I’m very honored to join fellow creatives as a
@BAFTA
Connect member! 🎉 This is an incredible opportunity to learn from my peers and to support the cultural and technical growth of entertainment.
#BAFTAConnect
Hey
@netflix
! You're probably tired of getting slammed with messages about
#WarriorNun
, but let's talk business for a sec. What if we helped a little more definitively with promotions? I'd contribute around $10k for ad space on YouTube (or elsewhere). Let's chat?
@SimonDavisBarry
Content that predominantly features women, especially queer women, is frequently undervalued and misunderstood no matter how well it performs. I look forward to working with the community to prove this decision by
@netflix
was a mistake.
#RepresentationMatters
#SaveWarriorNun
I’ve just found out that
@netflix
will not be renewing
#WarriorNun
- my sincere appreciation to all the fans who worked so hard to bring awareness to this series, and for the love you showed me, the cast and the whole production team. It was a privilege to be a part of this. ❤️
Between all of the hilariously unhinged thirst tweets, I hope folks are creating space for genuine respect, too. For the craft, the talent, the hustle, and the ambition. KTY is killing it and deserves a successful career. Simp graciously, my friends. 🥂
#WarriorNun
MLB The Show was my third most played game of 2023, and I regularly had the thought “I wish I could play as a character that looked a little more like me”. Never thought they’d actually do it. 🤯 This is awesome news and I’m excited to play!
Everyone has Major League dreams. Now it's your time to unlock them.
Announcing Road to The Show: Women Pave Their Way, a new way to play
@MLBTheShow
's Road to The Show mode as a female player!
I recently had an insightful conversation with an entertainment industry executive about advice for
#SaveWarriorNun
. Here’s the short version: Keep doing what you’re doing and don’t give up yet! 🤞
To the dudebros going “why does this matter”: Thousands of women are actively working on the games that were presented today, and yet not a single one of them was represented. We’re here already, so why shouldn’t we be recognized?
#SummerGameFest
“It’s a genuinely entertaining and polished adventure that shines when it embraces the heartfelt and ridiculous, grounded in its fierce dedication to a humble story with a fantastical backdrop.” My earnest review of
#WarriorNun
’s latest installment.
I really need
@netflix
to either change their mind and renew Warrior Nun or for another network to pick it up for my mental health. Give me peace, television gods.
#SaveWarriorNun
When even
@TIME
recognizes the
#SaveWarriorNun
effort, you know we’re making noise. 👏 This show signifies a larger discussion about LGBT representation in entertainment and how television will survive in the future. Thanks for the signal boost
@laurnosa
!
You know what doesn’t get talked about enough in the industry? Onboarding. Having a streamlined, accountable process for introducing new hires to the rest of the team, figuring out how all of the tools and equipment work, knowing where stuff is, etc. is ridiculously valuable.
@drjclau
How in the world is 30 seconds an acceptable amount of time?! If it’s attempting to emulate Hollywood award shows, one of the most memorable parts are the heartfelt and rebellious speeches. 🤦♀️ Absurd.
The games industry is at a breaking point. We’re shipping the most innovative and creative titles ever made, and funneling more money into executive pockets than ever before. Yet people are being laid off by the hundreds, especially community, production, and QA roles.
#Unionize
Hot Take: Game studios should pause development for a whole month every year to focus on bug and tech debt, playtesting, and morale events. The logistics wouldn’t be easy for GaaS, but I reckon it’s possible and I would love to hear if any studio has tried something like this. 🤔
The beauty of game development lies in its collaboration. We all come together to create and iterate. I don’t single-handedly own the quality of the features my team implements - I work with my team to support, enable, and encourage quality. I don’t make games - we make games.
A bit of data insight for you all: Within the first week of the social campaign, over 50k people shared the hashtag on Twitter with about 2 million posts which generated an estimated economic impact of over $1.65 million. 🤯
#SaveWarriorNun
Today I’m happy to officially report that because of your combined voices, passion and amazing efforts -
#WarriorNun
will return and is going to be more EPIC than you could imagine. More details to come! SOON! Thank-you!!
#SaveWarriorNun
#WarriorNunSaved
❤️🎬
A lot of game studios are experiencing a cultural and financial divide between executives and developers. The layoffs at BioWare are especially concerning and disappointing because their (now former) senior talent literally changed the industry. Is it time for large-scale unions?
In three weeks, we’ve collected over 100k signatures on the
#SaveWarriorNun
petition, tweeted it over 4.5 million times, mentioned it over 25 million times on TikTok, and fundraised over $20k for outreach projects. You’d be doing yourself a favor picking up Warrior Nun,
@AppleTV
.
Fandoms bring people together, and
@lazycheskie
is putting in the work to connect a bunch of sapphics. Thus, this mock-up logo of Cheskr was born. 😂
#SaveWarriorNun
Being a game developer is a career, which means you’re expected to learn and grow from your experiences with your teams. You acknowledge your continual success and impact, but how can you progress if your peers don’t acknowledge it and if your work isn’t properly credited?
Let me reintroduce myself: Hey there! 👋🏻 I’m Melissa, one of many humans here looking for social connections and serotonin. I like interactive storytelling, instrumental soundtracks, mental health advocacy, breaking barriers in game development, and women. Sound good? Let’s vibe.
I just sent a message to hundreds of fellow Xbox employees about how terrible diverse representation in media has been recently, and how we should see what we can do to fight against this and continue to show up for marginalized gamers. 🤷♀️
#RepresentationMatters
#SaveWarriorNun
To “develop” something is to create, evolve, or grow it. QA identifies risks and works with stakeholders to mitigate them. Collectively, we’re involved in design reviews, release management, data analytics, and more. We evolve game dev projects every damn day. ‘Nuff said. ✌️
Binge culture has ruined the way we watch television. Weekly releases to build up the hype, give people time to catch up, and organically grow an audience are better. I said what I said. 🤷♀️ Also, more time airing new episodes = more data to collect from how users engage with it.
@Tara_Moss
For years, you've been a powerful advocate for marginalized communities. Having nuanced diverse and queer representation in media has been proven to help shift the perspective. Would you be willing to share any guidance and/or weigh in on the
#SaveWarriorNun
campaign?
I was at Costco today and paused briefly when a kid mentioned Minecraft. They were gesticulating wildly and excitedly telling their mom about this cool new experience they had in the caves. Little things like that remind me why we keep doing the impossible task of making a game.
QA teams are specialized at identifying, predicting, and communicating risks. When we help the team succeed, and the team listens to and respects us, the game succeeds. Our discipline has value. No executive will ever convince me otherwise.
Social engagement is one of the many ways to prove how successful something was. Today,
#SaveWarriorNun
hit 10 million tweets. Community-driven cast/crew interviews, press releases, and data analyses, plus hundreds of articles, have made this a compelling campaign to watch.
Every games studio should have these policies in place. It’s not unreasonable, it’s not too much to ask, and it will mean a culture shift where everyone feels safe and equitable to make better games. If an industry-wide form becomes available, I’m signing it.
#ActiBlizzWalkout
💙
If we’re seeking better chances of Warrior Nun getting picked up for another season (at any network), we need to boost the viewing hours back up. That means getting creative - targeting international audiences, planning watch parties, features on podcasts, etc.
#SaveWarriorNun
With my raise that starts later this month, I’ll be making $116k base salary as a fulltime quality engineer. Many individuals in QA (hell, in any role!) have their years of nuanced instincts and expertise exploited for far less. It doesn’t have to be this way.
#GameDevPaidMe
🧵
Somehow you’re given the option to create a scene for season three of Warrior Nun. It can be of any characters, at any point in time, and money isn’t a factor. You have to pitch it in three sentences or less. What’s the scene?
#SaveWarriorNun
Mobilizing multiple QA employees across the country to walkout close to the holidays, and doing so knowing they’re some of the most vulnerable in the industry, is incredible. I stand with them, and I hope you do as well.
#WeAreRaven
Today workers from Raven QA are walking out for the second day in a row. They are joined by workers from QATX, QAMN, and Blizzard QA. These workers are standing in solidarity with the statement Raven QA put forward yesterday. They are using the social media hashtag
#WeAreRaven
The semantics of who is and isn’t a developer matter because it feeds into company culture and cohesion. If execs say “QA aren’t devs”, what we hear is “you’re not part of the team” and “we don’t value your work or its impact”. A mature studio needs to understand that.
Bungie’s leadership has referred to the QA team as “non developers” in a meeting.
Bungie has fired 10% of their internal QA department between early October & early November.
Via
@IGN
-
I got my current job by applying for it online.
Haha jk. My application was rejected, so I reached out to one of the hiring managers, met up with him for lunch, and they put me back into the loop and set up interviews the next week.
Know your worth and advocate for yourself!
Hot takes for gamedev: We should have four-day 32-hour work weeks, remote and on-site. Contractors should be converted to fulltime if their role is treated as long-term. QA needs a PM just like other feature areas. It’s not equitable if inclusion stops at the hiring process.
How loud can fandoms be? Well, loud enough to get their efforts featured in a major entertainment publication alongside billion-dollar franchises. Still impressed by the precedent being set here. Take notes!
#RepresentationMatters
#SaveWarriorNun
Adios, A-holes!
#GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol3
takes to the cover of the new issue of Empire, as
@JamesGunn
and his gang of misfits return for one last ride. On sale Thursday 13 April.
READ MORE:
Looking at all of the layoffs, high costs of literally everything, and massive wage gaps as companies make billions in profit is making me want to chew glass. This is not sustainable.
How loud and impassioned is the Warrior Nun community? Well, as confirmed by
@deengli
today, there will be three movies - THREE - produced to complete the story! It went from just another cancellation to a religious allegory of coming back even stronger. 💪 🏳️🌈
#WarriorNunSaved
@eatmeanj
Girl, you could make a whole room faint just by rolling up your sleeves. This would send them straight to cardiac arrest. Christ on a bicycle.
The only way to watch shows like Willow starting next month is to illegally download them. You can’t purchase them anywhere. If pirating is the only way to watch movies and shows LESS THAN A YEAR after they were released, something is deeply wrong with entertainment.
Last week, I said I’d pitch in a not insignificant amount of funding to support this show. I’m insane enough to say I’m still willing to help, if we can create a coordinated and organized campaign to justify it. I want to fight, so let’s discuss next steps.
#SaveWarrionNun
Hey
@netflix
! You're probably tired of getting slammed with messages about
#WarriorNun
, but let's talk business for a sec. What if we helped a little more definitively with promotions? I'd contribute around $10k for ad space on YouTube (or elsewhere). Let's chat?
@SimonDavisBarry
Crunch is bad. It tears apart your mind and body, slowly but surely. It generally produces lower-quality work. It creates long-term health problems. It strains your relationships. It hurts project estimates and can contribute to costly delays. It’s not worth it. It never is.
If anyone complains that game studios or developers are talking about abortion, remind them that there are human beings making the entertainment they love to engage with. We want to make fun stuff just as much as we want the right to live autonomously and freely.
You might notice a lot of the people posting in the
#WhatAGameDevLooksLike
tag mention having experience in QA. These people also tend to be amazing badasses. Coincidence?
I didn’t plan on reading fanfics aloud with new friends to over 100 people, but that’s exactly what happened last night after a last-minute “what if” idea. It was hilarious and wholesome, and I’m actually looking forward to doing it again.
#SaveWarriorNun
You don’t need a bachelors degree in computer science (or arguably anything) to get a job in the games industry. Tech and processes can be taught. For any role, there are two things you DO need to get in and stick around:
1) ability to work well with others
2) don’t be an asshole
@KristinChirico
Divorces deserve parties. Like yes queen! You’re free from something that wasn’t working for you, and may have been actively harming you! 👏
Whenever you feel like you’re not qualified enough for that job or opportunity, remember that every adult is just a kid wearing a trench coat with big shoes.
@quakerraina
I got something like 1500 the first time I took it after studying an ungodly amount of hours. Took it again after studying ZERO hours and getting lots of sleep, and got a 1920. Was super proud of that until I got to college and realized it meant absolutely nothing.
I’m a quality engineer for Xbox and Mojang Studios, and have been working with them for nearly three years. I strongly believe in the value of QA, in prioritizing people over products, and in improving the culture we operate in. I also need a haircut. 😝
#WhatAGameDevLooksLike
💙insomniac✊
Leaks are bad enough, but they’re dealing with a huge data breach. There will presumably be long-term repercussions and serious discussions about security, and that better not mean forced RTO. Monstrous to do this right before the holidays, too. 😔
Over 20k people just gathered in a space to talk about this tonight, including
@TonteriYoung
. In half a day, hundreds of thousands of messages have been shared supporting
#WarriorNun
. I’ve listened to inspiring Coming Out stories and ways the show has helped people grow.
What is with all the toxicity this week? Death threats, slurs, targeted harassment. It’s not worth it! Do some box breathing. Remember that we’re all just people, and that not everything requires a response. Kindness and respect are free to send and invaluable to receive.
Am I naive and foolish? Probably. Is that gonna stop me? 🤷♀️ I’m starting to get old enough that I realize we have to take more risks, make more mistakes, and care less about what people think or expect of us to grow and thrive. That includes right here, right now.
#SaveWarrionNun
If I can play and love hundreds of incredible, innovative, immersive games that have male leads I don’t physically identify with, I know you guys have it in you to play a couple of games with women or non-binary leads. There’s more to human empathy and identity than just gender.
If success is reliant on a binge model of high and fast returns, and you’ve written off its audience by not promoting it, you’re curating a catalog of potential instead of content. Self-fulfilling prophecies aren’t windows - they’re mirrors. Sell the IP,
@netflix
.
#SaveWarriorNun
Overtime 👏🏻 should 👏🏻 not 👏🏻 be 👏🏻 mandatory. Ever. If someone reaches out to HR seeking support, they’re probably already burnt out, and if they’re requesting it based on a disability they deserve more than something this dismissive. Healthy, happy people make the best content.
Am I likely impacted by this wave of Xbox layoffs? No. Do I now have to fucking panic for the rest of the day waiting for an email that says I was? Yup! 😓 I’m sorry to my friends and peers joining the thousands of others who no longer have jobs. How do we keep making games?!
BREAKING: Microsoft is laying off 1,900 Activision Blizzard and Xbox employees. The cuts affect around 8% of the Microsoft Gaming division ☹️ full details below 👇
My hot boomerish takes:
- Social media has deeply damaged reading comprehension and information archiving.
- Not everything needs to be a touch screen. Dials and knobs for tactile control are great!
- Technology is difficult to use, and we’re not doing enough to make it easier.
More dice to collect during the pandemic? Well, okay! The latest addition to my collection is called Stardust Geode, courtesy of
@EVERYTHINGDICE
. Unlike most of my other sets, they’re a super polished and sharpened resin instead of gemstone, so they’re beautiful and lightweight.
@JamesThompsonKS
This is actually one of the several outreach suggestions that’s been kicked around, so HELL YES, James! 👏 Even better if you can get details for Apple and Amazon, too!
#SaveWarriorNun
I think I can safely go out on a limb and say that most products and content out there don’t have a fan-generated newsletter with dozens of professionals across the globe contributing info and expertise. I’ve never seen anything like this. 🤯
#SaveWarriorNun
I’m Melissa aka Memo, a quality engineer for Minecraft. I manage quality and test strategizing for projects. This is
#WhatAGameDevLooksLike
!
Video games are a technological miracle that only see the light of day because of the variety of incredible people making them. ✌️
It’s my birthday! 🎈 🎂 15 years ago, I wasn’t sure I’d make it to this age. 10 years ago, I had no idea what I was doing with my life. 5 years ago, I started to figure out who I really am. Now, I’m starting to figure out my purpose. Thank you for the memories and the support!
What the hell is happening with media this week? HBO is removing a bunch of content from their catalog, some of which will be gone forever. Cavill was told “lol jk” and is no longer Superman. Netflix canceled Warrior Nun despite a decent performance. What are we missing here?
Salary ranges will be required for all job postings based in Washington and California starting on January 1st. 🙌 Let this information motivate or validate your current and future career endeavors.
@_TechJess
Don’t mind me. I’m just posting a question about unionization efforts for the internal all-hands next week. 👀 Will it get answered? Who knows.
i am back again to pimp out friends.
@n7memo
is literally sugar mommy material. Except she's better because she's emotionally available. She can give you gifts AND love/intimacy.
She also has a nice voice, so she can read you fanfics to sleep. AND she works at xbox
💯 It leaves a lasting impact for QA veterans who have been dealing with disrespect for years and newbies who are just joining and don’t feel empowered or welcomed. The stigma around our discipline is slowly shifting toward one with more support and a longer career path, though!
One of the most crushing things I’ve experienced in this industry is when I’ve been having a great convo with someone at a conference, but then seeing the interest literally flick off like a switch once they learn I’m in QA.
@Tara_Moss
Totally agree! 💯 The campaign at this point is largely drumming up awareness about how it’s ridiculous the show got canceled, how sapphic entertainment in general is getting slighted, and seeking signatures for the petition.
It should go without saying that Alba also deserves respect. Her personal life is her own business, and she’s human just like the rest of us.
#wegotyoualba
It finally arrived! Thank you so much
@jhaletweets
and
@Mark_Meer
for taking the time to read my message and sign one of the hundreds of requests you received. I will absolutely fight on, especially now that we have more Mass Effect to look forward to. 😇
As a game developer who works with people who are constantly iterating on code, finding and fixing bugs, and collaborating with individuals that have various experiences and skills, what I'm wondering now is: Why can't we approach laws in a similar way re: gun control? 🧵
I’ve officially been working at
@Xbox
for four years! 🎉 We’ve been building an increasingly inclusive culture since I joined that values who and what we are as individuals. It’s been an incredibly rewarding, life-changing experience and I’m excited to see what comes next!
@zzukokvngwade
@kulpreetvirdi
I’ve been playing AC since Altaïr through to Kassandra. AC is part of the reason I’m now working with video games for a living. Women are here, have been here, and will continue to be here. We play and make the games! Asking for a little more representation is warranted.
Well, I know what at least one of the topics is going to be at the next all-hands. 🤯 I’m still processing the news. As this deal commences, we deserve a statement addressing the toxic culture and how joining Xbox will improve it. That can start with
#FireBobbyKotick
.
Today is a historic moment. We are excited to announce that the world-renowned franchises and talented people at
@ATVI_AB
will be joining Team Xbox!
Full announcement details here:
You have a voice, and it matters. Communities move mountains, and your passion proves what it means to be human. Don't forget: it's the holidays! Be with your friends and family. Go outside and breathe in the world we all share. Let the simple truth of being alive move you. 🫶
@DevSpacePrez
@Beetlenaut
Seriously! Imagine a Sims-like experience where your goals are completely benign. Get the barista at the cafe to memorize your order. Go to a pet store and get a companion to walk with you. Stop by a bookstore and listen to slam poetry.
The last time marginalized audiences gathered like this to protest the way the community was being represented, a convention and nonprofit were formed, a trend was defined, and media fundamentally changed the way it handled queer stories. Pay attention.
#RepresentationMatters
“I’ve never seen such an uprising as I have with the Warrior Nun fandom.”
Whether someone be LGBTQIA+, or just generally feeling displaced in this world, Warrior Nun brought us together.
We are not a small audience! ✊🏻
#SaveWarriorNun
#WarriorNun
MADE TO ORDER WARRIOR
A few things to consider with the
@TweetBinder
report metrics:
- This doesn't include other social platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Reddit, or Tumblr.
- This also doesn't include misspelled hashtags. 😅
- The cast and crew being involved made a huge difference.
It’s a sign of growth that I wasn’t tagged in any women in games threads yesterday and I’m not really bothered by it. I’m doing a great job and making more impact every year. 💪 I still have a lot more to do and improve, and I hope to continue learning from you all. 😌