investiGaming - Research Findings on Gender and Games

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investiGaming is a publication of the Serious Game Design group in the Department of Telecommunication, Information Studies, and Media at Michigan State University, 2007-2009

This gateway is partially supported by grant 0631771 from the National Science Foundation.

The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not represent Michigan State University or the National Science Foundation.

Game Industry

investiGaming ›  Tags ›  Game Industry

Selected highlights from the GAME DESIGN tag (scroll down to see the full list of entries with this tag, including links to the entries).

Women in the Game Industry

The majority of game industry workers, both male and female, plan on leaving the game industry in the next 10 years due to burn-out and the long hours (Consalvo, 2008).

Fewer than 1 in 5 game industry professionals are women (Pham, 2008).

Women in game-related jobs make less money on average than their male counterparts (Pham, 2008).

According to the International Game Developers Association, only 11.5% of the gaming industry workforce was female as of 2005 (Pratt, 2007).

88.5% of game industry professionals were male and 11.5% were female (IGDA, 2005).

Why There Aren’t More Women in the Game Industry

Women often have different family obligations than men and they report being frustrated having to “fit in” with a masculine workplace culture (Consalvo, 2008).

From recruitment techniques to trade show entertainment the game industry is marketed towards males (Pham, 2008).

Due to long hours during “crunch time” the game industry makes it difficult for women to take time off to have a baby or switch to part-time hours to raise young children. Therefore, to increase women’s participation in the industry companies should build more realistic schedules that minimize long hours (Pham, 2008).

Game designer tutorials follow a distinctly male learning paradigm (Pratt, 2007).

Women are discouraged from the game industry because of the negative portrayals of women and strong anti-female bias in popular games (Pratt, 2007).

The games industry’s most important trade show had an exhibit hall “visually over-saturated” with highly sexualized and flamboyant women there to be used as bait (Jenkins, 2001).

Getting Women into the Game Industry

If a player likes a game enough, they too want to work for that company (Fullerton, 2008).

Creating more games that appeal to women will help to create a “virtuous cycle” to draw more women into game creation (Fullerton, 2008).

An ideal female-friendly job environment encourages creativity, new ideas, interaction and communication, with open space to think instead of the cubicle (Fullerton, 2008).

While programs are actively trying to renew interest in technology in girls and to encourage them to seek careers in the industry, the current work environment and system have to be considered (Consalvo, 2008).

The more women play video games, the more they will come to see the industry as a serious career path (Pham, 2008).

Some game executives see women as a largely untapped audience for games and believe that having more women developers will increase the likelihood that more women will buy their products (Pham, 2008).

The Game Playing Population

38% of game players are women (ESA, 2008).

Women ages 18+ make up 30% of the game-playing population (ESA, 2008).

Boys ages 17 or younger make up 23% of the game-playing population (ESA, 2008).

The average adult woman plays games 7.4 hours per week (ESA, 2008).

The average adult man plays 7.6 hours per week (ESA, 2008).

The gender/time gap of the game-playing population has been decreasing since 2003 (ESA, 2008).

The popular stereotype of the game player as an antisocial male teenager not longer holds; there is increasing evidence of females playing games (Bryce Jo, 2002).

Our notions of “who is the player” needs greater depth and consideration of everyday leisure contexts (Bryce Jo, 2002).

Women comprise 43% of PC gamers and 35% of console gamers (Wright, 1999).

53% of all female gamers are likely to play games online compared to 43% of male gamers (Wright, 1999).

Increasing the Market

Game contents, marketing of games, gaming publications, and gaming websites are created largely by males, and target male consumers. Thus, female gamers have fewer choices that cater to their interests than male gamers (Wright, 1999).

Children’s lives today are radically different and more culturally impoverished than when adults were children, therefore, it is inefficient for men and women in the game industry to reflect on their childhood experiences when conceptualizing what today’s children want (Laurel, 2008).

By looking back at earlier models of games and play, as well as critiquing both exclusionary production processes and cultural stereotypes of “gamers” and “non-gamers” we can create a non-hegemonic game industry that provides playful products which appeal to both men and women, children and adults, and players of all races, ages and personal play styles (Fron, 2007).

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Bedigian, Louis (2004)

http://www.gamezone.com/

Synopsis:

An interview with Laura Fryer, Director of the Xbox Advanced Technology Group.

Keywords:

industry, media-press, interview, storytelling, game industry

Full Text: Yes | Abstract: Yes

Bedigian, Louis (2004)


http://www.gamezone.com/

Synopsis:

An interview with Kathy Schoback, Vice President of Content Strategy for Infinium Labs.

Keywords:

industry, media-press, interview, game industry,

Full Text: Yes | Abstract: Yes

Brathwaite, Brenda (2008)


http://www.gamecareerguide.com

Synopsis:

Brenda Brathwaite was tired of being asked what it means to be a ‘women in games,’ so she called up a few male colleagues and asked them what it’s like to be a ‘man in games.’

Keywords:

industry, media-press, workforce, game industry

Full Text: Yes | Abstract: Yes | Highlights: Yes

Bryce Jo, Rutter Jason (2002)


DIGRA conference 2002 (http://www.digra.org/dl/)

Synopsis:

Examines the relationship between gaming and gender.

Keywords:

conference, gender stereotypes, violence, sexuality, avatars, game industry

Full Text: Yes | Abstract: Yes | Highlights: Yes

Consalvo, Mia (2008)


in Beyond Barbie and Mortal Kombat: New Perspectives on Gender, Gaming, and Computing, edited by Yasmin Kafai, Carrie Heeter, Jill Denner, Jen Sun, MIT Press

Synopsis:

Explores some of the practices of the digital games industry, both in the daily functioning of the development cycle, as well as particular activities such as the production of industry workload reports that attempt to spur change in the industry as a whole.

Keywords:

book, chapter, industry, workforce, working conditions, game industry

Full Text: Yes | Abstract: Yes | Highlights: Yes

Dr. Kathryn Wright (1999)


WomenGamers.com

Synopsis:

Describes current statistics compiled by the IDSA and suggests that the game industry take the female demographic more into account.

Keywords:

industry, media-press, game industry, what women want,

Full Text: No | Abstract: Yes | Highlights: Yes

ESA (Entertainment Software Association) (2008)


Industry report, accessed April 4

Synopsis:

Outlines the demographics of women gamers and analyzes how much time is spent playing games.

Keywords:

industry, report, player demographics, game industry

Full Text: No | Abstract: Yes | Highlights: Yes

Fron Janine, Fullerton Tracy, Morie Jacquelyn Ford, Pearce Celia (2007)


DIGRA conference 2007 (http://www.digra.org/dl/)

Synopsis:

Introduces the concept of a “Hegemony of Play,” to critique the way in which technological, commercial and cultural power structures have dominated the development of the digital game and created a status quo which ignores the needs and desires of “minority” players such as women and “non-gamers.”

Keywords:

conference, game industry, non gamers,

Full Text: Yes | Abstract: Yes | Highlights: Yes

Fullerton, Tracy, Fron, Janine. Pearce, Celia, and Morie, Jacki (2008)


in Beyond Barbie and Mortal Kombat: New Perspectives on Gender, Gaming, and Computing, edited by Yasmin Kafai, Carrie Heeter, Jill Denner, Jen Sun, MIT Press

Synopsis:

Discusses what draws people to work for a game company and increasing the number of women going into the industry.

Keywords:

game industry, workforce

Full Text: No | Abstract: Yes | Highlights: Yes

IGDA (International Game Developers Association) (2005)


International Game Developers Association (http://www.igda.org)

Synopsis:

6500 game industry professionals were surveyed about their demographics including age, race, sexual orientation, and education.

Keywords:

survey, industry, game industry, ethnicity, workforce

Full Text: Yes | Abstract: Yes | Highlights: Yes

Interactive Digital Software Association (IDSA) (2007)


The ESA (http://www.theesa.com/)

Synopsis:

Outlines the demographics of women gamers and analyzes how much time is spent playing games.

Keywords:

industry, survey, player demographics, game industry

Full Text: No | Abstract: Yes

Jacobs, Stephen (2008)


Serious Games Source (http://www.seriousgamessource.com)

Synopsis:

Outlines Stormfront Studios president Don Daglow’s closing speech given at the Future Play 2008 conference.

Keywords:

media-press, industry, workforce, game industry

Full Text: Yes | Abstract: Yes | Highlights: Yes

Jenkins, Henry and Cassell, Justine (2008)


in Beyond Barbie and Mortal Kombat: New Perspectives on Gender, Gaming, and Computing, edited by Yasmin Kafai, Carrie Heeter, Jill Denner, Jen Sun, MIT Press

Synopsis:

A paper on women’s participation in computer games.

Keywords:

book, chapter, gender stereotypes, what women want, game industry, The Sims, genre casual games, genre educational games, gender inclusive, Desperate Housewives

Full Text: Yes | Abstract: Yes | Highlights: Yes

Jenkins. Henry (2001)


presented at Playing By The Rules: The Cultural Policy Challenges of Video Games, University of Chicago, October, http://culturalpolicy.uchicago.edu/conf2001/papers/jenkins.html

Synopsis:

Observations from the exhibit hall at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in 2001.

Keywords:

conference, academia, game industry, sexuality

Full Text: Yes | Abstract: Yes | Highlights: Yes

Keave, Vincent (2008)


http://www.escapistmagazine.com/

Synopsis:

An interview with Tracy J. Butler, the creator of web comic Lackadaisy and a 3-D artist for online MMOGs, about the industry.

Keywords:

industry, media-press, interview, game industry, workforce, working conditions, IT careers, what women want, gender inclusive

Full Text: Yes | Abstract: Yes | Highlights: Yes

Laurel, Brenda (2008)


in Beyond Barbie and Mortal Kombat: New Perspectives on Gender, Gaming, and Computing, edited by Yasmin Kafai, Carrie Heeter, Jill Denner, Jen Sun, MIT Press

Synopsis:

Discusses the problem of men and women in the game industry base decisions about what boys and girls want on their own childhood experiences.

Keywords:

book, chapter, what men want, what women want, gender stereotypes, game design, Purple Moon, game industry

Full Text: Yes | Abstract: Yes | Highlights: Yes

Laurel, Brenda (2001)


Cambridge: MIT Press

Synopsis:

A book about entrepreneur Brenda Laurel’s game industry experiences with her company, Purple Moon, a series of computer games for girls.

Keywords:

book, game industry, what women want, game design, pink games, gender stereotypes

Full Text: Yes | Abstract: Yes | Highlights: Yes

Pham, Alex (2008)


Los Angeles Times

Synopsis:

Explores women’s roles in the game industry, why they are underrepresented, and ways to increase their participation in the industry. 

Keywords:

media-press, report, game industry, workforce,

Full Text: Yes | Abstract: Yes | Highlights: Yes

Pratt, Mary K. (2007)


Computerworld

Synopsis:

Game industry professionals discuss the reasons women are underrepresented in the game industry and ways to draw women into the industry.

Keywords:

media-press, girls designing games, workforce, game industry, game design

Full Text: Yes | Abstract: Yes | Highlights: Yes

Ruberg, Bonnie (2008)


Gamasutra, May 21

Synopsis:

The first Gamasutra list of Top 20 women working in the video game industry in 2008.

Keywords:

Industry, media-press, work force, game industry, gender equity, IT careers

Full Text: Yes | Abstract: Yes | Highlights: Yes

Yasmin Kafai, Carrie Heeter, Jill Denner, Jen Sun (2008)


in Beyond Barbie and Mortal Kombat: New Perspectives on Gender, Gaming, and Computing, edited by Yasmin Kafai, Carrie Heeter, Jill Denner, Jen Sun, MIT Press

Synopsis:

An interview with Nichol Bradford, the senior global director of strategic growth at Vivendi Games (VG) who works on strategic planning and special projects.

Keywords:

book, chapter, interview, game industry, ethnicity, workforce

Full Text: Yes | Abstract: Yes | Highlights: Yes

Yasmin Kafai, Carrie Heeter, Jill Denner, Jen Sun (2008)


in Beyond Barbie and Mortal Kombat: New Perspectives on Gender, Gaming, and Computing, edited by Yasmin Kafai, Carrie Heeter, Jill Denner, Jen Sun, MIT Press

Synopsis:

Interview with Brenda Brathwaite, a twenty-five-year veteran of the video game industry and professor of game design at the Savannah College of Art and Design.

Keywords:

book, chapter, interview, game design, game industry, working conditions

Full Text: Yes | Abstract: Yes