The Legends Campaign, a partnership between Seattle Reign FC and Starbucks, honors women for their extraordinary contributions to our community in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Prior to Seattle Reign FC’s match against Utah Royals FC on July 7, the club recognized Kiki Wolfkill, a video game developer, executive producer and creative director.
Wolfkill has been in the video game industry for nearly 20 years. She has degrees in Chinese history, broadcast journalism and art, as well as experience as a race car driver. She began her career as a motion graphics and cinematics artist and has since grown into a top personality in the video game industry.
“I’ve spent my entire career in video game development and more recently ventured into film and television. I see myself as a creative leader who thrives on creating experiences. I love the intersection of creativity and technology and I love what that enables in storytelling. I live for creating stories that people can experience in a variety of ways.”
Wolfkill has experience at 343 Industries, Microsoft Game Studios, and as an executive producer on the digital series Halo: The Fall of Reach, Halo: Nightfall, and the Halo Channel experience on Xbox One, PC, and mobile platforms. Her previous work includes the Project Gotham Racing and Forza Motorsport franchises, as well as Fable, Crackdown, Gears of War, and Mass Effect.
As an industry leader, Wolfkill has become a mentor to many and spends a lot of time encouraging girls and women to pursue STEM fields.
“I’m a huge advocate and supporter of getting more women and girls involved in Steam, because girls are quick to think that technology and computers aren’t for them. It’s important that girls understand that there are no taboos for them.
She continued, “I’ve never considered myself as someone who is limited by the idea of what I can or can’t do. Stupid or not, I pursue anything that I find interesting and exciting until I hit a wall. Even then, I try to figure out how to get around or overcome that wall. I want to be able to fight those same battles on behalf of other people, and especially other women.”
Wolfkill has received numerous awards for her leadership in the field, including being named one of the 10 most influential women in gaming by Fortune Magazine. As a leader and mentor to many, Wolfkill embodies what it means to be a legend every day. Her advice to young women is to embrace their fear or uncertainty when faced with a challenge.
“You have to be both fearless and accept the fear, right? It’s not about not Being afraid or feeling the fear. It’s about accepting that fear and letting it drive you to keep going,” she said.
Being honored as a Seattle Reign FC legend means a lot to Wolfkill, who is no stranger to the world of sports.
“It means so much to me because I have an affinity for female athletes. I admire so much what they have accomplished and the amount of discipline, determination and grit it takes to be a professional athlete. To see these organizations grow and get the recognition they deserve is incredible. It’s a huge honor to be recognized because I know the impact this team has on people, especially girls, and to be recognized as a part of that is really special to me.”
