can we stop pretending that crunch is “just a part of game development” when it’s actually just the result of poor management, poor planning and unrealistic deadlines
I'm working on some ✨stuff ✨ and would really love to hear from folks in the games industry/content creation spaces who:
- are in the LGBTQ+ community
- feel as though games have had a profound impact on them
- would be interested in sharing their mental health experiences
The internet is a lot today. I’m overwhelmed and sad.
Highlighting games that celebrate more diverse representation should not be considered controversial.
On Tuesday 12th May
@stjohnambulance
finished their final shift at
#Nightingale
after 6 weeks working around the clock to provide first aid, run a testing centre, discharge patients, and assist in the clinical wards. So proud to have worked on this with an incredible team.
✨Nintendo Media Opportunity✨
We are looking for volunteers who have pursued a career that was influenced by the games they played growing up.
E.g. Nintendogs leading to animal care careers, SimCity igniting a passion in city planning...
If this is you, please get in touch⬇️
Today I did my very first IRL panel at an event. It isn’t a big deal for some people but it was huge for me.
I didn’t have a panic attack, I didn’t freak out, mess up or back out. I’m just proud of myself as a year ago, I never would have believed I’d be able to do it 🥺
Some reminders just for you ✨
you're not a bad person for saying no to things
you're not a bad person for wanting time alone
you're not a bad person for missing a message
you're not a bad person for prioritising your wellbeing
Happy International Women's Day!
Companies:
- celebrating is great but fix your gender wage gap 😃
- call out misogynistic and gross behaviour internally
- protect your employees
- hire women at leadership levels
- have salary transparency
ty! x
I did the thing!!!! Literally never thought that I'd be able to talk on national television about mental health and I'm fucking proud of myself for being able to do it 😭
Young people between 16 and 24 are the loneliest age group, according to new survey.
So today the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have launched a campaign asking people to carry out small acts of kindness to lift someone out of loneliness.
@Ruth5News
|
#5News
In the UK Games Industry last year, just 28% of the employees were women, and 20% of senior roles were held by women. It’s so important to celebrate women. Change NEEDS to happen to allow for equal opportunities and a diverse and inclusive workforce.
#InternationalWomensDay
I won an award??? I've really struggled to accept this as I know *so* many people who I think are more deserving than me, but I'm so appreciative that I would even be considered, let alone win.
In short, I'll do my best to continue learning and promoting inclusivity in games ❤️
feeling valued at work should not be a perk it should be standard
feeling safe at work should not be a perk it should be standard
feeling supported at work should not be a perk it should be standard
feeling able to be yourself at work should not be a perk it should be standard
Community Managers are people.
I’m tired of seeing abuse towards community folk and devs with zero repercussions or awareness of the severity of this sort of message.
They deserve better.
If anyone is affected by this sort of online abuse, I’ll pop some resources below. 💚
Still getting my head around the fact that we're actually crossing the pond to talk about mental health at
@Official_GDC
😭
San Fran here we come! Let's talk mental health in games 🎮
We're happy to be hosting a panel at Game Developers Conference - GDC this year! Our panel will be focusing on 'Nurturing Safe Spaces in Games' and will address the current state of affairs pertaining to mental health within the games industry.
I struggle a bunch with self image and today I just really said fuck it and showed my arms and tummy at the gym and we celebrate body confidence today 😤
I like my tummy today 😌 and ANYONE CAN WEAR CROP TOPS X
if it’s a choice between playing a wizard game profiting a malicious terf, or not destroying trust between myself and the trans community, I think I know which choice I’m going to pick.
(It’s not the wizard game).
Trans lives matter more than a damn video game. Cmon.
Hi hello ✨ if you’re a content creator who is mental health focused/driven pls drop your links below (or tag someone!)
I wanna make a list for reasons 👀
RTs appreciated 💖
can we talk about how absolutely exhausting it is having anxiety?? bc you're burning energy overthinking, paralysed by decision making, and generally doubting yourself on everything. pls give an anxious friend a hug today they probably need one
I constantly fluctuate between “hey maybe I am making a positive impact on the games industry” to “literally nobody would notice if you left the industry” and it’s such a wild flux
Consistently overworking yourself does not just affect you 🧵
It sets the expectation for others in the team to overwork.
It can set the expectation for the next person in your role to produce the same work in fewer hours/or overwork.
Next week is my 2 year anniversary of working at Safe, and also in the games industry.
Thank you to everyone who has made me feel so welcome, supported and empowered to talk about mental health in this space.
I feel like I really play a part in making change happen. 🧵
So excited to release this episode with
@shahidkamal
! Such a fantastic person to talk to and I had such a great time talking about Code is Just. Would love to know your thoughts ✨
Safe Space - The Video Games Mental Health Podcast
🚨 NEW EPISODE ALERT 🚨
In this episode of Safe Space,
@rtparty3
is joined by
@shahidkamal
! We go from games industry history and Code Is Just to jeopardising relationships in Monopoly, and it's worth the ride.
📰
🎶
My long distance partner has now discovered scheduled texts
Now I get regular reminders whilst I’m at work (and he is asleep) to tell me I’m loved, or to drink water 🥺
✨ announcement time ✨
I'm freaking out a lil (a lot) but...
Tonight on
@5_News
I'm going to be talking to
@Ruth5News
about loneliness and mental health as part of the
#EveryMindMatters
campaign! ❤️
I did an irl panel at
@twitchcon
and I am so damn proud of myself and everyone on our panel oh hecc omg aaaaaaa
Thank you for those who said super kind words and for coming to watch! 🥺💚
I wrote this thing about grief, that was difficult to write. I'd really appreciate it if you read it.
It's pretty personal to me and was a huge period in my life where I just felt lost.
Thank you for allowing me the space to share this. 💗
in our mental health course today someone said that you should never take criticism from someone you wouldn't take advice from and *heck*. I've not stopped thinking about it.
📢Games Industry Call Out 📢
Have you ever felt pressured to drink at a games industry event?
Have you felt unsafe because of others drinking?
What would makes events safe and approachable for you?
We want to hear your experiences. 🧡
Talk to us:
It’s so exciting to see so many new adventures and stories to be told, but we need to solidify that game Dev is not just a boys club. Women, POC and marginalised people are in and belong in this space. It is not hard to include them in the celebrations and announcements.
Devastated to announce that Twitter has spoken and fusilli has won 🍝
Lemme know if we want a sauce battle to find the ultimate pasta sauce to pair it with
reminder that social media management is a JOB and people deserve to be paid for their time.
stop undervaluing social media managers and community managers for their work for the love of god
One really sweet moment for me yesterday: at the event there were badges that had pronouns on, and someone came over and their face lit up when they saw they/them badges as their sibling uses they/them pronouns. they were so excited to take one for them 🥺
We are so thrilled to announce that we are offering a further £50,000 worth of training to our community FOR FREE. ✨
Read more about the different courses on offer and book your spot on one of them now 👇
This is a message to all charity streamers, big or small:
- you are amazing
- you are making a difference
- money raised is not indicative of your worth or value
- we see and appreciate the planning behind the scenes
- be proud of yourself for giving up your time for charity
Ignoring the body dysmorphia to share how happy I was to host a panel over at
@united_bygames
looking at mental health in community management ✨
Really appreciate them letting me loose with a mic onstage!
I'll be yelling about mental health til the end of time 🩷
I created my Human Handbook✨
Thanks to the free
@SafeInOurWorld
training this is a *thing* I have made that allows me to better communicate, self advocate and thrive in professional settings.
I'd highly recommend making your own and discover your thriving conditions 🌱
Hi hello I am the Community Manager over at
@SafeInOurWorld
and we’re *so* close to getting 10k followers over there!
If you are passionate about mental health, games and general wholesome games culture, please take a look 💜
Have a wonderful day ✨
So I got something in the post today 🥺 last year I coordinated the
@stjohnambulance
volunteers for NHS Nightingale and though it nearly killed me off I’m super proud of it
BE AN AMBASSADOR 🔥
I'm so excited to launch our new Ambassador Programme with Safe.
We're looking for passionate individuals in gaming, who want to support Safe In Our World's mission in mental health.
Who would you like to see as an ambassador?
RTs appreciated xo
We're launching our new Ambassador Programme and are looking for our Class of 2023 to champion our mission of eliminating the stigma surrounding mental health in the games industry.
Does that sound like you?
Applications are OPEN 🌟
Learn more & apply:
I genuinely can’t understand how there are people in the games community who are so outraged about people trying to make this space safer and more inclusive. It hurts seeing how ignorant and hateful people are.
Hey you!
Yeah you!
Fuckin be nice to yourself ok?? 😡
The world is hard enough! You don’t need your brain being a big old meanie as well
You’re doing the best you can with the tools you have and it’s okay to be proud of yourself for just surviving 💚
imagine posting shitty memes when you've just cost not only so many people's livelihoods, but also destroyed a space that so many non-profits and indie devs rely on to get awareness as well, because you couldn't keep your ego in check
genuinely feels like soon it will get to the stage where the games industry is just a handful of millionaires and there's nothing left.
I feel so hurt for everyone who put their heart and soul into this industry, just to be impacted by layoffs when the moneymakers decide it
We really need to change the narrative around seeing workplaces affirming the glorification of working until you drop.
It is not medal worthy. It is not something we celebrate.
Teaching someone that their work is more valuable than their well-being cannot be the way forward.
Games industry friends,
The team at
@SafeInOurWorld
has been working hard to provide support for those experiencing layoffs, redundancies and general uncertainty.
We now have free group workshops to support those impacted. Please take advantage of them.
Hello ✨
I’m looking for stories to share about the struggles and/or relief of what it feels like to get a diagnosis for mental health related issues.
This is for
@SafeInOurWorld
!
If you have a story to share about diagnosis (global) surrounding mental health, drop a comment!
So I’ve been working on a cute lil secret project for
@heckin_flop
and
@SouthfieldGame
and it’s time to show Bud off and bring them to
@WASDlive_
to hand deliver them to their CM.
So thrilled with how they turned out as my first off-pattern custom creation 🥺
TW: weight discussion
I’ve really struggled with my self image and body confidence after putting on weight over the pandemic. I struggle a lot tying my image with my worth. The thought of ever sharing a full body photo is terrifying to me. so today I simply say fuck u to my brain