This is Part 1 of a series focusing on Women in Game Development; the topic of underrepresentation in tech and specifically in game development, is far too large to be tackled in a single article. I hope to publish more on other underrepresented groups.

The gaming industry, while vibrant and innovative, mirrors a broader issue in STEM fields: the significant underrepresentation of women. This disparity is more than a statistic; it's a reflection of deeper societal and educational challenges that start affecting girls at a young age.

The K–12 Classroom: A Pivotal Foundation

The K–12 classroom is the foundational stage for setting the pathway to a STEM career. Studies have shown that the learning environment plays a crucial role in fostering girls' abilities and interests in STEM subjects. Gains in girls’ achievement in math and science over the last three decades highlight how critical these environments are (AAUW, 2010; NCES, 2000)[2]. However, the quality of teaching and the amount of instructional time, help, and challenges girls receive are pivotal factors that influence their engagement, confidence, and persistence in STEM courses.

Early Stereotypes and Their Impact

Societal stereotypes suggest that girls are less interested in fields like computer science and engineering. These stereotypes, deeply rooted and widespread, start affecting girls as early as first grade, influencing their academic choices and participation in STEM-related activities[1].

The Role of Gender-Interest Stereotypes

Gender-interest stereotypes negatively impact girls' motivation and sense of belonging in these fields. This influence is more significant than stereotypes about abilities, strongly affecting girls' academic choices and participation in STEM-related activities[1].

Consequences in Game Development

In game development, these stereotypes and educational disparities contribute to the low numbers of women in the industry. When girls are led to believe they are less suited or less likely to belong in these fields, it steers them away from pursuing related educational paths and, ultimately, careers in game development. Rinse, repeat. And then we come to the perpetual challenge of shifting the DE&I needle every year.

Personal Reflection and Industry Responsibility

I understand the importance of addressing these stereotypes and educational inequalities. As professionals in the gaming industry, we must foster environments that encourage and support women's participation from an early age. This means getting involved way before the university stage; if we're trying to convince young women to take a degree in computer science or meeting them at a career fair at a college or university, we've missed our window. Start talking early on. Grade 6, 7, 8. These are the ages when kids are most likely to show interest in new areas. Encourage that curiosity.

What can we do now?

For what it's worth, there are immediate solutions to this problem ('immediate,' is a strong descriptor...nothing happens overnight. DE&I isn't a light switch you can turn on and off.) and they focus on 2 strategies: long-term and short-term:

Long-term

Change the future, now. Encouraging and hiring more women into game development roles now, means we're not having this same discussion 5 or 10 years from now. Because we will have changed the landscape.

Short-Term

Hire for competency and seek out transferable skills. There are a multitude of near (and unrelated!) industries that have incredible people whose skills apply to the world of game dev. Training and development are part of the job; what we can't teach is passion.

A Call for Action

Educators, industry leaders, policymakers, and recruiters need to recognize and address the root causes of women's underrepresentation in game development. By challenging and changing these early gender-interest stereotypes and improving educational practices, we can pave the way for more girls and women to enter and thrive in the field of game development.

thanks to Isabelle Brown for incredible work pulling this data together!

References:

1. Master, A., Meltzoff, A. N., & Cheryan, S. (2021). Gender Stereotypes and Impact. [Journal Name], [Volume(Issue)], Page Numbers. DOI/URL.

2. American Association of University Women (AAUW). (2010). Why So Few? Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.