad ending I

think this is why we as humans gravitate

towards fictional works so often we

gravitate towards movies and books and

comics and especially video games as a

way to add value and bring meaning and

order to our lives but it's these very

stories that construct the lens at which

we view society and discuss with other

people what we view to be true and our

opinions are formed through the media

that we consume and this is why it is so

critical that we have diversity and

representation of all groups telling

these stories whether that be through

any of these forms but especially

through indie games which is what I am

personally specializing in so I want to

talk about this today my thoughts on why

representation is so important

especially in the indie game industry

but first my name is Helena and I'm the

studio director of my indie game Studio

cozy cat games which is a team of Four

Women developing a cozy baking game

called Madame Fifi's Bakery and you only

have 17 days left to pledge to our

Kickstarter campaign where our goal to

be fully funded is 55,000 Canadian

dollars and there's a ton of really cool

tiers that you can only get if you

pledge in this Kickstarter including an

art book a Kickstarter exclusive outfit

recipe books beta testing privileges and

so much more there's a free demo to play

of the game available in the description

which you can try another steam or

itch.io and please leave us your

thoughts and pledge if you're able to

and even if it's just $1 it really helps

us in the algorithm thank you so much in

advance and let's get on with the video

this video is inspired by the video that

I posted two days ago actually

originally three I made a video called

why more girls need to make games and I

had had it with me and my fellow

teammate in my studio cat who is the

creative art director you can see some

of her beautiful art on screen I think

that it was such an important message to

tell especially as an all female Indie

Studio our experience as women not only

making games but also playing games it's

important to encourage more girls making

these games and what our experiences and

what it's like I was blown away by the

negative feedback and the negative

comments that we had in that comment

section there were tons of amazing

really positive comments but there was

also a flood of asking for our only fans

saying that we're not actually Gamers

that she's actually cuz she plays H

shooting games that she's not actually

good at shooting games tons of stuff

that was absolutely unnecessary that I

had to take the video down and then I

re-uploaded the video the next day but

just me alone because cat didn't want

her first experience on the channel to

be so polarizing and controversial I was

reading through the comment section of

this video and a lot of people were

saying that I should steer clear of

political subjects and that it's like

you know no one cares about who's making

the game they just care if it's a good

game and all this stuff like that and I

think that there's so much more Nuance

than just that I think that there's a

big perception that people have about

about making games that they don't

understand if they're coming from a

non-minority group if they're coming

from a group that is privileged and if

they've never had a struggle the day in

their lives to be who they are in a

space where everyone else is like them

you just won't understand you just don't

understand the experience which is why

it is so important for people to listen

to minority groups in a specific area so

for us women in game development we are

a minority group the most of the gaming

industry most of the Indie gaming

industry and AAA and also just in

general playing video games is men so

every time a woman comes up it's a shock

right so that's what makes a minority

and why it's important for women to tell

games is because we tell stories that

have a different perception and a

different worldview that are going to

tell our stories more clearly for

example maybe some women do enjoy

playing shooter games like cat does

enjoy playing shooter games I don't

personally I love stories that have

narrative and I love heartwarming

stories and sure a guy could tell a very

narrative-driven heartwarming story but

it's not going to have the same touch

and flavor as a woman for example a

studio that is a big inspiration to me

is cozy be games you can see the kind of

similarities in the name even it's

formed by a fellow montrealer El L and

she is actually a solo developer she was

at the beginning of creating the studio

and she made so many cozy games that are

really speaking to people such as myself

who like these kind of relaxing but

narrative and wholesome game so she's

made titles such as lemon cake the ranch

of Riverside and Cy bar a spa all which

are very cozy and cute games and these

types of games wouldn't be made

necessarily if it was only guys there's

a really good video about girls games in

the 9s so a lot of games that were made

and targeted towards women in the 9s

didn't really have a good perception of

what girls actually wanted and as a

result girls actually tended to

gravitate away from those games that

were targeted towards them because they

were overly pink and honestly very badly

made and they actually used other types

of games as a s of them playing games

like they played The Sims as a result of

that or even Minecraft or some girls

play Roblox and like this types of game

because these are the games that they

prefer playing even though they're not

made targeted towards them these types

of games were taken over by female

players because there weren't any good

games made directly for them but if

there are more female developers we can

make games that we know that actually a

majority of women enjoy playing so I

think that that's super important that's

a big reason why girls enjoy making

games why girls should be playing games

and a lot of the times girls can make

games sure for everyone but girls also

really like making games for other girls

why I'm saying it's so important for

female developers to come out and make

games because then we can have more

female consumers I'm very passionate

about the stance that game consumption

and game development and playing games

shouldn't be a male-dominated hobby

because it's gender neutral it's

consuming a story and it's a mouse and a

keyboard not something that any gender

would be better at for me specifically

and our studio cozy cat games I know a

lot about the minority and

representation of women stories that we

need but there is also an equal need and

demand for stories told by minorities

groups and races and LGBT folks and

people of all different backgrounds a

really good example that comes to mind

is venba which is a story about an

immigrant Indian family that's come to

Canada and experiences their life

through their Cuisine and their food and

they have an amazing gameplay and visual

Aesthetics and it's a very very

beautiful game and it tells a story that

myself personally I wouldn't know what

the experience of an immigrant Indian

family would be if I hadn't played this

game myself and now I feel like I know

the world a little bit better it's the

same in writing stories and it's the

same in producing movies video games

need to have a diverse array of creators

and especially in the indie game scene

when I started making games back in 2016

2017 I was looking online so much for

like indie game tutorials programming

tutorials 99% of the time it's a man a

white man who explains how to do all

these tutorials for you and it's all Al

like white men interviewing other white

men about their success stories as Indie

developers and there's just something so

discouraging about that and for some

reason looking at this when I was a kid

I was like well I guess this is not for

me cuz I'm not anything like them I'm

not a guy like I'm not I can't relate to

the way they tell stories I can't relate

to their desires I I mean I love to like

create stories and I love to develop

video games but I feel like our

experiences are so different and that's

why it's so important for people who are

learning and wanting to go into the

field to see people like themselves so

that they can also realize that it's

possible for someone like them so if

you're a girl watching this and you see

me and a group of four girls making

video games you're like oh wait this

isn't just a guy thing and that is

probably one of the number one reasons

why representation is so important

because it encourages other people to

join the industry and it becomes less

gatk kept as you can see I'm very

passionate about this these are all my

thoughts on this honestly I have made a

video every single day this week guys I

am I am working so hard for this

Kickstarter I have made a YouTube video

every single day this week hon there's

missing one because I had to take one

down because of the comments but I have

worked so hard please play the free demo

in the description it would really mean

the world to me and to pledge to our

Kickstarter if you're able to if not

just to share this video with people

that you think would be getting into

games or not even just making games but

also consuming games but they don't feel

like they're represented so they're kind

of hesitant about that so thank you so

much for watching please let me know

your thoughts in the comments and what

other videos you want to see in the

future and I'll see you guys in the next

one have a great day bye

[Music]