Though video game development is a massive and collaborative process, there are a few figures that stand out, either as game changers or pioneers. Given that the early days of the gaming industry primarily targeted male audiences, most of these figures are, unsurprisingly, men. Miyamoto Shigeru, Hideo Kojima, Sid Meir, and John Carmack are some of the most famous names in gaming. However, one of the biggest names in gaming belongs to a woman: Amy Hennig, whose achievements in the gaming industry prove that gaming isn’t just for boys.
Following the Great Video Game Crash of 1983, the whole gaming industry found itself on the brink of disaster. The newfound fragility prompted the yet-budding industry to try to protect itself by pandering to an established market, comprised mostly of teen boys and men. (Did Lara’s shorts truly have to be that short?
Hennig’s foray into the industry didn’t only break gaming from its demographically stagnant and unadventurous shell, it also laid the foundation for creating gaming experiences that now appeal to wider and broader audiences.
Born in 1964, Hennig was just the right age to enjoy all the glory that classic walk-in arcades offered, and she would often save up her allowance only to spend it all at her local gaming palace. However, growing up, her main interest was film, a path she pursued through her education. While most of the prominent names in the gaming industry have a tech background, Hennig graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with an English literature degree before taking a film class at San Francisco State.
Her introduction to the world of gaming came about completely by accident after she landed a freelance job at Atari as part of the art team working on 1989’s Electrocop, published for Atari Lynx (Atari’s 8-bit 4th-generation hand-held console). While working on the game, Hennig quickly drew parallels between gaming and the early days of the now well-developed film industry that she wanted to be a part of. She concluded that gaming is a more interesting and innovative medium: a frontier in which most of the impactful stories had yet to be written.
Electrocop wasn’t really a massive success, or any success for that matter, but that didn’t discourage Hennig from dropping out of film school and dedicating herself to gaming. She went on to work on Electronic Art’s Michael Jordan: Chaos in Windy City, and while that was a staple in her career, her breakthrough in the industry and her career-defining moment came after she left EA. Following her departure, Hennig joined Crystal Dynamics, where she assisted with the development of 1996’s Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain video game.
The game was met with initial high praise, as it centered on a newly made vampire and the Scion of Balance on a quest for vengeance against his creators. The game explored several rich and complex themes, such as fate, free will, morality, ethics, power, and responsibility, in a way that was, at the time, seldom seen in video games. Needless to say, it was a massive success, and Hennig took a more pronounced leadership role during the development of the game’s sequel, 1999’s Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver.
Soul Reaver was an even bigger success, which led to the release of 2001’s Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2 and Legacy of Kain: Defiance, both of which had Hennig as the game director. The entire series features exceptionally well-developed and complex characters and became known as one of the earliest examples of coherent plotting in a video game series. Not to mention the Shakespearian dialogue, which really showcased Hennig’s knowledge of film and literature and helped her establish herself as one of the gaming industry’s most talented individuals.
According to Hennig, the Legacy of Kain series is her greatest achievement, but she worked on other prominent titles as well. In 2005, she transitioned to Naughty Dog, previously known for Jak and Daxter and Crash Bandicoot, to work on their upcoming title for the PlayStation 3 console. The PS3 had struggled financially since launch; with the lack of software exclusives and Sony selling the console at a loss, the PlayStation 3 was a sinking ship. But Hennig’s Uncharted not only saved the system from its impending doom but also became known as a Sony flagship title.
Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune sold one million copies after only ten days on the market, and it served as a foundation for solidifying the PS3 as the dominant console of the generation. The game’s sequel was also a massive success, winning several Game of the Year awards. By the time Hennig left  Naughty Dog, the Uncharted series had already sold well over 20 million copies. So, there’s very little doubt that her talents played a crucial role in saving Sony’s gaming business. However, it’s also not a stretch to say that her contributions helped save the entire gaming industry.
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves featured two female characters central to the game’s narrative, and her input ensured that they were not designed into hypersexualized caricatures or damsels in distress waiting to be rescued (or even worse, both). Hennig’s work challenged the gaming industry’s ideas about female characters, but it also challenged the idea of what a gamer is, leading to the massive popularization of video games among women. In 2022, 48% of people who played PC or console video games were women, and that number climbed to 49% this year.
Hennig’s influence on the whole gaming industry can’t be understated. She serves as a role model and pioneer for women game developers who pioneered narrative-centric gameplay and ultimately left an indelible mark on the gaming industry. Her career continues to flourish as she works under her own banner, Skydance New Media. The company is currently developing a new Star Wars game, along with another title from Marvel Entertainment, featuring both the Black Panther and Captain America, so fans of Amy Hennig’s work have plenty to look forward to.