WHY GAMING EVENTS NEED TO ADDRESS THE RISKS OF DRINKING CULTURE
Safe In Our World’s Bridie Daniels says that instead of pressuring individuals to shoulder responsibility, the games industry needs to take a collective look at its relationship with alcohol
W
hen you picture a games industry event, your mind might conjure up an image of a show floor filled with booths and stalls. A place where developers and
publishers show off their latest work and gamers delight in being the first to experience chart-topping titles and indie treasures. But there’s another side to industry events, one that often takes place when the sun goes down and the consumers have long since gone home. The after-show drinks – a chance to network, to unwind with a glass of wine, and to party into the night. There’s no denying that the games industry has ties with drinking
culture, and many industry members look forward to events as an opportunity to gather with friends and peers from across the country and enjoy a drink or two. Especially after spending long hours on the showfloor, or to take the edge off of a busy period at work. Yet, many individuals are becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the way the industry centres alcohol; both during official events and at after parties.
34 | MCV/DEVELOP June/July 2024 A 2022 report by Rhiannon Bevan entitled ‘The Game Industry’s
Relationship With Alcohol’ cites several instances of industry events turning into “boozy work outings” which, in turn, resulted in safety concerns for attendees. Two years later, it seems these concerns are more prevalent than ever. We’ve heard the stories from our peers, we’ve read the online exposés, and we here at Safe In Our World firmly believe that gaming events need to do more to address the risks of drinking culture.
WHAT ARE THE RISKS? As individuals, we’re usually aware of the ways that alcohol can affect us personally – impaired judgement, reduced inhibitions, a monster hangover – but we’re often not as cognisant of the risks that our drinking can pose for others. Alcohol misuse charity, Drinkaware, identifies alcohol as a risk factor in cases of sexual assault and harassment, stating that around one in 20 people in England experienced harm because of someone else’s drinking
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