Futurelooks Asks – Where Are the Women in the Video Games Industry?

It’s not a shocking revelation that the video game industry is mainly fueled by testosterone. According to a 2007 survey by Game Developer Magazine, women make up approximately 20 percent of employees. Moreover, it’s not a huge surprise that many of the top executive positions are occupied by men. However, there have been a small number of successful women who have broken through the “glass ceiling” and become valuable assets to their companies.

A Women’s Revolution in Games?

Girls of Generation Y have been exposed to and are consequently familiar in the use of communications, multimedia, and digital technologies. So, many of them have grown up playing video games too, oftentimes playing side by side with boys. This is a marked change from the past when girls weren’t nearly as interested in gaming at all.

Demographics are shifting. “Competitive” games like Street Fighter, Call of Duty, or even the NHL franchise tend to attract a more male-dominated audience, but companies are starting to churn out more female-focused games too. You’ve got Wii Fit and The Sims, as well as more gender-neutral games like Super Mario Bros. It’s about appealing to a wider audience. That’s why everywhere you go, you can see the DS Lite in the hands of boys and girls alike.

Does this mean we will soon see more women working in the video game industry? Will more women attend video game development schools? More of them in the higher ranks too? What are some of the issues that young women face when trying to enter the video game industry? How are they different from their male counterparts? What might turn them away? Let’s take a look at some top female leaders that have made an impact in the industry and what they have to say on the matter.

It’s in the Game

Carolyn Feinstein, Electronic Arts’ VP of Consumer Marketing, is optimistic about the future for women in the games industry. As more girls are growing up playing games, more of them will be more excited about the possibilities of working with games. She feels this will help boost the female ratio in developers rather than just in business roles. The latter of which, to date, has been more successful in recruiting women.

Feinstein doesn’t want to choose a female applicant over a male one just because she happens to be a woman, though: “Obviously, what we want is the best talent for any position, but I think it’s important to understand that… a diversity of opinion makes for the best company.”

Lucy Bradshaw is the general manager of EA’s Maxis Studio. The California-based studio was co-founded by Will Wright and it handles the developers responsible for The Sims; a popular franchise that has sold millions worldwide. She credits female creative input for the success of The Sims, as well as for its appeal to women, who make up 55% of its players.

“Some of the human qualities of The Sims didn’t come out until women started working on it,” Bradshaw explains. “It wasn’t until we added kids and relationships that things changed. It became more about these little human beings, these ‘Sims,’ rather than just the objects in their lives.”

Listen to Your Customers

One-time EA President of Casual Entertainment Kathy Vrabeck said that “historically, the people who play video games have tended to be more male. So it’s not surprising that these boys grow up and aspire to work in the industry.” This reflects the general population’s view that working in the game industry is “cool.” However, she also points out that at the end of the day, “good marketers, regardless of their gender, listen to their consumers. And I can listen to teenage boys just as well as anybody.”

Vrabeck has since moved on to head up a “digital division” at Legendary Pictures. The movie production company is looking to expand its scope into video games, understanding that there is huge revenue potential in the gaming arena. What’s interesting is that its movies — Watchmen, 300, and The Dark Knight, among others — have been largely targeted at a male audience.

School Me in Gaming Culture Society teaches children at an early age about gender roles and what jobs are considered more appropriate for men versus women. Parents buy Barbie dolls for their daughters while sons get X-Men action figures. Gabrielle Toledano, executive vice-president of human resources at Electronic Arts, believes that this gender imbalance was predestined in elementary school. “It goes back to school, during those early years when you had that teacher who either encouraged you in math and science or didn’t,” said Toledano. “It’s the same reason why the statistics on women enrolling in computer science programs have been way down. So, by the time we go out and hire, the pool of candidates is already skewed.” More male candidates, more male programmers. Makes sense. Breaking into the Old Boys Club Given the current demographic shifts, more girls are enrolling into game design schools. Unfortunately, they sometimes become disappointed or drop out after attending just a few classes. They are far outnumbered by the opposite sex and, as such, these girls can feel isolated. After all, when you’re the only girl in class, you either get no attention at all… or only the wrong kind of attention. Brenda Brathwaite was identified by Next Generation Magazine as the woman with the longest continuous service in video game development, having credits on twenty-two game titles since 1981. She now sits on the Board of Directors for the International Game Developers Association (IGDA). Brathwaite thinks that perhaps the biggest turnoff for women when it comes to entering the game industry is the “fratty” atmosphere still present at many game companies. Women can feel unwanted, preventing them from taking it seriously as a career. A Couple of Alpha Females It’s not like there aren’t any women working in the video game industry, but they are most definitely in the minority. Even so, the ones who were able to break into the business and break through the glass ceiling have quite a few achievements to put up on their mantles. Take PS3 blockbuster Heavy Rain, for example. Frederique Barkoff took on the role of marketing and sales manager at Quantic Dream Studio in the fall of 2007, overseeing the in-house motion capture studio used for both body and facial capture. She went on to be the talent coordinator for Heavy Rain, sourcing the talent of approximately fifty artists for the project. She played a big part in the game’s unique art style. Prior to this, Barkoff had ten years of experience working with several game publishers. Want to go even higher up the corporate ladder? Diner Dash is one of the most popular casual games, both online and on more conventional consoles. It was developed by PlayFirst, a company whose CEO happens to be a woman: Mari Baker. Similarly, Melanie Mroz is the CEO of SouthPeak Interactive, the company responsible for the quirky Ninjatown title on the Nintendo DS. Why Women Should Be in Games Louise Murray was a Project Manager for Criterion Games before she went to Lionhead Studios to produce the original Fable for Microsoft. She was quickly promoted to Executive Producer on Fable 2, becoming “Head of Franchise” shortly thereafter. Naturally, she thinks having women on development teams is a plus: “As time has gone on, games are reaching a much broader market, so we really want to bring more women into the games industry,” she said in an interview with WomenInGamesJobs.com. “They bring such a positive perspective… diversity is what’s going to make better games for us.” In the end, it’s about the final product and how well it sells. And if you don’t try to sell to women, you’re leaving money on the table. Love This Article? Hate This Article? Leave a Comment or Hit The Forums!