Womenize! – Inspiring Stories is our weekly series featuring inspirational women from games and tech. For this edition we talked to Tanya X. Short, Creative Director & Co-Founder of Kitfox Games, as well as Co-Director of Pixelles. Read more about Tanya in this interview:
 
Hi Tanya, thanks for taking the time to talk to us! As captain of Kitfox games, what are some of your daily tasks?

Most days I have to answer between 3 and 20 emails, meet with 2-3 other Kitfoxes about something they’re working on, and either write a piece of content (such as a date dialogue or newsletter) or answer a design question that is blocking someone (how should this boss fight work exactly?). On a good day I get to do more content and system design, but sometimes I have to just have meetings and write emails all day. Right now I’m really trying to focus and finish up a big new update for “Boyfriend Dungeon”, but there’s always 10 other things that need some attention, too.

 
Founding and leading a game studio is a huge achievement. Could you tell us more about your journey/career path that led you to your current profession?

Thanks! My path was relatively traditional. I got a master’s degree in Level Design from the Guildhall at SMU, then took a job at a larger studio, designing levels and boss fights for MMOs. On the side, I made little games for fun in game jams and community activities. After some years of that, I joined an incubator to learn the business side, and thankfully some other folks wanted to join me in making Kitfox!

You’re also co-director of Pixelles. What is Pixelles and what inspired you to found it together with Rebecca Cohen-Palacios?

It started as a non-profit focused on helping women make games (as art). Over the years it’s grown to serve more marginalized genders, and provides both the artistic empowerment side and industry support/training side. It’s clear there’s still a culture problem in the way the games industry treats women (as customers, as employees, as creators), so we’ll keep trying to improve things wherever we can, for as many folks as we can.

Thanks for sharing your insights, Tanya!

Tanya’s Links: Linkedin │ Kitfox Games │ Boyfriend Dungeon on Steam │ Pixelles

Womenize! – Inspiring Stories Feature by Jessica Hackenbroch