Cat Tobin

Cathriona "Cat" Tobin is a game designer and publisher based in West Cork, Ireland. She co-owns the London-based Pelgrane Press with Simon J Rogers and is a significant contributor to the roleplaying game industry in the UK.

Career

Tobin has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Philosophy.[1]

She has contributed to the game community in Ireland and the UK for many years. She worked with Warpcon from 1997 to 2006 in roles including event organiser, committee member and president. She is also the founder of K2 in Cork, and was one of the Dragonmeet organizers in 2013.[2][3][4][5] She also wrote for indie game publications such as The Circular and The Gazebo, where she contributed "Five Tips for Writing a Mystery Game" in 2012.[6][7]

Tobin held a position with Contested Ground Studios as an accountant, also working as booth staff at conventions.[7] She began working for Pelgrane Press as an assistant publisher and program manager, working her way up to become co-owner and managing director in 2015.[8][9] This position includes running the day-to-day operations of Stone Skin Press, Pelgrane's book imprint.[1] Tobin has diverse credits, including publisher, editor, project manager, and "wrangler" on a number of projects.[10][11] Tobin has over 100 production credits, such as Cold City (2007), Hillfolk (2013), and several games in each of the GUMSHOE, 13th Age, and Trail of Cthulhu series.[12]

Pelgrane, under Tobin's leadership, has run several successful Kickstarter campaigns, including raising $120,000 for The Dracula Dossier, an improvisational supplement to their game Night's Black Agents, and a £167,341 Kickstarter for the Yellow King RPG.[13][14]

Tobin wrote and designed the game First Joyful Mystery, a roleplaying game that explores the politics of abortion and women's rights in Ireland. The game was included in the #Feminism game anthology, a collection of 34 "nano-games" that was selected for the 2016 IndieCade Showcase at E3, and nominated to IndieCade 2016.[15][16]

Tobin has been called a "rising star of RPG publishing":[13]

Since joining Pelgrane, the company has seen the number of events it runs at Gen Con skyrocket from fewer than 10 to over 150. The company had a $120,000 Kickstarter, and won 15 ENnies, all while Tobin “worked hard to build a Pelgrane community that engages fans, and acknowledges the vital part they play…in our team,” she says.[13]

As an industry professional, Tobin is often consulted for advice on how to get into the industry, and editorial advice on how to write successful games.[17][18][2][19][20] Tobin has said that one of her professional goals is to improve the network of women making games in the UK, has spoken up about gender-based harassment and discrimination in the industry, and contributes to discussions about diversity and inclusion.[21][8][22][23] She is involved in Christina Stiles of Misfit Studios' book project Medusa's Guide for Gamer Girls as a contributing writer.[24]

Accomplishments

Tobin won the Contribution to Irish Gaming Award from Warpcon in 2005, and a National Game Writers Award from Itzacon Eire in 2008.

She organized the 2006 Warpcon fundraising efforts totaling €12,000; as a result, the Irish Games Association won a Diana Jones Award for its Irish Game Convention Charity Auctions.[25]

In 2013, she was an invited guest at the UK Games Expo.[26] Also in 2013, Pelgrane-published Hillfolk won Indie Game of the Year and Best Support from the Indie RPG Awards, and in 2014 it won the Diana Jones Award, where it was described as "created by some of the finest designers working today."[27][28]

Since Tobin's involvement with Pelgrane Press, the games manufacturer has won a large number of awards, including the Gen Con En World ENnies silver Fan's Choice for Best Publisher.[29][30] It has been nominated for several Golden Geek Awards and won an Indie Groundbreaker Award.[8]

She edited and art-directed the Seven Wonders game anthology, a "must-have," "cutting-edge," and "amazing" set of games noted for its "strong art" and "incredibly smart editing."[11][13][31] It won the 2017 Game of the Year Indie Groundbreaker Award from the Indie Game Developer Network.[32][33][34]

References
  1. "About Stoneskin Press". Stone Skin Press. 2012-02-05. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
  2. "Podcast episode–The Dragonmeet Room with Cat Tobin". GMS Magazine. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
  3. "Ireland 40/41". www.johntynes.com. Retrieved 2018-03-08.
  4. "K2 - Irish Roleplaying and Gaming Wiki". irishgamingwiki.com. Retrieved 2018-03-08.
  5. "Games submissions for Dragonmeet 2013". Cubicle 7. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
  6. "Cathriona Tobin | RPG Designer | RPGGeek". rpggeek.com. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
  7. Gregor Hutton (2005). The Circular #1.
  8. "Interview with Cat Tobin of Pelgrane Press: Time For The Next Level | RPGG News". BoardGameGeek. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
  9. "Cathriona Tobin | RPG Designer | RPGGeek". rpggeek.com. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
  10. "My Encounter with Dracula". Cthulhu Reborn. 2015-10-12. Retrieved 2018-03-08.
  11. "Tough choices and personal sacrifice just a few topics in my new role-playing game". University of Roehampton. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
  12. "Cathriona Tobin | RPG Designer | RPGGeek". rpggeek.com. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
  13. "This Story Game Anthology Represents the Cutting Edge of Game Design | Geek and Sundry". Geek and Sundry. 2016-08-18. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
  14. "The Yellow King Roleplaying Game from Robin D. Laws". Kickstarter. Retrieved 2018-03-08.
  15. "IndieCade Showcase @ E3 2016 | IndieCade - International Festival of Independent Games". www.indiecade.com. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
  16. "2016 Games | IndieCade - International Festival of Independent Games". www.indiecade.com. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
  17. "[Voices from the Driver's Seat] – Getting Published in the RPG Industry". Perfect Information. 2016-10-21. Archived from the original on 2018-03-10. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
  18. "UK Games Expo 2013. An experience! - G*M*S Magazine". G*M*S Magazine. 2013-05-27. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
  19. "Pelgrane Press Dragonmeet Mysteries Panel 2017". Don't Split the Podcast Network. Retrieved 2018-03-08.
  20. "My Updated Metatopia 2015 Schedule". The Writer Next Door. 2015-10-13. Retrieved 2018-03-08.
  21. "Pelgrane Press at GenCon 2016 (Part 2)". geeklyinc.com. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
  22. "Being the average UK boardgamer (and inclusivity, diversity and microaggression in boardgames) - Rachel Dobbs: artist & educator". Rachel Dobbs: artist & educator. 2015-06-05. Retrieved 2018-03-08.
  23. "Listen to The Adventuring Party Episode - Wis, January 2018: Social Issues in Games on iHeartRadio". iHeartRadio. Retrieved 2018-03-08.
  24. "Medusa's Guide for Gamer Girls". Indiegogo. Retrieved 2018-03-08.
  25. "The Diana Jones Award for Excellence in Gaming". www.dianajonesaward.org. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
  26. "UK Games Expo 2013 Programme (PDF)" (PDF). ukgamesexpo.co.uk. 2013. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
  27. "Indie RPG Awards Announced: Hillfolk takes another top prize | RPGG News". BoardGameGeek. Retrieved 2018-03-08.
  28. "The 2014 Award". The Diana Jones Award. 2015-05-23. Retrieved 2018-03-08.
  29. "Pelgrane Press Win Big At ENnie Awards". www.followingthenerd.com. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
  30. "Pelgrane Press At GenCon 2016 (Part 1)". geeklyinc.com. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
  31. "Seven Wonders Story Games Anthology: Two Readings". ageofravens.blogspot.ca. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
  32. "Seven Wonders - A Story Games Anthology :: Game Books :: IPR". www.indiepressrevolution.com. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
  33. "Indie Groundbreaker Awards". Indie Game Developer Network. 2016-05-02. Archived from the original on 2018-03-11. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
  34. "Gen Con 50 Highlights". Indie Game Developer Network. 2017-09-07. Archived from the original on 2018-02-18. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
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