Diversity | Creativity | Legacy
At Fairer Games diversity is at the core of our business. We provide high quality, creatively focused content which tells the stories and history of people of marginalised genders.Our approach to development is collaboration over competition - we love working in partnership with our clients and others in our industry with a shared goal.We are passionate about producing a positive ripple effect with the work that we do.
Crafting Ales & Building Friendships
You are an alewife in Norwich in the 1500s, brewing her way to financial independence and societal power at a time where working women are shrouded in suspicion and scrutiny.It is a narrative adventure game with a core loop of crafting, narrative and management - a blend of our team's great love of games where you can't get enough of the characters and the challenge of building up a business from humble beginnings.
Founder | Developer | Mentor
Robin is the founder of Fairer Games, an independent studio focused on blending game design innovation and engaging storytelling. Winner of the 2023 DevelopHER Award, she is a passionate advocate for the growth and exciting potential of the games sector in Norfolk. Robin is a member of the Norfolk Business Board and Part-time lecturer of Games Development at Norwich University of the Arts.“Robin’s adaptability and generosity with her expertise make her someone you just love having around. She lifts the people she works with and brings out the best in every collaboration.”
Co-Development | Research | Communication
Fairer Games are uniquely positioned to blend game development expertise with communicating research, engaging innovation and experiential learning. Our clients include; Norwich University of the Arts, Wayland Chamber of Commerce and Norfolk Museum Service.
Diversity | Creativity | Legacy
We welcome your support for our work to tell the hidden and overlooked stories in our games. Championing the unseen, diverse, ordinary people who have shaped our world today.Supporting us on Ko-fi ensures you are the first to see our development updates and bonus content.Subscribing to our Newsletter offers a chance to hear from the Fairer Games team on topics they care deeply about.
We care about building a games industry which is welcoming and safe for all.
Part of our commitment to our local games ecosystem is our ongoing support of Norfolk Game Developers, our voluntary work with the Norfolk and Norwich Councils and signposting to accessible Career Resources where possible.
© Fairer Games Ltd
Games Career Resources
We are so excited that you are considering a career in games!
Why aren't you accepting school work-experience placements?
As we are a small team of part time staff and contractors it is not suitable for us to take on a work placement student from a school or college which is under the age of 18 due to DBS checks and safeguarding considerations. We work remotely and so do not have a consistent workspace which could support a young person coming to work alongside us. This will not always be the case and as soon as we are ready to expand and take on more people to our team, we will make sure to advertise this!Larger games companies do offer work placements but it's a big challenge locally to find companies which are able to do this as so many of them are still in the first stages of starting up. If you have trouble finding placements with game studios it is very unlikely to be about you personally and please do not take it as a reason to stop working towards a career in games - there will be other opportunities down the line!
How can I find games companies / studios near me?
Shuck Studios have created an amazing site to help represent the games industry in East Anglia called the East Anglia Games Index.
Ukie (the trade body for Games in the UK) also have a national Games Map. This includes educational partners, games developers and service providers.
How can I connect with developers in Norfolk?
Norfolk Game Devs have a monthly Meetup Group and a Discord Server. You do not need prior development experience to come along to an event and meet other creators.Please note: Meetups are restricted to those 18yrs+ unless accompanied by an adult. Discord membership is at the discretion of the server moderators. The NGD; Discord server is a public online space.
Job Roles in Games
Screenskills Games Job Profiles
If you’re not yet sure what job roles or departments you might be interested in for games, the Screenskills website is a fantastic place to start. They have job maps, roles and e learning modules which can help you better understand the industry (which is important to know if looking for placements).
Youtube Series on Job Roles - “So You Wanna Make Games?”
In this series of videos by Riot Games learn about the different elements of game development - a great resource for those starting out, or who want to learn more about the different disciplines involved in game creation.
Entry Level Skills Hub
The Entry Level Skills Hub is a collaborative platform designed to offer detailed insight into various entry-level roles in the games industry. You can find out about a 'day-in-the-life' of a junior programmer, watch interviews, see example portfolio websites, understand the key skills needed for a role & more!
One Minute Mentor - Digital Schoolhouse
One Minute Mentor is a large collaborative project with people from a wide range of job roles, backgrounds and experience talking about what they do in the games industry, 1 minute at a time!
Super Awesome Resources
Susi Bauer - Games Career Database
Susi Bauer works tirelessly to maintain this fantastic resource which is their own curated database of career resources on Notion, find this table of wisdom by clicking the button below!
She Plays Games - Podcast on Working in the Games Industry
She Plays Games is a fantastic podcast series from Lauren Kaye which features interviews with people of many different roles in the games industry, some of which don’t always get their time in the spotlight. Useful takeaways, lived experiences and underrepresented stories from games professionals!
Code Coven - A Resources Treasure Trove!
Code Coven are an amazing organisation which is specifically focused on encouraging people from diverse backgrounds into games. Here is a video from one of their workshops on Narrative design and writing for games - there's a bank of knowledge on their YouTube!
Limit Break Mentorship
Limit Break is a mentorship program aimed at underrepresented people working in the UK games industry. Participants are paired with a mentor who is an established professional in their field. They often open for applications in early April for each year.
Global Games Alliance - Resource Bank & Funding
Global Games Alliance is managed by Magna Ludum Creatives Ltd and is an online database of the games-related funding and resources which are available. Great to help you understand what’s on offer or where to apply!Proudly made in Suffolk, England.
Game Discover Co - Pitch Deck Archive
A collection of PC and console video game pitch decks. It's intended to be a resource for developers to see how other developers have presented their videogames to publishers, investors, and other interested parties. These decks have been compiled by GameDiscoverCo and hosted for free.
Kate Killick - Curated Resources List
Kate has generously collected together some of the most helpful links on the internet for fellow independent game developers to benefit from. “There are some GREAT games industry resources out there, but if you aren’t already in the loop it can be hard to know where to start. This is my personal list of things I find myself recommending again and again, both for the games industry generally and specific areas I’ve been involved in.”
Do.Contract - Contract Generator for Gamedevs
contract( ) is a free agreement generator for game developers. This generator is not legal advice and is not written by attorneys. contract( ) was made by game designer Adriaan de Jongh with the help of dozens of experienced game developers and attorneys.
Business Leader | Game Developer | Educator | Public Speaker
“Robin’s adaptability and generosity with her expertise make her someone you just love having around. She lifts the people she works with and brings out the best in every collaboration.”
Katia Bentley- Senior Project Manager for Norwich Business Improvement District
Public Speaking
Inspiring | Actionable | Accessible
Robin is an experienced public speaker, taking joy in providing her audience with actionable steps and takeaways from her talks.
Structured and engaging, Robin is not afraid to be vulnerable with her experiences in game development, business, as a woman in the tech industry.
"An eloquent speaker, Robin combines genuine passion with her wide-ranging experience as a creative business founder, educator, mentor, and champion of women in the games industry. She offers practical, actionable insights drawn from her own journey and our audiences were consistently inspired by her.I highly recommend Robin as a professional and memorable speaker—intelligent, versatile, and a delight to collaborate with."
Lucy Marks, CEO of Norfolk Network
“Learning from Robin's experience balancing work, entrepreneurship and life was so incredibly valuable. Robin really cares about supporting and helping her community and sharing her expertise and knowledge.Most importantly, Robin has inspired me so much and given me tools to keep working towards my goals without getting discouraged from the ups and downs of life.”
limitbreak mentee
Founder of
Norfolk Game Developers
Robin has been an organiser of Norfolk Game Developers since 2013 and is proud of the incredible community that has formed around the Norfolk games cluster. The group hosts up to 4 events a month, coffee mornings, co-working afternoons and evening events to showcase games-in-progress.Through her role as organiser of Norfolk Game Developers, Robin helped deliver the first two years of The Forum's Norwich Games Festival (2014-2015) and the event now welcomes ~8,000 visitors a day, every year in May halfterm.
Member of the
Norfolk Business Board
Robin is a committed voluntary member of the Norfolk Business Board, providing sector insights for the digital creative industry. Through her work with the board, Robin has supported the formation of the Norfolk Ambassadors Programme and the creation of the Ambassador Toolkit - helping provide a voice for the excellence in Norfolk businesses across sectors.
our work
We love working with partners to create something special.
Fairer Games are available for co-development of games, communicating research through games, supporting research projects with game sector insights, developing engaging experiences for diverse audiences.Whether you have the seed of an idea that you're look for someone to help you build on and develop, or you're further along in the process, we're happy to help.
Our ideal Projects
We love blending our research and connections in heritage with our drive to engage and excite players - Brewess centres on the social importance and history of ale brewing and we would love to work on projects which similarly honour traditional crafts and their history.Working in partnership with museums, local authorities, research bodies, artisans and historians, we bring our expertise in design and interactivity to support and celebrate their works. Some examples of our collaborations are below.
Beyond Entertainment:
Games Growth Plan for the East
A regionally-focused report to inform local and national government and the wider business and investment community on the potential of games businesses in East Anglia. Fairer Games were consultants for the report which was commissioned by Norwich University of the Arts and Connected Innovation.The research and collaboration which went into the report was extensive; collating broad datasets on business information in the region with qualitative interviews with key stakeholders. We crafted insightful case studies to support the report, highlighting established businesses and exciting growing talent in the region. We worked with business accelerators, educational institutions in HE and FE, local government, sector boards and industry professionals to map the full ecosystem of games in East Anglia.Norwich University of the Arts has now published the full report to their website and this can be found via this link.
“Fairer Games has been an invaluable partner in positioning the East of England as a hotspot for the UK games industry. Their expertise and collaborative approach were central to shaping the Beyond Entertainment: Games Growth Plan for the East report, ensuring it reflects ambition and inclusivity. Their use of diverse datasets, depth of research and professional insight provided a robust evidence base for the report’s recommendations.Fairer Games drew upon a well-established network engaging a diverse range of industry professionals, academic collaborators, and grassroots communities, broadening the scope and significance of the findings. By connecting a variety of industry voices and championing sustainable growth, Fairer Games helped create a roadmap for talent development and innovation. This partnership demonstrates the power of academia and industry working together to drive meaningful change.”Associate Professor Mark Wickham
Director of Computer Arts and Technology
Fantasy Realms:
Bringing Heritage to Life
We have worked on a number of projects with local organisations to support engagement with historical content, inclusive practices for digital creativity and accessibility in games design.During the British Library’s ‘Fantasy Realms’ Exhibition, we designed and facilitated workshops which introduced the idea of how game design and heritage can work hand in hand. Game design can bring together many elements; history, literature, artwork, music, storytelling, strategy - the list goes on.Our Interactive Storytelling Workshop is a great introduction to communication through design, bringing together a variety of inspirations to create a player experience. It guides participants through the process of design, considering at each stage how the story can be told.
One participant commented that they particularly enjoyed;“Getting to talk about wild ideas in a more grounded and technical way - also, seeing/using some of the heritage collection!”
The Wayland Digital & Creative Media Centre
Working with the Wayland Chamber and other regional partners, Fairer Games has supported the initial research and proposal for the DCMC to be built in Watton. Fairer Games worked closely with the Chairman of Wayland Chamber to make introductions, pass on opportunities and spread the word of the project through local and national networks.At the launch of the centre, Fabian Eagle, previous cabinet member for Economic Growth at Norfolk County Council, gave a rousing speech on the importance of the games sector for the growth of the local economy and how a centre like this - providing an essential third-space for the community and resources and facilities for businesses - is vital.
“Fairer Games provide sound advice, comprehensive knowledge of the gaming and creative sector and have been absolutely instrumental in shaping The Wayland Digital and Creative Media Centre. Always forthright and straight, Robin quickly grasps key issues and needs and is able to draw upon her varied experience and an impressive contact list and to think creatively in delivering solutions. I have worked with Robin for over 5 years, she is pleasure to work with, respected and held in very high regard by all her colleagues.”Dr. David Dent
Chairman of the Wayland Chamber of Commerce
Norfolk Ambassadors Toolkit
Alongside Robin's work with the Norfolk Business Board, Fairer Games supported the production of the Norfolk Ambassadors Toolkit, running a series of workshops with key stakeholders before facilitating a ambassador round-table event. Each stage involved voices from across Norfolk celebrating what makes their sector's so special.
This was then captured and the brilliant teams at Plain Speaking PR and Naked Marketing produced the finished pack:
"Robin has provided an excellent service for our Business Board workshop sessions. We tasked Robin to research, design, and then facilitate a series of workshops, to determine key messages that would effectively communicate Norfolk’s Economic Strengths. Robin did a thorough job in preparing the workshop material, then setting the scene and facilitating stakeholders during the workshop sessions. She ensured that we achieved the desired outcome by coordinating discussion and kept us on time. Robin’s follow up work, post workshop, was also very comprehensive and delivered in a timely manner. I would highly recommend her services."Roberta Willner
Head of Economic Development
Norfolk County Council
Previous speaking experience
Keynote Speaker:
DevelopHER Awards 2024
Robin Spoke at the 2024 DevelopHER awards following her success in winning the Game Development and Overall awards for 2023. Centring her talk on her experience as a community organiser, event manager and diversity advocate (alongside her technical career), she filled the talk with thought-provoking questions for the audience, valuable takeaways from her experiences and inspiring advice for winning an award - including some choice quotes from the Barbie film!
"Your story of resilience, breaking through barriers, and reaching new heights has truly resonated with me and given me a fresh perspective."
BREWESS is a game about
crafting ales & building friendships.
You are an alewife in Norwich in the 1500s, brewing her way to financial independence and societal power at a time where working women are shrouded in suspicion and scrutiny.It is a narrative adventure game with a core loop of crafting, narrative and management - it's a blend of our team's great love of games where you can't get enough of the characters and the challenge of building up a business from humble beginnings.
One year on from your world being turned upside down by Kett’s rebellion of 1549, you rediscover your grandmother’s craft of brewing. At a time where your success as an alewife could be your downfall, you vow to become Norwich’s most lauded Brewess.
CRAFT YOUR ALES
Preparing your ingredients, malting your grains and serving your thirsty customers is how you earn your keep.
CHARM YOUR CUSTOMERS
Coaxing your patrons into deeper conversations will reveal how they can help your business grow, offer new recipes and even possible trade routes.
AVOID SUSPICION
Your reputation is everything; confuse the Bishop for the local Alderman and you could quickly find yourself accused of practising witchcraft.
BUILD YOUR BREWING EMPIRE
Timing is key. Take advantage of seasonal events and soon you will be able to manage several taverns, gaining favour with the nobles.
"A charming game with a mischievous cat is always going to win me over."
— Player at Norwich Games Festival
