Most people take an unexpected route into games says Global Game Jam director

▤ Summary

Maria Burns Ortiz says there is no single traditional route into games and uses her own career path to make that point. She moved from sports journalism at ESPN to co-founding an educational games studio, then became executive director of Global Game Jam. The piece centers on a careers panel at Lagos Games Week 2026 and highlights how transferable skills can matter more than a linear background. It also broadens the view of games careers by pointing to community, narrative, and education roles beyond development and esports.

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