Gender Diversity in Gaming – Are Boundaries Being Broken Down for Women and Non-Binary People in Employment?
The gaming industry is one of the fastest-growing markets within the entertainment niche. Projections suggest that the games market worldwide will generate over £500 billion in revenue in 2025.
Video games are played by everyone, with an almost equal representation among genders. On the back end, the numbers aren't the same. According to a 2020 report from the Game Developers Conference (GDC), males make up 75% of all game developers.
Gender diversity in the gaming industry can be addressed if employers put more effort into breaking boundaries and stereotypes. We'll look into its importance, the steps being taken to address it, and the improvements seen so far in the involvement of women and non-binary people in game development.
Why Gender Representation is Important in Gaming
For most spectators looking in from the outside, gender disparity in game development seems like a trifling issue. The facts, however, show that the lack of diversity among game creators compared to end users has had a noticeable effect.
Around 80% of all video game characters are men. Researchers from the University of Glasgow concluded that in games with non-male characters, the males still had more dialogue. This study, titled “Gender Bias in Video Game Dialogue,” also discovered that the non-binary group is grossly under-represented.
Issues stemming from this are hard to miss in gaming segments such as eSports, where sexism and misogyny are common. The gender imbalance has not only stifled innovation but also perpetuated unfair stereotypes among gamers. The virtual arena in competitive gaming is permeated with toxicity that could have been avoided if females and non-binary people were part of the system.
Dealing with these challenges starts at the development level. Whether as a start-up or major employer, gaming companies should encourage inclusion and promote diversity in employment. Taking visionary steps toward gender representation gives the gaming industry more motivation to tap into an expanded talent pool.
The most obvious result will be in the development of more relatable gaming content that speaks to women and non-binary people. On the business side, game developers have nothing to lose and everything to gain from this. Given the introduction of more non-binary and female characters, the number of non-male video gamers will also increase, leading to more profits.
How to Eliminate Gender Stereotypes and Promote Inclusivity
The gaming industry is witnessing a big shift in the number of people interested in playing video and online games. For all demographics, video gaming is a popular interest not only for its entertainment value but also as a way to socialize and form connections.
Despite this, female and non-binary players struggle to find their place in the video game market. One way to promote gender inclusion is by encouraging non-binary persons and females to take up employment opportunities in the sector. Many leading companies within the industry uphold and have employment policies. From AAA companies to British Columbia online casino platforms, they understand the internal benefits of having a more diverse base of talent, both for individual contributions and collective innovation. It is not simply a case of hitting employment figures to appease the general public or stakeholders: the talent is good.
A huge responsibility lies with the game developers to alter their work culture and implement initiatives that promote inclusion. Anti-harassment practices that frown against discriminatory behavior should be introduced.
Human resources policies that encourage a healthy work-life balance, like flexible working hours and maternity leave, signal movement in the positive direction. Internally, mentorship and leadership programs should be organized to empower non-male staff to go into management positions. This is especially important because most senior management roles are held by men in gaming companies. This unfair representation puts a large proportion of the decision-making process in the hands of men.
Another approach would be to highlight female and non-binary role models. Some examples include:
Megan Fox is a game developer and the founder of Glass Bottom Games, an independent game studio known for creating narrative-driven and physics-based games. Including:
SkateBIRD (2021) – A skateboarding game featuring birds as skaters, blending physics-based mechanics with arcade-style gameplay.
Hot Tin Roof: The Cat That Wore a Fedora (2015) – A noir-style detective game with platforming and puzzle-solving elements.
Jones On Fire (2013) – A fast-paced endless runner featuring a firefighter rescuing cats.
Kim Swift is a video game designer best known for her work on Portal (2007) and her contributions to the puzzle and first-person shooter genres including:
Portal (2007) – Swift led the development of Portal at Valve, a game based on her student project Narbacular Drop. Portal became one of the most influential puzzle games in gaming history, introducing the portal-based gameplay mechanic.
Left 4 Dead (2008) – She contributed to the design of Left 4 Dead, Valve’s cooperative multiplayer zombie shooter.
Star Wars Battlefront II (2017) – Swift worked at EA Motive as a design director, contributing to the game's single-player campaign.
Amy Hennig is a video game writer and director known for her work on narrative-driven action-adventure games. She has been influential in shaping some of the most well-regarded franchises in gaming including:
Legacy of Kain series (1996–2003) – Hennig was a key writer and director for Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver (1999) and its sequel Soul Reaver 2 (2001), establishing the series’ deep lore and narrative complexity.
Jak and Daxter series (2001–2003) – She worked at Naughty Dog as a director on Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy (2001), contributing to its storytelling and world-building.
Uncharted series (2007–2014) – As creative director and lead writer of Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune (2007), Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (2009), and Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception (2011), she helped shape the cinematic storytelling style of the series.
Lena Raine is a composer and producer known for her work in video game music. She gained widespread recognition for composing the soundtrack of Celeste (2018), a critically acclaimed platformer. Her work on Celeste was praised for its emotional depth and electronic-orchestral blend, contributing significantly to the game's atmosphere. She has also composed music for other games, including:
Minecraft (she contributed new music to the Nether Update in 2020)
Chicory: A Colorful Tale (2021)
Deltarune: Chapter 2 (2021)
Successful Gender Representation Programs in Gaming
The diverse makeup of the gaming industry is experiencing an observable shift. A recent report from the Game Developers Conference (GDC) found that 32% of all game developers now identify as women and non-binary. Compared to its 2022 reports, this marks an 8% increase.
Several inclusion drives have been put in motion by various companies over the last few years. One of the most recognizable is the Women and Non-Binary Leadership Program launched by Warner Bros. Games in 2024. It was announced by Built In, an online community for startups and tech companies, with the sole purpose of altering the industry's male domination.
Riot Games has also taken positive steps to create a more inclusive and diversified workplace. The developer of popular eSports titles such as Valorant and League of Legends released its third annual Diversity and Inclusion Report in 2022 to share the advancements made so far. It showed that the number of women in the company's Leadership Council increased from 21.7% the previous year to 25%.
The Next Steps
Game developers and production companies have an opportunity to change the narrative and be more inclusive. More focus must be directed toward the presence of gender bias within their organizations.
Actionable steps must then be taken to drive positive change by promoting policies that lead to a more equitable work environment. The imperative to remain in business should not overrule the importance of breaking down these boundaries.
