For more information contact: Shane Rhinewald, The Strong, srhinewald@museumofplay.org;
ROCHESTER, NY—Calling all gamers! Join The Strong and Rochester Institute of Technology for Gaming for All: a WIG Celebration of Diversity in Gaming from 6 to 10 p.m. on Thursday, November 11. This special evening of big-kid fun celebrates the untold contributions of diverse game-makers and includes access to the full museum. Tickets for the event are $15 and attendees will be asked to show proof of vaccination (card of Excelsior pass) or a negative PCR-type test taken no more than 72 hours prior to entry.
“The Strong launched its Women in Games initiative in 2017 to recognize the crucial but often overlooked role of women in the video game industry,” says Lisa Feinstein, co-chair of the Women in Games initiative. “This year’s Women in Games event celebrates the contributions of all under-represented groups that have contributed to the rise of the industry and continue to propel it forward.”
The evening kicks off with a special presentation of Cocktails with the Creators in the Paychex Theater at 7 p.m.—a virtual event featuring video game designer and developer Brenda Romero, best known for her work on the Wizardry set of roleplaying games and as lead designer for Dungeons & Dragons: Heroes, and video game artist and designer Lisette-Titre-Montgomery, art director at Double Fine Productions.
Guests will also enjoy access to the museum’s interactive exhibits, playable games created by under-represented groups, complimentary gamer snacks and beverages, live music by Glitch Video Game Band, and a sneak peak of The Strong’s 90,000 square foot expansion (which will focus on electronic games). Indie game developers Second Avenue Learning, Uprooted, Aesthetician Labs, Eyedrinox Games, and Nova Island will also be onsite to share their games and stories.
Tickets to the event can be purchased online. For those unable to attend the event in person, the Cocktails with the Creators presentation can be accessed virtually. Gaming for All: A WIG Celebration of Diversity in Gaming is sponsored by Microsoft and Fenwick.
About The Strong
The Strong is the only collections-based museum in the world devoted solely to the history and exploration of play. It is home to the International Center for the History of Electronic Games, the National Toy Hall of Fame, the World Video Game Hall of Fame, the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play, the Woodbury School, and the American Journal of Play and houses the world’s largest and most comprehensive collection of historical materials related to play.
About Women in Games
Launched in 2017, The Strong’s Women in Games Initiative is guided by the overarching goal of inspiring girls, young women, and other under-represented people to confidently play games and pursue careers in the games industry. The Women in Games Initiative encompasses a world-class, one-a kind archival collection, onsite and online exhibits, a nationally recognized annual celebration of Women in Games, and other educational programming.