Games at UCA

I am so thankful to those who nominated me and for the recognition. There are incredible individuals included in the Future Class list; some I have admired for a long time... But there is so much still left to do to get women, minorities and members of the LGBTQIA+ communities equal footing in the industry.

The main theme that kept popping up in comments from players was that they felt included and seen by the game – more than other games on the market. That was a huge moment for me in the development of Spellbound as it helped me solidify in my head what Spellbound could be to its community and how important our actions as creators are.

The industry is on its way; it’s making changes and improving - not as fast as I would like – but those ripples are becoming waves. I would like to see the games industry continue to put in the work and keep improving.

The BAFTA Crew programme was recommended by a few friends in the industry and I thought it'd be a nice opportunity for me to grow my network and meet some new people... I was so happy and grateful when I found out I’d been offered a place. It’s a great form of recognition for my progress and position in the games industry.

I was no longer staring at a tiny screen and cutesy game worlds, I was now open to stories and environments with a lot more depth and it just blew my mind.

When I held the physical copy in my hand, I shed a little tear. I felt like all the effort from university had been totally worth it. I’m still fresh in the industry but if the rest of my career carries on like it has started, then I'm looking forward to the years ahead.

UCA taught me how to bounce back after mistakes, which is a very valuable commodity to have, and I will always be thankful for my time there... Make a bunch of video games, make sure people can play them, make sure they are in your portfolio and apply for positions, even if you are not qualified for them!