The games industry isn't taking care of its caretakers

On March 14, 2026, Perfect Tides: Station to Station developer Meredith Gran published a piece on her personal blog called GDC Thoughts and Prayers that, among other reflections on 2026’s Game Developer Conference, made a critical observation: the worst thing about one of the industry’s biggest trade events was its inhospitably to children. After taking her own child to the event and using the provided childcare (located in a room separate from the festival), Gran wrote that the lack of children in spaces was “depressing at best and occasionally infuriating,” while noting that “it seems obvious that an industry event serious about the inclusion of women would be more accommodating to children. (But I’m not sure a for-profit industry conference is serious about that, or about anything really.)”

The child-focused commentary is brief but cutting, and ultimately prompts a larger question: if this is what it’s like at GDC, what’s the reality for caretakers when working outside these special events?

After talking via video call and email with over a dozen caretakers — people taking care of children, aging parents, and sick family members — working in games based in the U.K., U.S., and Canada, Gran’s statements shouldn’t be considered a blip on the radar. These chats characterize the professionalized side of the space as, while not monolithic in its treatment of caretakers, routinely failing to address their needs. The commercial space has created conditions where many workers are forced to constantly assess priorities and choose between being a good caretaker versus a fulfilled creative and diligent employee.