IWD Profile - Fern

If you could please start by telling us about yourself, what games do you play, when did you start playing?

Hi, my name is Fern. I’m the Product Curator at Numskull Games & I’m a massive nerd. I have all 3 main consoles & play lots of different games. My favourites are Ocarina of Time, Pokémon Gold, Sea of Thieves, Stardew Valley, The Last of Us & Minecraft. No console wars here, but my heart will always belong to Nintendo. I started playing games in 1997 when my mum won a N64.

If you play a TCG what is your favourite deck, game format and card?

I’ve been collecting Pokémon cards since the first set. I’ve not played the TCG properly for ages but want to go back to it. My favourite set is Astral Radiance as I loved Pokémon Legends Arceus. My alt art Espeon Vmax from Fusion Strike is my favourite card.

Do you feel you find that more females are getting involved in gaming since you started playing?

Growing up I had one female friend who was interested in games. Since having my gaming Instagram account I’ve met a lot of other female gamers and have made lots of friends which has been awesome. A lot of them grew up playing games too.

Can you tell us about a gaming character or game developer who has inspired you and why?

One of my favourite characters has always been Lara Croft. There weren’t many female led games growing up. I love adventure games, exploring and puzzles. I always thought Lara was super cool and so brave. Definitely inspiring for the kid that was scared of everything!

What challenges do you think women face in the gaming world and How can the gaming community be changed to make it more inclusive for women?

The main challenge women face in the gaming world is harassment. People like to hide behind their screens and say/type things they’d be too ashamed to say in person. Some women hide their identity or won’t use a mic to avoid being subjected to abuse online. Women are gamers too and deserve to play games how they want to. Gaming should be a safe space for everyone.

How do you see the future of women in gaming, both as players and as creators of games and gaming content?

I think the future looks great for women in gaming. More and more women are getting roles in the industry and I think that’ll be inspiring for generations to come.

Please let us know how we can find the content you create, and what our readers can expect to see.

You can find me on Instagram - @ferntendo64 My content is mostly Pokémon. I’ve been obsessed with Pokémon since I got Blue for Christmas in 1998. I like to post photos of my Pokémon cards and gaming collection. I’m on Twitter too, @ferntendo64