“As an industry
we need to make sure our efforts of championing women don’t end after a day, or a month, and really commit ourselves to that pledge.”
The situation has improved - but a lot more work needs to be done to ensure that women’s voices are heard and their rights are protected. As an industry we need to make sure our efforts of championing women don’t end after a day, or a month (or even a social media campaign!) and really commit ourselves to that pledge. Hannah: Absolutely! There have been huge strides for women in the industry even over the last ten years and I feel like we are celebrated and supported more than ever before. However, that is not to say we don’t have a way to go. I think the female player experience still suffers greatly from sexism but by continuing along this forever improving path within the production side of the industry, I hope that in turn we can improve their experience as well.
What else do you think the industry could be doing for women in games that it isn’t already? Charlotte: Working in Talent Acquisition, I am constantly looking at the wider industry benefits for women in the workplace. Some studios would benefit from doing the same and looking at specific benefits that could help support more women within their company; some examples include maternity leave, menopausal support, and safe whistle-blowing platforms.
20 | MCV/DEVELOP August 2023
Louise: There are too many meetings at senior levels where no women are present. Decisions get made with no female voices. Get women in the room when key decisions are being made, get female perspectives and that will filter down throughout the whole game dev process. Devon: By being more supportive of the unique challenges faced by women and providing competitive benefits and support, companies could create a more inclusive and understanding industry culture that enables us to draw in the best talent and keep them until they rise to the top and appear in board rooms more frequently! Anita: We’re definitely making strides towards more inclusivity for women, but there’s room to do a lot more. Mentorship programs are really important - encouraging women at university level to get into gaming, and making sure they know the industry is open to everyone. This is something the Women in Games organisation does really well, and is in part why Keywords Studios has a partnership with them to better fund activities. It’s also important that we work to eliminate toxicity online with improved internet safety and moderation initiatives - so we can create an inclusive games culture at every level.
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