We’re incredibly proud to announce our 2026 Into Games Champions, eight brilliant games sector professionals from working-class and low-income backgrounds who are helping us shape the future of the industry.

This year marks a major moment for Into Games. As we become a charity focused solely on social mobility in the UK games sector, our mission is clearer than ever: to make sure talent from every background has a fair chance to get in, get on, and stay in games.

Our Champions are central to that mission.

“For too long, the games industry has relied on people from working-class and low-income backgrounds succeeding despite the system, rather than because of it. Our Champions have lived that reality. Their insight, honesty, and experience are essential if we’re serious about changing how the industry works — not just who makes it through the door.”
Declan Cassidy, CEO, Into Games

As Into Games Champions, they’ll use their voices and lived experience to challenge who the games industry is built for, and who it too often leaves behind. By sharing their journeys, amplifying our wider work, shaping our programmes, and representing Into Games through schools, awards, fundraising, and the media, our Champions will help expose barriers and push for a games sector where opportunity isn’t determined by background.

Say hello to our 2026 Champions

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Kenan Wilsher

Currently the Creative Director and Founder of Observer Interactive - based in the North East. Kenan started his career as a Games Artist working on IP like Tom Clancy's The Division 2, Rust: Console, LEGO Horizon, and numerous indie titles. Observer Interactive now has almost 20 staff and works on co-development projects as well as their own IP (Good Boy, launching 2026).

Why I wanted to be an Into Games Champion: Me and my sister grew up on a council estate in Wakefield and my mum was a single parent on minimum wage trying to take care of us both. I always loved games growing up, I didn't fit into the mainstream school system and was out of education for 3 years during secondary school. One day I learnt that my passion for games was a viable career choice during an open day visit to my local college (there was a course that allowed me to learn how to make games properly!). This discovery got me back into school, allowed me to take my education seriously and after college/university I went straight into a job as an environment artist at Ubisoft. Since learning my trade and getting experience I've since grown and built a successful business, work with my best friends, and do the things that give my life purpose. All this happened because someone told me that even though I come from a struggling background, I was able to do my dream job, and it was a viable career choice.

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Nareice Wint

Nareice has over a decade of games industry experience; starting in QA at PlayStation Liverpool before moving into production roles at Lucid Games, Playground Games and Electronic Arts working across AAA, AA and Mobile titles. With her deep understanding of creative and production pipelines she now leads her own studio - Miami Avalon - championing collaborative development, empathetic leadership and crafting meaningful games where both teams and ideas can thrive.

Why I wanted to be an Into Games Champion: Becoming an Into Games Champion is important to me, as coming from a working class background myself, I understand the struggles of getting into the games industry but also feeling like you belong too. I know how overwhelming it can feel when you don’t have the same resources or connections as others. I want to help change that by becoming a Champion and I hope to support and uplift people from working class backgrounds by opening doors, sharing guidance, and showing them that a career in games is possible. Diversifying the industry with more voices and perspectives will only make it stronger!

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Sarah York

Sarah is a passionate game developer from Yorkshire with over 15 years industry experience in studios like Rockstar and Team 17. She currenly works in Google Deepmind and is the founder of indie studio, Panda Cat Games who are working on their first major release, Spirits of Heartwood, a cosy 2-player adventure game.

Why I wanted to be an Into Games Champion: I grew up working class, so I understand the challenges that come with that, particularly when trying to get into the games industry. Myself and Panda Cat Games also support marginalised students and early-career game devs so joining as an Into Games Champion felt like a no-brainer.  

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Monroe Botan

Monroe Botan is a game designer at Frontier Developments. They recently worked on the Game Award–nominated Jurassic World Evolution 3.

Why I wanted to be an Into Games Champion: I wanted to raise awareness about the realities of breaking into the game industry from a low-income background. I also hope to support others with similar experiences and help them enter the industry, just as I did.

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Charlotte Pook

Charlotte is an experienced Talent Acquisition Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the computer games industry. She enjoys working with people from all walks of life and helping them step into the careers that they strive for.

Why I wanted to be an Into Games Champion: I’m passionate about the work Into Games is doing to improve social mobility. Coming from a working-class background myself, I understand how essential these kinds of resources are for people who may not otherwise have the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive. Into Games is helping to level the playing field and drive meaningful progress toward greater equality within the games industry.  

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Stuart De Ville

Stuart De Ville is an award-winning entrepreneur, CEO, and seasoned games industry leader with deep experience in game design, development, and business strategy. He’s the Co-Founder and Creative Director at Fribbly, supports UK game development as a consultant, and is a prominent advocate for industry change, as the founder of Game Dev Local.

Why I wanted to be an Into Games Champion: As someone who’s built a career in games without the usual safety nets, I know how opaque and exclusionary the industry can feel from the outside. As an artist and leader in games, who just happens to be from a working-class background, I want to help shine a light on pathways for others. Being an Into Games Champion is about using my experience to challenge barriers, share what I’ve learned, and help create a games sector where talent, not background, defines who gets to succeed.

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Helen Johnston

Working on the membership team at Ukie, Helen is based in the North West and has earned her PhD studying the occupational community of game developers.

Why I wanted to be an Into Games Champion: Being based in a post-industrial town in the north, I know for many people I see day to day, the idea of working in games is something they may think isn’t for them, because I used to be that person. I want to at least try to be the person I wished I could speak to in my teens/early 20s for someone else.

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Alyx Jones

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