Watch Session:
Abstract:
The title “Out of Sheer Spite” is meant to evoke a line from Maria Bamford’s stand-up routine: “If you stay alive for no other reason at all please do it for spite.” It’s intended to capture not only the feelings of hopelessness that often accompany being a queer person in games (or anywhere) but also the frustration and anger that many of us transmute into motivation to keep going.
In this session of micro-talks, speakers are invited to interpret the theme in any way they like. Coping strategies, abstract musings on the long arc of human history, personal narratives, etc. Speakers include: Kris Ligman, Aevee Bee, Innes McKendrick, Zoe Quinn, Dietrich “Squinky” Squinkifer, and Carli Velocci
Bios:
Kris Ligman is the financial officer and former senior curator of Critical Distance, an archival website dedicated to promoting incisive and unique games criticism from a wide cross-section of writers and scholars. They hold degrees in film and critical studies from UCLA and USC.
Tanya DePass is the founder and Director of I Need Diverse Games, a not-for-profit foundation based in Chicago, that is dedicated to better diversification of all aspects of gaming. I Need Diverse Games serves the community by supporting marginalized developers attend the Game Developer Conference by participating in the GDC Scholarship program, helps assist attendance at other industry events, and is seeking partnership with organizations, such as Xbox’s Gaming 4 Everyone and others.
Innes McKendrick is lead programmer at UK indie studio Hello Games. Currently working on sci-fi exploration game No Man’s Sky, his primary interests are in procedural content generation, colourful graphics and non-traditional gaming audiences.
Zoe Quinn — bio coming soon
Dietrich “Squinky” Squinkifer is a QGCon co-organizer and an independent game developer behind the IGF-nominated Dominique Pamplemousse and IndieCade selection Coffee: A Misunderstanding.
Carli Velocci is a freelance culture journalist that often writes about video games. She’s been published in Waypoint, Polygon, Zam, Paste Magazine, and anywhere else brave enough to publish her.