Round Table: Shaping a mentoring environment for female and non-binary game developers

The games industry is constantly evolving — experimenting, prototyping, iterating. That energy is exciting, but it also means we’re still figuring out how to build the best possible structures for collaboration, growth, and support. And when it comes to mentoring, many of us are still navigating uncharted territory.

While other industries have established mentoring models to borrow from, our field doesn’t yet have a solid blueprint — especially not one that centers the experiences of female and non-binary developers. Often, the solutions we see focus on “finding role models” or “supporting female teams,” but skip the bigger questions:

• What does an empowering mentoring environment actually look like?
• Who should mentor whom?
• How do we mentor effectively and sustainably?
• What are we missing, and how can we design something better?

During this interactive workshop, we want to dig into these questions together. We’re inviting senior female and non-binary game industry professionals to join us in shaping what a thriving, inclusive mentoring ecosystem could be — one where support is real, accessible, and not an afterthought. Your perspective and experience are invaluable. Let’s connect, share ideas, and co-create a mentoring and support culture that lifts up the next generation (and each other).

@ Games Ground Festival Berlin: https://www.gamesground.de/programme/friday