Diversity & Inclusion reports and market data
Documents
Las Mujeres Juegan, Consumen, Participan: Contribución a la Industria de Videojuegos en 2020
The analysis highlights how women have become a decisive force in the European video-game market in 2020, both as players and as consumers.
- Women accounted for 47% of the 118 million active gamers across Spain, France, Germany, Italy, and the UK in 2020, up from 45% in 2019.
- Female gamers generated €6.8 billion in spending in 2020, representing 38% of total industry revenue and a 31% year-on-year increase.
- During the 2020 Q2 lockdown, 60 million women played video games, with average weekly playtime rising to 8.8 hours and console sessions increasing by approximately one hour.
Rapport Annuel 2020 de l’ALD
Canada’s video-game sector continued to function as a high-growth engine in 2020, supporting roughly 48 000 full-time-equivalent positions, of which 27 700 are direct industry jobs, and generating about C$4.5 billion in GDP.
- Canada’s video game sector generated approximately C$4.5 billion in GDP and supported 48,000 full-time-equivalent positions in 2020.
- The number of development studios in Canada grew by 16 percent in 2020, reaching a total of approximately 700 studios.
- The industry maintained employment levels throughout the COVID-19 pandemic by implementing remote-work guides and targeted outreach campaigns.
Because Games Matter - Jacob's Story - Extra Credits
The therapeutic role of video games in pediatric healthcare serves as the central focus of this narrative, which highlights how interactive play mitigates the psychological and physical burdens of chronic illness.
- Video games serve as a critical therapeutic tool for pediatric patients, providing essential emotional relief and social connection during prolonged hospitalizations and intensive treatments like chemotherapy.
- The charity Child’s Play facilitates the donation of games, toys, and technology to approximately 180 hospitals annually to improve the quality of life for pediatric patients.
- Gaming acts as a vital coping mechanism for children facing isolation and communication barriers, including deaf patients, by fostering a sense of normalcy and constructive distraction.
Ripple Effect: How Women-in-Games Initiatives Make a Difference
Women-in-games initiatives function as essential catalysts for diversifying the gaming industry by providing accessible entry points, professional networks, and leadership development for underrepresented creators.
- Women-in-games initiatives, such as the Difference Engine Initiative, Ladycade, and Game Jam Stockholm, successfully bridge the gap between amateur interest and professional careers by providing structured mentorship and technical skill-building.
- The 'ripple effect' model demonstrates that long-term industry growth is sustained when initial program participants transition into roles as mentors, organizers, and advocates for new talent.
- Effective grassroots programs utilize specific structural supports—including clear codes of conduct and quiet breakout spaces—to create inclusive environments that foster confidence and professional advancement.
Riot Pays Out $10 Million Dollars to Women | Games ReCAP
Riot Games has reached a $10 million settlement to resolve a class-action lawsuit filed by female employees regarding systemic gender discrimination and a toxic workplace culture.
- Riot Games reached a $10 million settlement to resolve a class-action lawsuit concerning systemic gender discrimination and a toxic workplace culture.
- The settlement provides financial compensation to women employed at Riot Games over the five-year period preceding the legal action.
- The lawsuit followed investigative reports that exposed widespread professional misconduct and pay inequity, implicating high-level leadership at the studio.
Imposter Syndrome - Fake It Till You Make It - Extra Credits
Imposter syndrome is a prevalent psychological phenomenon in creative industries, including game development, characterized by the persistent belief that one’s achievements are unearned and that one will eventually be exposed as a fraud.
- Approximately 70% of professionals experience imposter syndrome at some point in their careers, regardless of their level of success.
- Imposter syndrome manifests as a persistent fear of being exposed as a fraud, leading to chronic stress, burnout, and counterproductive behaviors like overworking or avoiding career advancement.
- The condition is universal rather than gender-specific, though it is frequently intensified by hyper-competitive environments and the experience of being an outlier in homogenous workplaces.
Good Conduct Guidelines for the Danish Games Industry
The Good Conduct Guidelines for the Danish Games Industry, published in November 2019, establish a standardized framework for fostering a safe, inclusive, and professional work environment across the Danish game development sector.
- The Good Conduct Guidelines, published in November 2019, establish a standardized framework for professional behavior and workplace safety across the Danish game development sector.
- The policy mandates the elimination of systemic crunch and excessive overtime to ensure a sustainable working environment for all industry staff.
- Harassment is defined by its objective impact on the victim rather than the intent of the perpetrator, and the industry maintains a zero-tolerance stance toward all forms of abusive behavior.
How to Make Games and Influence People: Leading Your Team Effectively and Healthily
Effective leadership in the independent game development sector requires a shift from purely technical management toward a model rooted in psychological intelligence and interpersonal transparency.
- Sustainable creative output in game development is directly dependent on prioritizing team health as a foundational pillar of the production process.
- Effective leadership requires shifting from purely technical management to a model rooted in psychological intelligence, utilizing frameworks like Transactional Analysis and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy to manage conflict.
- Leaders must apply Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory by simultaneously removing productivity obstacles and providing consistent professional validation to staff.
Accessible Player Experiences: A New Approach to Data Informed Design for Accessible Games
Between 13% and 22% of the global population lives with a disability, representing a substantial and highly engaged gaming demographic.
- Between 13% and 22% of the global population lives with a disability, representing a significant and highly engaged segment of the gaming market.
- Accessibility features like key remapping and subtitles are utilized by both disabled and non-disabled players, proving that inclusive design functions as a universal usability improvement.
- The industry is shifting from rigid, checklist-based compliance toward an Accessible Player Experience (APX) framework that uses data to inform flexible, early-stage design.
You Can Take an Arrow to the Knee and Still Be an Adventurer
The game industry currently faces a significant disconnect between its player base and its character design, as individuals with disabilities represent 25 to 30 percent of the gaming population but account for less than one percent of on-screen characters.
- While individuals with disabilities comprise 25 to 30 percent of the gaming population, they are represented by less than one percent of on-screen characters.
- Game developers must move away from using disability as a narrative trope for horror, villainy, or tragedy, which currently reinforces social stigmas and alienates a significant portion of the player base.
- Authentic representation requires normalizing disability as a standard human experience rather than a plot device or a condition that must be cured.
Swedish Game Developer Index 2019
The Swedish game industry achieved record-breaking performance in 2018, characterized by a 33 percent revenue increase to EUR 1.87 billion and a 48 percent surge in total employment, reaching 7,924 staff members.
- The Swedish games industry experienced significant growth in 2018, with a 33% increase in value to EUR 1.87 billion, marking its tenth consecutive profitable year with total profits exceeding EUR 335 million.
- The industry is expanding, with 41 new companies and over 600 new employees added in Sweden in 2018, an increase of 12% in new companies.
- The corporate landscape has shifted, with seven companies now having revenues over EUR 100 million; Embracer Group, after acquiring Koch Media, is the largest Swedish games company, surpassing previous dominators Mojang and King.
Celebrating Introverts in the Workplace
This analysis explores the professional challenges and inherent strengths of introverts within the game development industry.
- Introversion is a biological trait driven by acetylcholine-based internal rewards, rather than a social deficiency or a preference for external dopamine-driven stimulation.
- Corporate environments often prioritize extroverted communication styles, which can lead to the marginalization of the deep, analytical, and thoroughly vetted solutions typically produced by introverts.
- To improve meeting inclusivity, leadership should distribute agendas in advance and implement silent brainstorming sessions to ensure contributions are not limited to the loudest voices.