STRENGTH IN PARTNERSHIPS & COLLABORATION
Women in Games CEO Dr. Marie-Claire Isaaman highlights some of the organisation’s recent news, and provides a reminder of why the work of the not-for-profit is still vitally important…
D
espite the challenges we continue to face, particularly with regards to sponsorship and funding, Women in Games is continuing to grow, and I’m delighted that we have recently
added another 80 new Individual Ambassadors to our programme. This brings our total to 2,427 across 81 countries, now including Azerbaijan and Macau. It’s rewarding to see our global network expanding into new regions, and for these individuals to share and support our mission. On that note about our mission, here’s a brief look at the bigger
picture: Women and girls make up approximately 50% of players around
the world, and, of course, they are 50% of the population. Women’s share of gaming revenue is rising faster than men’s, reflecting not just participation but growing economic influence. But they’re still underrepresented in the industry. And we can’t ignore
the toxic treatment many girls and women still face online. It silences voices, drives people out, and holds the culture back. Women make up just 25% of the games workforce. Only 16% of
executive roles are held by women. At the most senior level – 21+ years of experience – 87% are men. And they make all the decisions, ultimately, they drive company culture. Without naming names.... we have sadly seen reports of some incredibly toxic workplace environments within the industry. We need to change the culture to change the numbers. We need more women in leadership and more women-led and mixed or diverse start-ups. Currently only 6.6% of UK games companies are led by all-women
teams, while nearly 77% have all-male leadership. Why is this still the case and why does it persist? How do we address these systemic biases? These questions form much of Women in Games’ strategic thinking. Because this isn’t about a lack of talent – it’s a lack of opportunity. Women founders receive less than 2% of all venture capital. And even as the number of women-led tech companies in the UK grows slightly, investment is falling. The recent announcement of the UK Government’s £30 million
investment into the games industry is good news, a huge opportunity for the sector. But unless some of these funds directly support girls and women, the gap will only grow. Games are at a crossroads. As old models falter and new technologies and processes emerge, we have a rare chance to shape a more dynamic
and fairer future. And we believe the future of games will be more innovative, more playful and more profitable if girls and women are fully and fairly participating. This future won’t build itself. And we know we can’t do this
work alone. To scale and speed up our impact, Women in Games is forming smart strategic partnerships. We are open, and we welcome working collaboratively with other organisations and businesses – we encourage anyone with an idea to step forward and present us with your thoughts and proposals. Here’s are just a few examples of our current partners: • In March we signed a strategic partnership with Ukie and are now working across a set of priorities together.
• We are working with Unicef on their Game Changers Coalition for Girls.
• We are supporting the MCV/DEVELOP Women in Games Awards – it is so important to shine a light on women’s stellar contributions to the sector.
• We have a Women in Games Chapter in Asia and will soon be formally announcing a new Chapter, building powerful and impactful global alliances for action.
• We are working in partnership with CIAS and the Video Games Museum in Rome where we are partnering to hold our first in person/ hybrid conference as part of CheckPoint Festival. This will take place in November - look out for information about opportunities to get involved
• We recently announced an exciting partnership with Inclusive People which focuses on three of Women in Games key priorities: Talent Development, Entrepreneurship, and Collaboration with Industry. The initiative is called Women Who Lead in Gaming.
Women in Games was proudly founded in the UK, and we are deeply committed to ensuring that the UK games sector becomes the most successful and inclusive in the world. Our vision is one of growth driven by the very best talent – talent that must include the creativity, leadership, and innovation of girls and women. We believe that every girl and woman in the UK deserves not only a seat at the table, but the opportunity to shape the future of games with the full force of their brilliance.
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