Vickie Chen Discusses The Growing Presence Of Women In Mobile Gaming

Here at PocketGamer.biz we celebrate diversity of all kinds. We’ve spoken to several inspiring women at our Pocket Gamer Connects events around the world, and knowing there’s still a real need to shout about the topic, we’ve decided to focus on women for December. In this series of features, we’ll be interviewing various women working in games, as well as sharing other stories on the topic.

We spoke with Vickie Chen, CEO and co-founder of AviaGames, about her experience in the games industry, its success, and where she feels the games space still has room to grow.

[people id=”3066″ name=”Vickie Chen”]

Please tell us a little about yourself and your current role?

My name is Vickie Yanjuan Chen, and I am the founder and CEO of AviaGames, Inc. I started AviaGames with co-founder Ping Wang in 2017 in a small garage in Mountain View, California, together we built AviaGames’ all-in-one social competition platform and subsequent portfolio of Pocket7Games from the ground up with ‘ A commitment to providing a fun and fair platform for social and casual players to compete with other real people playing their favorite games. My passion for games and dream of starting my own company one day became a reality in the garage that day. It’s been an incredible ride since then as the mobile gaming industry continues to grow at a rapid pace and we see more diversity and options where all players can enjoy a fun competition, including our very own Pocket7Games platform.

What first attracted you to the gaming industry?

As a young girl I always enjoyed games. From board games to mobile games, I have always had a passion for the competition. Before founding AviaGames, I spent nearly 13 years in the gaming industry, learning from industry giants and using those tools to one day found my own company. In 2017, my previous employer sold their company and moved on to new opportunities, and I saw the untapped potential in the mobile gaming market. I have always enjoyed casual mobile gaming and I wanted to create a platform that allows players of all types to compete against people across the country and win real cash and prizes.

What effect do you think the culture you grew up in had on your career?

As a young girl growing up in China, I loved playing a skill game called Ddakji, or “milk caps,” where you use folded squares of paper to knock over your opponent’s square of paper, thus winning resulted in My love for games only grew with me as I moved from physical skill-based games to mobile skill-based games. I enjoyed playing some of my favorite concentration and pace apps as a way to decompress after a busy day. It was this passion for all kinds of games that led to the creation of the Pocket7Games platform, designed so that anyone can enjoy their favorite games without barriers, restrictions or stereotypes.

What challenges have you faced throughout your career – specifically thinking about being a woman in the industry?

Throughout my career as an immigrant and female founder within a predominantly male-dominated industry, I have been confronted with the adversity and criticism that surrounds many women in any type of power. Unfortunately, women are often viewed as incapable of successfully running any company, let alone one within a male-dominated industry. These challenges only pushed me to succeed further and reach heights that many never thought possible for a woman. I want to be an example to other women out there and encourage them to follow their passions and dreams, like I did. It is possible, and you will find success throughout your career when you put in the hard work, dedication, and time it takes to achieve your goals. As female leaders in this industry, it is important for us to join forces, support each other as we continue to innovate and lead the way for others to shift stereotypes and misperceptions within gaming.

What advice would you give to companies looking to improve equality within the workplace?

I believe it starts with leadership and the shoes that are filled with these positions. In my opinion, even something as simple as keeping a more open mind or approaching things from a different perspective can go a long way in moving the needle here. It’s about closing the gender gap in the industry, not widening it. And one thing is for sure, women are motivated by other women. That said, placing more women in leadership roles and tasking them with driving key initiatives will demonstrate what drive and a vision and the power of hard work can achieve, regardless of gender.

It is important to build a diverse group of leaders as this will eventually have a domino effect on the entire company. Fostering a positive work community that focuses on inclusiveness for all and encourages confidence in team members’ abilities and contributions from all individual backgrounds is essential when looking at how to improve equality within any workplace.

And what advice would you give to other women joining the industry?

Build a strong and supportive community around you. Women often face discouragement throughout their careers as society has conditioned us to believe that we cannot achieve the same entrepreneurial goals as men. I personally believe there is nothing more empowering as a female founder than seeing fellow women also succeed in their respective roles and industries. Surround yourself with these like-minded individuals who want to build you up and encourage you to thrive in whatever you choose to do.

Who inspires you the most (not necessarily from within games)?

In my career, I have had the pleasure of learning from a range of incredibly influential people, including my mentor Zhang. Zhang, a powerhouse in the gaming industry and founder of one of the world’s leading gaming companies now owned by Tencent, has been an important pillar in the success of AviaGames. Aside from providing invaluable advice and encouragement, Zhang stepped in when unpredictable development and optimization needs arose and provided support necessary for our company to progress to the next phase. Looking at the success we’ve been able to achieve with AviaGames today, I can’t imagine where I would be if I didn’t have Zhang in my life.

Since you entered the gaming industry, what is the biggest change you have seen and is it for the better or for the worse?

Looking back to when I first started, I have personally seen several shifts in audiences and the rise in popularity of mobile games. And I’m proud to say, the industry has expanded far beyond the stereotypical man struggling with friends on a console or sitting in a dark room focused on a computer. Today’s players are more diverse than ever before. At AviaGames, earlier this year we conducted an informal survey of over 33,000 American female gamers who have children and are currently active on the Pocket7Games platform which revealed that a growing number of moms are now turning to mobile gaming for everyday entertainment, family connections and stress relief. The data reinforces this growing community of casual mobile gamers. I believe the driving force behind rapid changes and growth in the industry is advancement in technology and innovation in game design. Smartphone technology, in particular, has made it so that anyone, anywhere at any time can access high-quality games.

One area of mobile gaming that has seen a rise in recent years is skill-based gaming. While remaining casual and fun, efforts are being made to create more platforms like Pocket7Games by AviaGames, which challenge individuals based on their individual skills, rather than chance.

If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be and why?

Just like the technology industry and other sports, the gaming industry has always been dominated by men. This has made it that much more difficult for women who want to enter this space, especially as an entrepreneur or founder. While we are seeing progress in the industry, there is still a lot of change to be made when it comes to closing the gender gap in gaming. However, one change will not solve a problem that has existed for generations, but by providing more leadership opportunities and encouraging women to dive in and take a chance in this industry, it will move the industry into the right direction. direction move. Interviews like this that help raise awareness and call for equality within the industry, I hope will motivate other women to pursue their gaming interests and continue to drive the future of diversity in gaming.

If you could only keep 3 games on your phone for the rest of time, which would you choose?

While I love checking out the latest designs and tackling the new challenges and brain teasers that each AviaGames and Pocket7Games title has to offer, I would have to say that my top mobile games include Bingo Tour, Bubble Buzz, and 8 Ball Strike.