Today we celebrate International Women’s Day with a great representation across Nintendo Players UK.
We celebrate all walks of life, and provide inclusive and diverse communities across the UK and Ireland. The hub established in 2013, and it’s great to see more women getting involved in the running of local events, as well as in more senior positions.
We asked some of the founders/admin of Nintendo Players UK for their thoughts and experiences on being a “woman in gaming”
“I joined the NPUK committee in Early 2021, and have recently taken on the role as Co-Chair in the recent elections. I have been involved in NPUK for a few years prior, attending Nintendo Brighton meets when I could, and participating in various online tournaments that were run. My favourite will always be Squid League, which I now play a large role in.
I owe everything to Squid League and NPUK in general because it was through this tournament and its opportunities that I started to stream, by commentating on some matches. After university, I was very introverted and shy. This allowed me to come out of my shell. This opened the doors for opportunities: One being invited to commentate on the Nintendo UK Splatoon Championships in 2018. It’s a memory that will last with me forever. To say I have learnt a lot is an understatement.
To know there is many welcoming, safe, and enjoyable environments to go to wherever I may be. It allows me to know I am not alone. I have made some long-lasting friendship thanks to NPUK and believe there is many more memories to come.
On International Women Day, it’s a brilliant time to realise that not only are women fighting for gender equality there are many others trying to break down these barriers too. We all stand together to fight the same fight. What better place to showcase this but in a welcoming Gaming community.”
- Tash (Reading/Committee)
"I became a Founder in 2014. Prior to that I had been running meet-up events for Sonic fans, so it was great for me to take those skills I had acquired onwards and upwards. A long time player of portable Nintendo consoles (30+ years) I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as a Voluntary Community Manager at Nintendo Players UK & Ireland. I have never felt my gender to be a barrier from achieving my goals in this organisation, quite the opposite. I have been lucky enough to run events across the UK & Ireland in my near decade at NPUK and don't plan on stopping any time soon. Happy International Women's Day!"
Helen (Donegal)
"I’ve been a part of NPUK since our days as a StreetPass/3DS community. I love being part of a network of community managers from a diverse array of backgrounds and feel a sense of belonging there - I have learned so much.
Through Nintendo Players UK, I’ve been able to expand my skill set, build my confidence in a leadership role, and the most important part; forge lasting friendships through our community. It is a joy to provide a safe, enjoyable, gaming space for all within the Norwich area and I’m grateful for the experiences.
On International Women’s Day, I’m extending my warmest wishes to all my cis and trans gaming sisters within our community and the wider gaming industry. Keep doing what you do best, celebrate your achievements, and let’s continue breaking down the boundaries of gender inequality!"
-Emily (Norwich)
"I’m Vicky also known by the gamer tag of Pink and I’m the female Admin of NPUK’s region Nintendo Liverpool.
While I admit my time as an admin has only been for 6 months it’s been an incredibly wild ride! I’ve made so many friends in our founders group as well as with other members in our community. The opportunities that came in that small amount of time have been amazing. I got to run my first little corner at our Halloween event, with Luigi’s mansion 3. I learnt very quickly how to keep an event flowing nicely so everyone enjoys, and I was able to run my first event with a game series close to my heart in December with an Animal crossing/ Amiibo event. I achieved the nickname of ‘Animal Crossing expert’ in our group, and got the opportunity to run and judge an event in association with Ubisoft for Just Dance. It’s been so much fun so far in my journey with NPUK and I’m so excited to see where it goes."
-Vicky (Liverpool)
"I’ve been part of Nintendo Players UK since almost day one. It was actually established the same year I was officially diagnosed with Generalised Anxiety Disorder. I was afraid for many years to speak about gaming in public, due to being bullied for being a girl gamer when younger. Nonetheless, I set up my group Nintendo North Wales in late 2012 off the back of my wedding, with my husband and a friend we’d made through StreetPassing. It was always one of my original passions, and despite much adversity I was determined to see it work. We were always the first community to volunteer ourselves and from the day the website was set up I always had “Waving the flag for North Wales” in Welsh on my profile. I’ve been a central admin since late 2015, but formally elected as Head Admin since September 2020. (Co-Chair as of summer 2022) September 2020 was the time I turned everything around and was no longer afraid to admit that actually it was ok to be an adult gamer and a girl gamer! Forging the committee was the best thing we ever did, and it allowed us to grow as a hub and explore new opportunities, and work properly as a team for the first time. The committee has gone from strength to strength, and not only does the wider community provide a safe space for gamers, the committee meetings have also become a sort of sanctuary where everyone looks out for each other. I couldn’t have built that without the support of my team behind me, but I believe that having a female leader who shows compassion and empathy is important alongside organisation and strength. I once said to a bully “I’m in this community for life!” and I meant it."
- Jen (North Wales/Committee)
