The Experiences of Women Working in the Computer Games Industry

This chapter provides a unique understanding of women working in the computer games industry. In depth interviews were undertaken with seven female game workers based in the UK. The women were interviewed as part of a larger study focusing on women in this male dominated industry. The issues detailed in this chapter focus on the industry as a viable career for women, the experience of being a woman working in games and the working environment; including work life balance issues, experiences of discrimination and experiences of sexism. The research discussed is related to attracting and retaining women in games development. The issues are of relevance to employers, professional bodies, policy makers and researchers of the games industry and the wider ICT and SET industries. Recommendations from the findings and future research directions are provided.

Women and Men in Computer Science

Playing digital games is described as a pathway to computer science (CS) classes and majors, but not all gamers want to study CS. The goal of this chapter is to explore which gaming motivations and practices are most strongly related to an interest in studying computer science, and whether the connection between gaming and computer science is similar for men and women. The data are from 545 male and female gamers taking an introductory computer science class at one of 15 community colleges in the US. Survey responses were analyzed to provide a picture of what, how often, and why they play, and interviews from 39 of the most avid gamers were analyzed for why and how they play. The results show that, on average, men play more frequently than women, and there are gender differences in the type of games they like to play and why they play them. However, playing more frequently was not associated with greater interest in studying CS for either gender. Interest in CS was highest among men who were motivated to play in order to increase skills, be with friends, connect with the game features, and by the art or graphics. However, CS interest was highest among women who consider themselves to be more serious gamers, play racing and puzzle games, play on a game console, and are motivated by fun, relaxation and social interaction. The results can inform efforts to increase the number of women that pursue computer science. The chapter concludes with recommendations for future research on how game play and interest in CS are related.

Women's Participation in the Australian Digital Content Industry

There is a need to understand the phenomenon of women's under-representation in the Australian Digital Content Industry (DCI) workforce. This chapter presents the findings from an Australian case study where both women working in the industry and industry stakeholders were interviewed for their insight into the influences on women's participation. The rich empirical data and findings from the case study are interpreted using the Acts of Agency theory—an original theory by the author of this chapter. As the chapter reveals there are five ‘Acts of Agency' (containing 10 agent-driven mechanisms) identified as influencing women's participation. Agent-driven mechanisms recognise the causal effect of people themselves; that is, the role individuals play in their participation.

Career Development among Japanese Female Game Developers

The purpose of this chapter is to clarify the process of female developers' career development and their characteristics based on the life stories of creative professionals employed in the Japanese gaming industry. This study followed a one-to-one semi-structured interview format and employed a qualitative methodology. The survey was conducted on 21 female game developers who have more than five years work experience in the Japanese gaming industry. One of the most important analytical results of the study is the behavioral characteristics of female game developers in their career development are that they support persons who have similar problems in the workplace, and they contribute to mentor game developers in the next generation. In conclusion, female game developers do not have clearly defined career goals; however, they have the ability to alter their work situation, and evaluate and manage it if needed. Therefore, it is important that female game developers have diverse role models. Further research directions are discussed.

A Look inside the Current Climate of the Video Game Industry

The issue of the lack of women in the video game industry has been a hot topic for quite some time. For the past twelve years, Game Developer Magazine has published their annual Game Developer Salary Survey, which not only lists the average salaries for each department; but also breaks down each department by gender. By examining the salary surveys for the past four years (2009-2012), an initial assessment can be made on the amount of women working in the game industry, and in what disciplines. The purpose of this chapter is to assess the current climate of the video game industry, and briefly discuss possible causes of the lack of women in this particular field.

A Framework for Addressing Gender Imbalance in the Game Industry through Outreach

Though the lack of diversity in the game industry workforce has received a great deal of attention recently, few initiatives have been implemented to address it. In particular, gender composition in the game industry workforce and among students studying games at post-secondary institutions is highly imbalanced, with an approximate 9 to 1 ratio of male to female students. This chapter considers three key aspects: 1) the current demographics of the game industry, 2) the effects of gender imbalance on the game industry and one of its current pipelines, and 3) a potential framework to address the imbalance. The proposed outreach strategy is informed by a discussion of established frameworks for initiating change in related fields. The chapter concludes with suggestions for future research to address the gender imbalance in the game industry and its pipeline.

Lessons from the STEM Sector

The purpose of this chapter is to examine possible causes such as lack of interest, lack of skill/ability, and anticipated work/family conflict (WFC), in addition to analyzing successful recruitment tactics that have brought more women into various other male dominated fields in an attempt to solve this problem. Results of the literature review show that the main contributing factors for the lack of women within the sector are lack of confidence in skills and abilities, lack of female industry role models, and lack of available mentorship and community outreach programs for interested women. This chapter takes this information into consideration and makes possible suggestions for the industry on how to remedy this problem.

The Only Girl in the Class!

Four female students studying a games course at one UK University took part in a qualitative study of face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Although a small sample, the study provided an interesting insight into the experiences of the females on the course as well as their views of entering (or at least potentially entering) the male dominated computer games industry. The findings related by the chapter reveal that females choose to study games because they enjoyed playing games. Despite all participants experiencing the course positively, there was some apprehension about going into the industry. Interestingly, the study suggests the male dominated working environment may be off-putting to women, even to women studying and interested in going into that area of work. The main themes that emerged in regard to the negativity associated with the industry were the long hours culture and potential sexism within the industry.

From the “Damsel in Distress” to Girls' Games and Beyond

In this chapter, the authors critically assess the gendered nature of the products developed by the computer gaming industry. The chapter takes a historiographical approach to examining the nature of children's video and computer games as a type of toy that immerses children into current gender stereotypes even as they hold the potential for social change. New ways of bridging the gap between stereotypes and change is explored through a virtual world for children. In addition to an introductory section, the chapter is organized in three main sections: First, the authors place existing computer and video games into a broad and historical context. Second, the chapter takes into consideration feminist critiques of video games for adults. Third, the authors analyze the case of WebkinzWorld, a toy-based social-networking portal offering less gendered video game environments for kids. The authors argue that this mixed method analysis is important not only for computer game designers and marketers who aim to appeal to broad demographics, but also for educators, parents, and caregivers who need to understand the underlying or hidden messages of games for children.

Female Game Workers: Career Development, and Aspirations

Understanding the career factors that influence women's career aspirations in male-dominated occupations is important for increasing women's progression within these occupations. This chapter assesses the impact of career influencers on career aspirations of women working in the male-dominated computer games industry. An online questionnaire obtained international data from 450 women working in the computer games industry. A structural equation model was employed to investigate the influencers. Findings suggest that to increase women's career development and career aspirations within the computer games industry, self-efficacy, attitudes towards career barriers, work-life balance attitudes, person-environment fit and job satisfaction are crucial.