The return of 1ReasonToBe and why we still need it | GDC 2024

gamesindustry.biz:

This GDC marks the comeback of an iconic panel, with 1ReasonToBe returning in person for the first time since 2019.

Hosted by Pincer Games CEO and Uruguayan Game Developers Association president Laia Bee, the panel will take place on Thursday at 11:30am PT, featuring five women who will share their 'one reason to be' in the industry, and their stories in games.

And if there's one thing the recent hateful movement against Sweet Baby Inc has shown us, it's why we still need panels like 1ReasonToBe.

"We hope things get better year after year, but we look at it, and we see that it's clearly not," Bee tells GamesIndustry.biz when we ask about the reasons behind the panel's return. "And politically, we are seeing it's getting more complicated for women all over the world. We are seeing more fascist political parties within our elections. We are seeing an increase in online harassment and work harassment. We hope it gets better, but it's actually not getting any better, so I think that it's super important to be reclaiming these spaces.

"It's also a very complicated year for everyone. There's a terrible war going on, there's a global economic crisis, and particularly in our industry with the layoff situation, it couldn't be worse. I simply believe that the panel is going to be super inspiring and more important than ever for everyone this year, because all these women are actually making very impressive work with so little."

Bee hopes that the panel will show developers in challenging situations that they can find ways to continue to be in this industry even with few resources and despite everything that's happening.

This role of host has been a long time coming for Bee, who was due to take over in 2020. The initial panel was created over a decade ago as a way to champion and advocate for women in games, and then evolved to feature people from marginalised backgrounds more widely.

"1ReasonToBe was started in 2013 by Brenda Romero and Leigh Alexander," Bee recalls. "It was