GAMA’s Communications Manager Declares Organization ‘Broken’

As reported by ICv2, the Marketing and Communications manager of the Game Manufacturer’s Association–a US-based trade organization for the hobby games industry–has resigned her position and described GAMA as “deeply siloed and in many ways, broken.”

Formed in 1977, GAMA runs the Origins Game Fair every year, one of the larger tabletop gaming conventions, as well as the industry trade show GAMA EXPO. Additionally, the organization presents the annual Origins Awards for tabletop gaming. The organization provides business support and industry-focused educational programs and includes publishers, retailers, distributors, freelancers, and more in its members.

Amy Lowe joined GAMA in October 2024. In her resignation letter, she made a range of allegations about the organization:

But here’s the honest truth: GAMA is deeply siloed and, in many ways, broken.

• Toxic leadership.
• Rampant gatekeeping.
• Insecurity masquerading as control.
• Disrespect toward other staff and members.

I witnessed staff roll their eyes at members, members who literally fund the organization. I saw internal dynamics that were petty, power-hungry, and counterproductive. Then came a restructuring that had me reporting to someone who openly disrespected colleagues and talked s#!% about members.

I’ve worked in high-stakes environments. I’ve managed massive campaigns. I’ve dealt with complex teams. But I refuse to stay in a place that values ego over impact. So, I resigned, two days into the restructure.

When they reached out, ICv2 received a response from John Stacy, Executive Director of GAMA:

Over the past eight months GAMA has nearly doubled its staff to accommodate for our growing association. We now represent almost 1,700 tabletop game companies in three dozen countries. As part of this growth we have taken a hard look at how our staff was organized and made adjustments to better align with our ten year strategic plan for GAMA to be the epicenter of the tabletop industry. While I disagree with her categorization of our staff, we appreciate the brief time she was with us and wish her well in her future adventures.