Women in Games headline sponsor Rare on supporting this year’s awards: “For us to be an inclusive games company, we should support the efforts and ambitions of women in games across the UK.”

The Women in Games Awards are just a few weeks away, taking place on March 4th at Altitude London, Millbank Tower in the Skyloft.

We’re delighted to finally be able to celebrate in person with you again, after last year’s awards went all-digital. Our shortlist of deserving candidates can be seen here, and we would like to congratulate each and ever one of them.

And we’re not alone in looking forward to the 4th either. We are proud to have games industry legends Rare as our headline sponsor for this year’s event.

To get their perspective ahead of the awards, we reached out to Veronica Heath, Diversity & Inclusion Lead at Rare.

What is the appeal of sponsoring the Women in Games Awards, especially in 2022?
At Rare, we have an important role to play to acknowledge and celebrate the fantastic achievements of women working in games. This last year served as a stark reminder that important work around culture in our industry must continue, so women feel safe and work in respectful environments in which they can thrive. The Women in Games Awards is an important platform for us to support that motivation and we’re over the moon to return as Lead Sponsor for 2022.
We look forward to reading all the nominations and award those who have excelled in their field of expertise!

How important is it to Rare that the studio supports the efforts of women working in the games industry?
As Rare’s D&I Lead, my belief is that for us to be an inclusive games company, we should support the efforts and ambitions of women in games across the UK. Whether that’s through thriving careers to encouraging younger folks to consider careers in games. Our commitment to this work is fundamental to our mission to create the kind of games the world doesn’t have. We want our games to be representative of the players that play them, as well as create teams that build games with diverse perspectives.

We hope these awards go a long way to making women feel represented in our industry, as well as celebrated and recognized for their achievements.

Are there any particular award categories you feel are especially relevant to the industry right now, or to Rare itself?
Each award is incredibly important to call out! However, I am most looking forward to seeing both the Rising Star and the Career Mentor of the Year.

The Rising Star serves as a great example of some of the incredible talent we have rising through the ranks in gaming, and a fantastic opportunity to reward those who are at a pivotal point in their career.

Working as a mentor, or with schools and education, is often not a part of a typical games developer’s job description. As a result, it takes passion and enthusiasm for people in our industry to go out and facilitate this. For that reason, I am excited to see the nominees and award winner for the Career Mentor of the Year!