Uruguayan puts cultural diversity in the video game industry in the spotlight at GDC

The co-founder of Pincer Games, president of the Uruguayan Chamber of Video Game Developers (CAVI), and activist for the presence of women in the video game industry, Laia Barboza, known in the industry as Laia Bee, was selected by the board of the prestigious international event Game Developers Conference (GDC) to organize the #1ReasonToBe panel, which brings together speakers from different parts of the world to shed light on the impact of the video game industry in other realities and cultures.

“It is an honor and a responsibility to be on this panel, and this gives me the energy to represent our country and present its success stories, in addition to giving a voice and a platform to women who may not have one,” Barboza told Uruguay XXI.

In addition to positioning Uruguay, she will open the panel with an acknowledgment of the difficulties facing the creative world in general due to the global economic recession and the impact of war.

With speakers from various corners of the world delivering eight-minute talks, #1reasontobe aims to give an eye-opening view of the true global reach of the industry. “By providing insights into realities and cultures that are often overlooked, the panel sheds light on dimensions that are not conventionally visible,” they explain on the event’s website.

Presentations will highlight personal motivations and narrate their unique journeys in game development, touching on community, culture, and opportunities within their home countries.

Since 2021, Laia Barboza has been in charge of the panel, which American developer Brenda Romero and Dutch-Egyptian Rami Ismail, a well-known industry spokesperson on issues of diversity and outreach to game developers from developing countries historically organized.

Barboza’s selection to lead the #1ReasonToBe panel not only reaffirms her position as a critical leader and activist in the global video game industry but also highlights the role of Uruguay and CAVI in fostering a more inclusive and diverse video game development community.