Maria Tamellini, Co-founder & COO of GamerSafer
Maria Tamellini, photo courtesy of the subject
IN CAREER SPOTLIGHT, THE*GAMEHERS TEAM INTERVIEWS WOMEN WHO HAVE FOUND OR CREATED WORK WITHIN THE GAMING INDUSTRY (OR ADJACENT TECH INDUSTRIES) IN AREAS OUTSIDE OF PLAYING, STREAMING, OR COMPETING.
This week we interview Maria Tamellini, Co-Founder and COO of GamerSafer, a groundbreaking new company that is using technology to help gaming and esports companies prevent crimes, frauds, and disruptive behavior. As a parent of three, Maria is passionate about the world of gaming from a parent’s perspective. We spoke with Maria specifically about her thoughts on gaming and parenting, the benefits of gaming for children and teens, and the future of gaming she’s hoping to help build for everyone.
Since we're going to talk a bit about parenting and gaming, can you share a little bit about yourself as a parent in general? How many children do you have, and how old are they? What are your priorities when it comes to parenting style?
I have more of an authoritative parenting style, which involves continuous conversations where I mostly ask questions to understand their interests and decisions. When I find opportunities, I constructively challenge them and introduce other points of view. I also encourage exploration, participate as much as I can, and set boundaries to what I believe is essential. My "children" are 2, 14 and 22 years old so imagine how it is like having all the development stages altogether in one place! Keeping the family united with different maturities and needs requires a lot of dedication and creativity. Their relationship with technology during the pandemic is a great example. Suddenly, we were all 24/7 at home, demanding our screens and digital media for almost everything. Instead of making rigid rules or criticizing their choices, I proposed an open conversation about balance, their needs in several areas, and how their youngest brother would fit in this hyper-connected lifestyle. It was beautiful to see the older ones stepping in, even proposing changes in their behaviors to help their little brother build a healthy relationship with technology. They concluded that he needs to make this transition slowly, and he needed the whole family engaged. I feel this lengthy engagement process is finally coming to fruition.
Even before creating GamerSafer, what were your biggest concerns when it came to your children's gaming as a parent?
My biggest concerns are always the choices they are making, mostly when I'm not there. I want them to develop critical thinking, make smart decisions, take a step back if they are not sure about something, also cultivate things they like. These apply not only for gaming but for most of the environments they are part of.
We often focus on the negative when it comes to gaming and kids. What are some of the benefits and opportunities of gaming for children and teens?
There are multiple benefits, but self-development is the one that I value most. With guidance, games are a fantastic way to strengthen competencies, learn new skills, exercise problem-solving and autonomy. In multiplayer games, there are opportunities for collaboration where they discover how, as individuals, they can influence a team and how teamwork is vital to achieving a common goal. The sense of being part of a community is also cultivated in many ways. Games are fostering kids' interest in STEM learning, and the list could go on. These are benefits that could help them in relationship building in real life and future work experiences.
On a personal level, I really enjoy having my toddler and my daughter watching me playing Animal Crossing during the weekends. The little one knows everything about fossils and dinosaurs already. My 22-year-old enjoys when we can play Among Us together or watch him play other games. Games are a great medium to bring us together. As a parent, one of the most incredible things I realized was that gaming was a perfect entry point to understand and see the world through their lenses. By being genuinely interested and participating, I found an opportunity to bond with them and talk about important things such as empathy, emotional regulation, decision making, and many other things.
Do you think those same benefits extend beyond children gamers? How can they apply to other gamers?
I guess we all like to "level up" and have that incredible sensation of accomplishment in a game. I also notice the sense of belonging - being part of a community - has been increasingly important for me, and I believe for many players, no matter their identity. A recently report presented that some gamers reported greater wellbeing, and I want to see research like this evolving.
Can you tell us a bit about your professional background and what brought you to this moment of co-founding GamerSafer?
My background is in corporate social responsibility and social impact, I founded my first company at 25 while living in Brazil. I worked for many companies supporting strategic investments aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. After moving to Silicon Valley, I decided to incorporate technology into this work to scale impact. Simultaneously, as a mother of three at this point, I realized that virtual worlds were becoming more and more a significant part of our lives (two of them are savvy gamers). My co-founder was working in the gaming industry and challenged me to think of pressing problems such as cheating, harassment, discrimination, child abuse and exploitation. I felt those were problems worth solving from many angles, personally and professionally, I heard the call — and I couldn't run from it. This is the beginning of my story at GamerSafer.
What CHANGES HAVE YOU WITNESSED FOR WOMEN PROFESSIONALS IN THE GAMING INDUSTRY?
We see more women speaking at different events, companies socializing values aligned with diversity, and the number of women in entry-level jobs increasing. I'd love to see more women getting promoted, having a seat at the table (more board and leadership roles), and, as founders and creators, getting funded and being intentionally sponsored.
What do you think needs to change to make the world of gaming a better place – both for players and for the people who make up the gaming industry?
There is no doubt we all love Gaming; according to the Free to Play Report, 95 percent of online multiplayer gamers in the U.S. have experienced positive social interaction while playing. At the same time, the report shows that a significant number of players were targets of harassment (81%), trolling (70%), identity-based discrimination (53%), among other things. There is no silver bullet to address these complex challenges, but like in the real world, bringing more accountability and fair play at scale can have a cascade effect, inspiring change and trust among players and communities. A good place to start would be having more gaming companies working to create more diverse and inclusive working cultures to model the communities they want to build.
How can we better support women, nonbinary, and transgender gamers and gaming professionals?
We need to create more safe spaces where we all feel welcomed and encouraged to grow. We want to have our voices amplified and more access to opportunities. We are looking forward to see more open conversations and even training sessions about bias, about being an ally, a mentor and a sponsor that truly makes a difference. We need to make sure the bad apples are accountable for their actions and that decision makers are committed to make diversity and inclusion a priority.
What do you look forward to in the future of gaming?
A gaming and esports ecosystem where we all feel we belong, where many of us don’t have to hide, feel consistently uncomfortable, or in play in unfair conditions. I’m committed to make this future our present.
Maria Tamellini, photo courtesy of the subject
To find more information on Maria’s company, GamerSafer, visit:
Website: https://gamersafer.com/
Twitter: @gamersafer
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gamersafer/
Instagram: @gamersafer
For the data Maria cites in her interview and more, visit: https://www.adl.org/free-to-play-2020
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