GAMERella: An Interview with Gina Hara

Founded in 2013, GAMERella has spent over ten years building a community of gamers across Canada and in its hometown of Montreal, Quebec. Celebrating over 10 years with thousands of alumni across the country, the GAMERella Game Jam will be happening November 15th and 16th, alongside the 2025 Montreal Games Week. Every year, GAMERella invites game lovers from beginners to experts to join in on the weekend-long game-making workshop, where they team up with other folks to create a game over two days. GAMERella is a springboard for many people interested in the video game industry from underrepresented communities (women, LGBTQ+, neurodivergent, etc.). This year, GAMERella is launching its first-ever mentorship program. Today, we speak to co-founder and co-director Gina Hara 

Answers from co-founder and co-director Gina Hara.

1) For those who may want to attend or take part in GAMERella for the first time this year, what can they expect from the event? 

They can expect a cozy, friendly and inclusive event filled with people excited to collaborate and share knowledge.

What GAMERella's about is creating a safe space for folks from equity-deserving backgrounds who have always wanted to make a game but never had a chance to get started. Throughout the weekend, we'll be offering mentorship from professionals in the industry, mental health support, free food, and an overall supportive, low-stress space to experiment, learn, and connect.

Whether you're an artist, writer, programmer, or just someone curious about games, you'll find a community that cheers you on every step of the way. People make their first-ever games here, and they leave with new friends, collaborators, and the confidence to keep creating.

2) What skills can someone take out into the real world from GAMERella?

So many! On the technical side, participants learn the basics about game engines, design tools, and storytelling techniques. But the biggest takeaways are often collaboration, problem-solving, and creative resilience.

Making a game in two days teaches you how to communicate, compromise, and work as a team. These are skills that can transfer into any creative or professional field. People leave with a newfound sense of confidence, realizing, “Oh, I can actually do this.” That’s a powerful feeling.

3) This year, there is a mentorship program. How important is this to the event?

It means a great deal! It’s really the next evolution of what GAMERella has always been about.

Year after year, we create this utopian weekend, free of barriers (as much as possible). Participants and crew alike have been hoping for something that extends that, throughout the year. 

Over our 13 years, we've seen how mentorship can change the experience of aspiring and emerging game-makers. The mentorship program formalizes this: matching young creators with seasoned game developers for guidance, portfolio feedback, and long-term support.

The goal isn't to solely teach technical skills, but rather to open the door to historically closed opportunities for equity-deserving groups. It's about helping people build networks and careers. And in the long term, create a kinder and more equitable games industry.

4) Do you feel there has been progress made since the events of Gamergate, and what progress would you like to see happen in the future of the video game industry, from triple-A titles to independently produced games?

There's been progress, most notably in how we speak about inclusion and safety, but the work is far from over. More studios have begun taking diversity and representation seriously, and there's more visibility for under-recognized creators than ever before. That's encouraging. But systemic change takes time, and the economy is not helping. What we see in layoffs, barriers in hiring, pay equity, leadership representation, and workplace culture is discouraging. Independent creators and community projects are often leading the way, but the larger industry needs to keep pushing beyond empty gestures and social media statements towards actual structural accountability. What I'd love to see next is more shared power: where equity-deserving creators are not just represented, but are the ones shaping decisions, stories, and systems from the inside out.

5) Fun Question: What is an independent game that you played this year that gamers need to seek out? 

Psychroma! It is a side-scrolling psychological horror game focused on highlighting LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC experiences. It's a beautifully crafted Canadian game that is refreshingly original and leaves you with a lasting impact. But if you want something more cozy, check out Go Go Town! It is a delightfully charming game that combines farming, city management, decoration, cute ghosts and local multiplayer!!

Gina Hara is the co-founder and co-director of GAMERella, happening from November 15-16th. For more information, visit https://gamerella.ca/en/. To participate, visit https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/gamerella-game-jam-2025-registration-1595717436809. 

Remi is the host of At The Movies, along with regular Co-Host Danny Auber,y every Tuesday morning from 9-10 AM only on CJLO 1690 AM. They cover local film festivals, have interviews with directors and actors, and talk about a new film or the classics. They also cover the iconic sounds of present and past film scores and soundtracks. Follow Remi on Letterboxd. Remi is still the casual gamer on the PlayStation 5, looking for story-driven games despite his parents' wishes that he would take breaks in between.