2021: The Year in Review
While many of us were still coming to terms with the changes in our lives, our students this year embraced the virtual model and renewed the energy and enthusiasm at Girls Make Games. Our girls have always been at the heart of the program — watching them thrive this year has renewed our energies and driven our dedication to ensure more girls receive such opportunities. So while I can’t say I loved sitting on my office chair for the majority of 2021, I thoroughly enjoyed meeting girls from 89 cities and 9 countries around the world.
After a year of virtual and distance learning, we weren’t sure if our students were up for another summer of virtual camp. But with nearly 70% retention rate from 2020 to 2021, student engagement was certainly not at risk at GMG. Not only did our students come back, they brought friends! I’m so proud of our team and our teachers for creating a safe, and inviting environment for students during this pandemic.
“This camp was what I expected and more. From the support from the staff and the community in general. This was the most fun I’ve had in any virtual coding/ game dev camp!” — Emma, 13
This past year we grew our offerings to include year-round virtual workshops, and our program went truly global. Thanks to the amazing support from our corporate partners, we were able to build on the virtual program — from expanded financial support to encouraging employees to speak at and mentor our students and alumni.
GMG is fortunate to have partners who are deeply invested in the cause, but the reality is that our industry on the whole needs to do a lot better. Headlines over the last few months have been devastating and oftentimes demoralizing, but just like our girls, my team and I don’t shy away from a challenge. When I started GMG 7 years ago, less than 22% of game developers identified as female. That number is now up to nearly 30%. The tide is changing and we’re here to ensure that girls are able to take the places they deserve in the games industry.
2021 Growth & Impact:
Now onto our highlights of the year! You can also read the full 2021 Girls Make Games Impact Report at https://bit.ly/gmgimpact2021.
1) Core Programs: Summer Camps & Workshops
- Taught and mentored 700 girls, all virtually through a series of workshops, interactive panels, and summer camps.
- Provided $250K+ USD in partial and full scholarships to 550 girls
- Offered 8,000+ hours of instruction, leading to the development of 420 student games
2) GMG Fellowship
- Received 197 applications for 89 spots in 2020–2021.
- Trained and mentored 43 GMG Fellows to deliver GMG camps and workshops.
“I plan on coming back to GMG next summer and jump at any chance I get to help out because I really liked seeing the impact GMG has on these young kids! I had such a fun time meeting my campers as well as working and hanging out with the other fellows. I can’t wait to see what more GMG does and hope it continues to expand and reach more kids across the world.”
— Kaylah Derilus, 20, William Peace University ’23, 2021 GMG Fellow
3) GMG Games:
- Raised $40,000 USD on Kickstarter (highest ever!) for GMG’s Grand Prize Winning game, What They Don’t Sea
- Published GMG’s second console title, Find Me, on PlayStation store (PS4)
- 130+ girls ‘pitched’ their games to enter the 2021 Grand Prize Challenge; 11 Finalists, 4 winners.
- Virtual Demo Day stream viewed 1,300 times
Heading Into the New Year
In the coming year, we will continue to be the home our students deserve, and build on new partnerships to reach kids around the world, both virtually, and in-person. We will expand on our educational and enrichment opportunities for girls and young women, everything from college applications, to internships, and even college tuition scholarships (!). That last bit is part of some big news we plan to share with you in 2022, so stay tuned!
We’re so grateful that you continue to stand by our side during such a challenging time. Because of your support, we’ve been able to not only maintain our current programs but build upon this foundation with exciting plans for the future.
With love and gratitude,
Laila Shabir
Founder and CEO, Girls Make Games
