Pink Power: Female Developers Behind Iconic Candy-Inspired Games

Looking back through history, the digital entertainment industry has typically been male-dominated. Take a closer look today, you’ll see more women than ever taking strong roles and embracing more iconic female avatars in the traditional video game and iGaming industries.

This includes everything from game developers to CEOs. Significant contributions to these global multi-billion-dollar industries are being made by ground-breaking female figures, who are single-handedly helping push the boundaries of what is possible in this ever-changing sector. 

Let’s take a quick look at some of the most famous female developers who have played a role in creating many of the gaming industry’s most iconic candy-inspired video games.

Are candy-themed games popular in the iGaming industry?

Yes. The sweets and candy theme remains one of the most enduring trends in online slots since its explosive entrance to the casino scene. Pragmatic Play has developed more sweets & candy-themed slots than most other market-leading providers. Perhaps many of their developers have sweet tooths themselves! With them leading in this category, they have curated an entire sweet collection where most of the flagship candy-themed titles are featured on Betsson’s online casino. 

Many of today’s market-leading, top-tier, multi-award-winning online casino software providers and game development studios have entire teams working on games like this, and many of the key roles are led by females. 

Besides the famous Sweet Bonanza, the 5 most popular candy-themed online slots consistently trending include the following hit titles:

1. Pragmatic Play’s Sugar Rush
2. Wazdan’s Jelly Reels
3. Evoplay’s Candy Dreams: Sweet Planet Bonus Buy
4. Play’n GO’s Sweet Alchemy Bingo
5. ELK Studios’ Dropz 

It’s easy to see why these kinds of games are catching on with a wide audience. The positive associations with sweets and candy naturally bring up feelings of fun and nostalgia. Just like their slot counterparts, candy-themed video games are just as popular. The fun, colourful world of sweets appeals to people of all ages and background. Sweets and candy often create a sense of nostalgia and conjure joyful images. They tap into fond childhood memories and make players instantly feel-good. 

What also makes these games such a hit, whether it’s a candy-themed console game on Xbox, PlayStation or Nintendo Switch, or a mobile slot packed with sugary visuals, is their bright and colourful aesthetics, catchy sound effects, and immersive background audio. Together, these features create an all-around pleasant experience.  

Another big reason for their popularity? They’re easy to play! There aren’t any complicated rules or tough strategies to master — just hit the spin button and hope to land a full reel of matching symbols. 

Many of today’s top candy-themed online slots tend to go beyond just eye-catching visuals. They often include other attracting in-play features like free spins, bonus rounds and perhaps even a second screen that takes place off the main reels. 

It is the mix of simple gameplay, sweet aesthetics and the feel-good factor that keep players coming back. These games offer something universally fun that people connect with and they’re not going anywhere — they’re here to stay. 

Which key female figures have made a name for themselves in video game development?

In recent decades, female figures have entered the video game development sector at an ever-increasing rate and have taken up various roles, from writing and producing to game design and programming. 

There may still be more men than women working in this sector. Still, these successful female figures are helping to change the status quo and encourage more women to enter this exciting industry. According to the latest statistics and reports, it is more inclusive than ever. 

Some of the most notable women who have taken up various roles in the video game development sector are the following:

• Megan Gaiser
• Brenda Laurel
• Shannon Loftis
• Lori Cole
• Brenda Romero
• Rebecca Heineman
• Dona Bailey
• Mabel Addis

In many of the gaming industry’s most successful blockbuster video games, we are also starting to see more female protagonists, some of which include Lara Croft, Commander Shepard, Jill Valentine, Ellie, and Chun-Li, plus countless others. 

A few of these iconic female figures from the gaming industry have also helped develop some of the world’s most popular candy-themed video games and hit titles from various other popular genres. 

From gamers to game changers

More women are projected to enter the video game industry (and the iGaming industry) over the coming years and will take up various vital roles. Both industries are actively striving for gender equality and greater diversity in the workforce, which will help drive the number of female workers up. Women will continue to make notable contributions to the digital entertainment sector. Some critical roles we will start seeing more women specialize in are front-end and back-end developers, DevOps engineers, game designers, artists and animators, graphic designers, audio engineers, IT technicians, and beyond.