Dominique Gawlowski never planned to work in the gaming industry. She studied film and threw house parties so big, she could charge an entrance fee. At one of her events, she introduced two musicians to each other. They ended up starting a band together, which propelled Gawlowski into music management. She started her own company, signed artists who went on to become big globally and spent the better part of 10 years touring the world. “I was living the dream,” says Gawlowski, “going to the biggest festivals, meeting all of my music idols and just having the best time ever.”

Then she bought a nightclub, an acquisition Gawlowski calls the biggest mistake of her life. She thought it would be a stable venue with a steady income, but it was a disaster. And then her father was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She sold her shares, and moved back in with her parents. “I basically just mic dropped my whole career,” she says. At the same time, the owner of Free Lives, a South African game development studio, heard about Gawlowski through mutual friends. He wanted to do a video games event, but Gawlowski ignored his mails.