First Annual Nonbinary Tabletop Award!
Snowbright Studio has wrapped up the inaugural Nonbinary Tabletop Award season. This award program was designed to celebrate work that uplifts nonbinary gender representation and advocacy in tabletop games. We received numerous submissions across all areas of the gaming community, from the game designers who bring the games you love to life, the artists who make these games works of art, and the content creators who keep us entertained and up to date and informed on all things tabletop. We were stunned by the array of talent represented and the number of nominees. Truly, this inaugural endeavor has made us pleased and honored to be the home of the Nonbinary Tabletop Award, and we thank each and every one of you who participated in the nominations.
We are proud to present you with the 2024 Nonbinary Tabletop Award winners!
Women are Werewolves: C.A.S. Taylor (they/them), Yeonsoo Julian Kim (they/she/he)
C.A.S. Taylor and Yeonsoo Julian Kim are game designers who met at the NYU Game Center in undergrad. This is their first published game together. Women are Werewolves was created from a desire to better understand their needs as nonbinary individuals, and articulate those needs to their families. They also really love werewolves. When asked about their hopes for the nonbinary community in the new year, they said, “No queer art is one-size-fits-all, and there are as many nonbinary stories to tell as there are nonbinary people. We hope to see games that reflect those differences even as we celebrate each one together.”
Room 51; Matthew Makak (he/they)
Matthew Makak is a nonbinary, trans-masculine board game content creator. He runs a full-time private practice as a licensed mental health counselor while attempting to carve out his place in the board gaming industry. Matthew is joined by his brother, Justin, in creating YouTube videos and live content on Twitch for their channel, Room 51. Matthew had this to say about his hope for the community: “My hopes for 2024 is to see more nonbinary board game content creators, designers, and industry workers. I often feel lonely as a nonbinary content creator and I don't want to be the only one nor speak for the entire community. We belong here, we play here, this is our sandbox too; I hope folx can see there is enough sand for all of us.”
Cloud Empress: watt (they/them)
watt is a queer, nonbinary TTRPG creator. They write at the intersection of science fiction, gender, humor, body horror, and climate justice. When asked about what inspired Cloud Empress, watt said that “Cloud Empress started with a bit of wish fulfillment—namely, the desire to cast magic in the Mothership rules system. Like my favorite (and probably all of) Hayao Miyazaki’s works, I tried to create a setting where tenderness and intimate communities existed without turning away from the horrors human beings face every day to survive, live, and love.”
Full interviews will be available in the Love Cats volume of Cozy Companion releasing in February.
Snowbright Studio Contact: Media@Snowbrightstudio.com
Snowbright Studio is an LGBTQ+ game studio dedicated to creating unique and heartwarming experiences for people of all ages and backgrounds.
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