thatgamecompany’s Kellee Santiago

By: Derek Yu

On: July 8th, 2007

Kellee Santiago

It’s a funny thing… on Friday I was having a conversation with Alec about female game developers where neither of us could name a single female indie developer, and then today I read this interview with Kellee Santiago, president of thatgamecompany.

The interview, sadly, doesn’t reveal too much about what TGC is working on, only that they’re signed into a 3-game deal with Sony and that their next project will explore “an emotion that’s different from mainstream games.” I wonder which emotion that is? I know it’s definitely not Schadenfreude…

But yeah, more girls making games!

EDIT: DMac just schooled my ass by listing a bunch of female indie game developers, many of which I had heard of. So I’m a chauvinist pig and he’s a stalker. Apparently.

  • Albert Lai

    My money’s on love.

  • crackers

    Will it be the emotion you get after you’ve eaten some really kicking tacos or when you buy some hella sweet rims for your ride?

  • Twisted Rabbit

    I dont know about love… The Sims?

    But, i dont know… Of the 8 emotions of Plutchik, i think acceptance would be the one that stands out.

  • Hmm

    They’ve captured that “I blew $600 on a PS3, and all I got was this empty flash game” emotion so well.

  • FemDev

    Where’s the list???? I only know about Amanda Fitch from Amaranth Games…

  • Derek

    He mentioned Amanda. Also, mare from Metanet. Papillon, aka “CuteKnight” on the Indiegamer forums. YOU. ;)

  • failrate

    dessgeega, innit?

  • MattC

    Who wants to bet that Peter Molyneux will announce this emotion is in Fable 2 at E3 this week?

  • haowan

    I believe the Sleepy Sushi Service main developer is female.

  • Mandrake42

    Ok, this is just from Sierra games:
    Roberta Williams who designed the sickly saccharine Kings Quests

    Jane Jensen who designed the fully awesome Gabriel Knight games

    And Lori Cole, who with her husband, designed the Quest for Glory games.

  • haowan

    Indie though.

  • haowan

    Sparky from Octopus Motor

  • Err

    They’re not indie. :)

  • Mandrake42

    Why would TIG expect me to post indie developers………oh wait………:P

  • Mandrake42

    Ok you’re right, indie devs is much harder to think of. I agree with FemDev, post the list :D

  • Sergio

    Jane Jensen is indie. She went on to found Oberon Media and do Inspector Parker and BeTrapped and stuff, right?

  • nullerator

    Ravn is headed by a couple of females (http://www.ravnstudio.no/eng/omravn.htm) , don’t know how indie they are though.

  • rinkuhero

    There’s also my friend Komera, who I have made games with since 1999.

  • rinkuhero

    Oh, and Auriea from Tale-of-Tales (Endless Forest, The Path).

  • Mandrake42

    @ Sergio: Yes, thats right, she is now doing dev on those games.

  • HandCraftedRadio

    I have noticed that there are more girls making indie games now. You know, with all of the new games comming out about cleaning and washing dishes.

  • PHeMoX

    Cleaning dishes? Yeah, maybe they go for a really psychedelic abstract colorful something? ;-p

  • PHeMoX

    *I believe the Sleepy Sushi Service main developer is female.*

    Yes, that’s right, she’s indie too.

  • Kinoko

    Also, there’s that amazing Rebecca Clements who made that fantastic, super-popular game, “Cirque de Zale” that all the movie stars are playing.

    She’s a girl!

  • failrate

    Ken and Roberta were originally indie. They developed in their kitchen.

  • http://www.roguetemple.com Slash, Roguetemplar

    So yeah, this girls’ name is cool…

    Oh wait… now I’ve got a girls’ name? what is this?

    I wish I would meet a female game developer someday… mind you, I wish I could met a *good* female developer :D