Women in Games International Hosts Mixer in Los Angeles
Game Industry Gather to Network and Discuss Latest Topics
Women in Games International, a non-profit organization in the interactive entertainment industry, announnced today its debut WIGI Community Mixer in Los Angeles. The networking event is Tuesday November 14th, 7:30 - 9:30 pm. Admission is free and requires an advance RSVP.
Belinda Van Sickle, President of GameDocs and Online Community Coordinator for Women in Games International, is the local host and emcee. Complimentary food and beverages, supplied by Acapulco Restaurant, will be provided for all guests. This unique industry networking event is proudly sponsored by Autodesk, D3Publisher, GameDocs, Pandemic Studios, Sessions Online School of Design and TechHunters.
Mixer attendees from the Los Angeles area will have a chance to win free door prizes from game publishers THQ and D3Publisher, including Scooby-Doo, Cars, Finding Nemo, Sponge Bob Squarepants, Monster House, The Incredibles, Destroy All Humans and WWE Wrestling from THQ, and Work Time Fun, Naruto Clash of the Ninja 1 and 2, Naruto Ninja Council 1 and 2, Practical Intelligence Quotient, and Flushed Away from D3Publisher.
Van Sickle offers, “I’m pleased to be fostering community among women working in the video games industry. Through the generous support of Women in Games International, I've been able to put together an online community of nearly 200 members and set up the Los Angeles mixer. We've already received strong support from the industry through our sponsors and lots of great ideas for future community building projects.”
The WIGI Community Mixer in Los Angeles will be held at Acapulco Restaurant at 385 N. La Cienega Blvd. in Los Angeles, one block north of the Beverly Center. Admittance is free, but an advance RSVP is required. RSVP online today via e-vite link at http://www.womeningamesinternational.org/register.html.
Women in Games International 2006 sponsors include title sponsor Microsoft Game Studios, series sponsors Microsoft Casual Games, Game Developers Conference (GDC), International Games Developers Association (IGDA), Mary-Margaret.com, Girls in Games, ThemePark Studios, WomenGamers.com and BusinessWire.
03 November 2006
11 October 2006
WomenGamers.com DigiPen Scholarship
For the 2007-2008 school year, DigiPen Institute of Technology is offering five, $2000.00 scholarships to 5 U.S. citizen female students who obtain all of the following qualifications:
Eligibility Rules:
1. Must be female.
2. All applicants must meet the standard admission requirements for the program they are applying for at DigiPen Institute of Technology.
3. Must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or greater in your most recent educational history.
4. Must be a student entering any of DigiPen Institute of Technology’s full time degree programs.
5Must be a US citizen or permanent resident
6. Must be a new incoming student for the Fall 2007-08 academic year
Scholarship Application Deadline: May 1st, 2007
For more information visit:
http://www.womengamers.com/scholarship
Eligibility Rules:
1. Must be female.
2. All applicants must meet the standard admission requirements for the program they are applying for at DigiPen Institute of Technology.
3. Must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or greater in your most recent educational history.
4. Must be a student entering any of DigiPen Institute of Technology’s full time degree programs.
5Must be a US citizen or permanent resident
6. Must be a new incoming student for the Fall 2007-08 academic year
Scholarship Application Deadline: May 1st, 2007
For more information visit:
http://www.womengamers.com/scholarship
27 September 2006
12 September 2006
The Game Industry's Top 100 Influential Women
"In anticipation of this week's Women in Games Conference in Seattle, Next-Gen.Biz has produced a list and biographies of 100 women in the game industry who are making a difference..."
01 September 2006
Game Modding for Girls
In a recent article on GameCareer Guide, Professor Magy Seif El-Nasr discusses gaming for girls classes and the tools, curriculum, and results from case studies at the College of Information Sciences and Technology within Penn StateUniversity.
23 August 2006
Microsoft Research Female Academic All-Stars
Microsoft Research External Research and Programs (ER&P) is seeking to sponsor ten female students majoring in computer science with a concentration in serious game development and research, to be selected for the Microsoft Female Academic All-Stars at the 2006 Serious Games Summit D.C.
The selected All-Stars will be invited to convene during lunch, where they will discuss the issues surrounding female game developers and learn about career opportunities in the field. In addition, the All-Stars will be able to attend more than sixty sessions, lectures, and roundtable discussions at SGS D.C. They will learn about key issues affecting the marketplace, get a sneak peek at upcoming serious games, and enjoy the opportunity to network with peers in the serious games community.
The deadline for applications is Sept. 27, 2006.
22 August 2006
Women In Games International Adds More Speakers – September 16, Seattle, WA
Women In Games International recently added more speakers to their next regional conference, "The Balancing Act: Game Industry Careers and Quality of Life.” Scheduled on Saturday, September 16 at the Microsoft campus in Redmond, WA, this half-day conference includes panels, roundtable discussions and a networking reception. Bonnie Ross, Director of Production for Microsoft Game Studios, presents the keynote address, “Quality of Life and the Successful Game Industry Career.” Other speakers include senior representatives from Nokia, Real Networks, Ubisoft, Sony Online, Electronic Arts, Relic, Zipper Interactive, LimeLife, Amaze Entertainment, DigiPen and more. To register online, visit www.womeningamesinternational.org.
18 August 2006
Get the Girls into the Game
PR:
Since the professional PC gaming scene is largely male-dominated, the “Get the Girls into the Game” contest asks gamers of either gender to nominate a female friend as a potential winner, explaining why she would benefit from a weekend of practice with pro gamers. The winning nominee and one companion (also female) will win a weekend trip to Sweden, travel and accommodation expenses paid, and receive free gaming tuition from the girlz 0f destruction plus US$250 pocket money.
The “Get the Girls into the Game” contest runs until 10th September at the Home of Chrome website: www.girlzgaminghouse.com
To enter, gamers should submit their nominations at the website, and answer a few short questions and provide a description about why they feel their girl friends deserve the trip to the Home of Chrome. Entries will be judged on the basis of humor, originality and genuine gaming need by a panel composed of VIA staff and girlz 0f destruction team members. The contest closes on Thursday 10th September, with the prize weekend at the Home of Chrome taking place on Friday to Sunday, 22nd to 24th September 2006.
Since the professional PC gaming scene is largely male-dominated, the “Get the Girls into the Game” contest asks gamers of either gender to nominate a female friend as a potential winner, explaining why she would benefit from a weekend of practice with pro gamers. The winning nominee and one companion (also female) will win a weekend trip to Sweden, travel and accommodation expenses paid, and receive free gaming tuition from the girlz 0f destruction plus US$250 pocket money.
The “Get the Girls into the Game” contest runs until 10th September at the Home of Chrome website: www.girlzgaminghouse.com
To enter, gamers should submit their nominations at the website, and answer a few short questions and provide a description about why they feel their girl friends deserve the trip to the Home of Chrome. Entries will be judged on the basis of humor, originality and genuine gaming need by a panel composed of VIA staff and girlz 0f destruction team members. The contest closes on Thursday 10th September, with the prize weekend at the Home of Chrome taking place on Friday to Sunday, 22nd to 24th September 2006.
23 July 2006
22 July 2006
The rise of the woman gamer
This article originally appeared on FierceMobileContent and FierceGameBiz 7/21/06:
Recent studies from Telephia and Park Associates underscore anecdotal evidence that women play mobile games, and pay for them, too! In fact, the Telephia report states women dominated revenue generation for all mobile game categories except Action/Adventure. Females particularly enjoy puzzle and arcade games, as indicated by the current Top 10 mobile game sales by revenue share. That's similar to the downloadable casual game market, where it is already noted that female players outnumber male players. While the large casual game portals have recognized and catered to female players, their sports titles regularly go unnoticed by female players more interested in the card, word or puzzle games.
For years, popular wisdom claimed females were not interested in video games or if they were, they weren't willing to pay for games. Therefore, publishers were not interested in seeking out the female market. Perhaps it had to do with the distinction between "casual" and "hardcore" players. In the past, hardcore gamers routinely dismissed little games that lacked state-of-the-art technology. But with Geometry Wars, the minigame included in Xbox's Project Gotham Racing 2, evolving into the most downloaded game at Xbox Live Arcade, even traditional hardcore gamers are turning to casual games. The explosion in casual game development has shown there is certainly money to be made in this area.
Women are loyal customers. Those infatuated with The Sims were willing to buy every expansion pack connected to the series. Girl titles have a longer shelf time and sell for longer periods of time. Word-of-mouth advertising is very important in reaching female customers. Build a brand that appeals to women and you may have them hooked. The hit casual game Luxor has had over 40 million downloads since its debut in 2005 and the newest tie-in, Luxor Mahjong, is already among the top downloads in casual games.
While girls' preferences in games have been studied, the actual elements in a game that attracts women are still unquantifiable. There is no magic formula. Women differ greatly and have very different tastes. Some like Halo for its cooperative play. Others have no interest in first-person shooters. In general, to attract a certain market, understanding the customers' needs and wants is paramount. In addition to understanding the fun factor, think about what the customer's purpose is in playing the game. Is she using it to relax, to socialize, to compete?
One strategy is to design games that appeal to everyone, which would make the game gender-inclusive. This means the content is gender-neutral and there is recognition that the player may be female. This does not mean to "dumb it down" but to erase assumptions about what the player may or may not know. Focus groups or play-testing may help in this regard, at least to get a different perspective.
Traditionally, within the industry, game designers designed games they wanted to play. Since computer programmers/game designers of that period (and still are) predominately male, the market has been geared toward males. It should be noted that Centipede, the first arcade game designed by a woman, was the first game popular with female players. There may have even been more female players than male players for Centipede. This does not mean male designers cannot design games that appeal to females, only that it has been seen that a woman's input in design can be very useful in reaching the female market.
According to the October 2005 IGDA report, "Game Developer Demographics: An Exploration of Workforce Diversity," 10% of game designers are female and overall, females comprise 11.5% of surveyed game developers. The majority of females in the industry are not in production jobs, but fall under the category of operations, information technology, or human resources. There are, of course, other industries with unequal gender parity, but it should not be given to status quo. Research on diversity in companies does indicate diversity in the workforce leads to greater productivity and profitability.
If revenue share is a goal, then courting the female customer in the mobile sector is an absolute. A woman will be the typical mobile game player. Women already actively download other forms of mobile content and if mobile games appeal to them, they have the disposable income to buy them. Design of the games will need consideration in terms of gender-inclusiveness and accessibility. Furthermore, increasing workforce diversity will help enormously in understanding and reaching the targeted audience.
Recent studies from Telephia and Park Associates underscore anecdotal evidence that women play mobile games, and pay for them, too! In fact, the Telephia report states women dominated revenue generation for all mobile game categories except Action/Adventure. Females particularly enjoy puzzle and arcade games, as indicated by the current Top 10 mobile game sales by revenue share. That's similar to the downloadable casual game market, where it is already noted that female players outnumber male players. While the large casual game portals have recognized and catered to female players, their sports titles regularly go unnoticed by female players more interested in the card, word or puzzle games.
For years, popular wisdom claimed females were not interested in video games or if they were, they weren't willing to pay for games. Therefore, publishers were not interested in seeking out the female market. Perhaps it had to do with the distinction between "casual" and "hardcore" players. In the past, hardcore gamers routinely dismissed little games that lacked state-of-the-art technology. But with Geometry Wars, the minigame included in Xbox's Project Gotham Racing 2, evolving into the most downloaded game at Xbox Live Arcade, even traditional hardcore gamers are turning to casual games. The explosion in casual game development has shown there is certainly money to be made in this area.
Women are loyal customers. Those infatuated with The Sims were willing to buy every expansion pack connected to the series. Girl titles have a longer shelf time and sell for longer periods of time. Word-of-mouth advertising is very important in reaching female customers. Build a brand that appeals to women and you may have them hooked. The hit casual game Luxor has had over 40 million downloads since its debut in 2005 and the newest tie-in, Luxor Mahjong, is already among the top downloads in casual games.
While girls' preferences in games have been studied, the actual elements in a game that attracts women are still unquantifiable. There is no magic formula. Women differ greatly and have very different tastes. Some like Halo for its cooperative play. Others have no interest in first-person shooters. In general, to attract a certain market, understanding the customers' needs and wants is paramount. In addition to understanding the fun factor, think about what the customer's purpose is in playing the game. Is she using it to relax, to socialize, to compete?
One strategy is to design games that appeal to everyone, which would make the game gender-inclusive. This means the content is gender-neutral and there is recognition that the player may be female. This does not mean to "dumb it down" but to erase assumptions about what the player may or may not know. Focus groups or play-testing may help in this regard, at least to get a different perspective.
Traditionally, within the industry, game designers designed games they wanted to play. Since computer programmers/game designers of that period (and still are) predominately male, the market has been geared toward males. It should be noted that Centipede, the first arcade game designed by a woman, was the first game popular with female players. There may have even been more female players than male players for Centipede. This does not mean male designers cannot design games that appeal to females, only that it has been seen that a woman's input in design can be very useful in reaching the female market.
According to the October 2005 IGDA report, "Game Developer Demographics: An Exploration of Workforce Diversity," 10% of game designers are female and overall, females comprise 11.5% of surveyed game developers. The majority of females in the industry are not in production jobs, but fall under the category of operations, information technology, or human resources. There are, of course, other industries with unequal gender parity, but it should not be given to status quo. Research on diversity in companies does indicate diversity in the workforce leads to greater productivity and profitability.
If revenue share is a goal, then courting the female customer in the mobile sector is an absolute. A woman will be the typical mobile game player. Women already actively download other forms of mobile content and if mobile games appeal to them, they have the disposable income to buy them. Design of the games will need consideration in terms of gender-inclusiveness and accessibility. Furthermore, increasing workforce diversity will help enormously in understanding and reaching the targeted audience.
19 July 2006
The Balancing Act: Game Industry Careers and Quality of Life September 16, Seattle
Finding a balance between quality of life and successful career in the game industry can be extremely challenging. It can also be a major obstacle for women who are considering the game industry as a career. At this conference, we will identify quality of life issues and discuss methods for coping or balancing the demands of the industry and a healthy life.
Introduction
Todd Holmdahl, Corporate Vice President, Xbox Gaming and Platform Group
Keynote
Bonnie Ross, Director of Production, Microsoft Game Studios.
�Managing Insanity: How to be Director of Production for one of the largest publishing teams in the game industry and also have a life.�
Program Topics include:
Quality of Life - War Stories from the Trenches (and How We Solved Them)
Quality of Life: Practical Problem-Solving
Quality of Life - A Perspective from Managers, HR, and Legal
Breaking In: How to Acquire The Skills and Get That First Job
An Array of Career Options
The Counselor is In: Expert Advice on Game Careers
The Producers
The Role of QA
Stay for our WIGI post-conference networking party at 6 pm
General Attendees - $45, WIGI Members - $35, Students - $30
This half-day event is sponsored by title sponsor Microsoft Game Studios, gold sponsor Microsoft Casual Games, event sponsor Ubisoft and series sponsors International Game Developers Association (IGDA), Game Developers Conference (GDC), Girls in Games, Mary-Margaret.com, ThemePark Studios, WomenGamers.com and BusinessWire.
The conference is 1 pm to 7 pm on Saturday, September 16 at Microsoft, RedWest Campus, Building A, 15120 NE 40th Street in Redmond, WA.Space is limited. Attendees are invited to reserve their spot by registering online today.Attendees are invited to register online today. Register here.
Finding a balance between quality of life and successful career in the game industry can be extremely challenging. It can also be a major obstacle for women who are considering the game industry as a career. At this conference, we will identify quality of life issues and discuss methods for coping or balancing the demands of the industry and a healthy life.
Introduction
Todd Holmdahl, Corporate Vice President, Xbox Gaming and Platform Group
Keynote
Bonnie Ross, Director of Production, Microsoft Game Studios.
�Managing Insanity: How to be Director of Production for one of the largest publishing teams in the game industry and also have a life.�
Program Topics include:
Quality of Life - War Stories from the Trenches (and How We Solved Them)
Quality of Life: Practical Problem-Solving
Quality of Life - A Perspective from Managers, HR, and Legal
Breaking In: How to Acquire The Skills and Get That First Job
An Array of Career Options
The Counselor is In: Expert Advice on Game Careers
The Producers
The Role of QA
Stay for our WIGI post-conference networking party at 6 pm
General Attendees - $45, WIGI Members - $35, Students - $30
This half-day event is sponsored by title sponsor Microsoft Game Studios, gold sponsor Microsoft Casual Games, event sponsor Ubisoft and series sponsors International Game Developers Association (IGDA), Game Developers Conference (GDC), Girls in Games, Mary-Margaret.com, ThemePark Studios, WomenGamers.com and BusinessWire.
The conference is 1 pm to 7 pm on Saturday, September 16 at Microsoft, RedWest Campus, Building A, 15120 NE 40th Street in Redmond, WA.Space is limited. Attendees are invited to reserve their spot by registering online today.Attendees are invited to register online today. Register here.
20 October 2005
Serious Games
For several months now, I have been researching serious games for the book, Serious Games: Games That Educate, Train and Inform. I am excited about serious games not only as a potential profit generator for game companies but also as an alternate entry point for aspiring game developers. Serious games utilize the same technology and skills as those used in entertainment games, thus enabling companies to cater to both sectors. Indeed, companies like BreakAway Games do just that. I also believe that serious games will appeal to women developers and players.
“Serious games” is a catch-all phrase for simulations, training programs, and educational software that use game technology and techniques. While these products may have been stuffy in the past, serious games shift the paradigm by applying what’s fun about games into schooling. Serious games enlighten as well as entertain. Serious games have been used in public policy, emergency management, healthcare training, occupational safety, corporate training, law enforcement, and other diverse fields.
Designed for mainstream consumption, serious games are a good exercise in design. Serious games need to be amenable to differing play styles, player experience levels, and equipment. For some users, serious games will be their first exposure to computer gaming. In addition, serious game design must satisfy the needs of the trainers as well as the students. Observer modes, post-action review, and assessment tracking are all considerations in serious game design. For all of these reasons, I believe work in serious game design would be an impressive showpiece of skills.
Granted, serious games have been marred by the stigma of badly designed edutainment products. Merging entertainment and education can be a challenging task “Stealth education,” a phrase coined by Doug Crockford, exemplifies the ideal in serious game design. With stealth education, players learn without even realizing it. Parents often have a daily struggle with children to study harder or to complete homework. Would this happen if homework were a video game?
“Serious games” is a catch-all phrase for simulations, training programs, and educational software that use game technology and techniques. While these products may have been stuffy in the past, serious games shift the paradigm by applying what’s fun about games into schooling. Serious games enlighten as well as entertain. Serious games have been used in public policy, emergency management, healthcare training, occupational safety, corporate training, law enforcement, and other diverse fields.
Designed for mainstream consumption, serious games are a good exercise in design. Serious games need to be amenable to differing play styles, player experience levels, and equipment. For some users, serious games will be their first exposure to computer gaming. In addition, serious game design must satisfy the needs of the trainers as well as the students. Observer modes, post-action review, and assessment tracking are all considerations in serious game design. For all of these reasons, I believe work in serious game design would be an impressive showpiece of skills.
Granted, serious games have been marred by the stigma of badly designed edutainment products. Merging entertainment and education can be a challenging task “Stealth education,” a phrase coined by Doug Crockford, exemplifies the ideal in serious game design. With stealth education, players learn without even realizing it. Parents often have a daily struggle with children to study harder or to complete homework. Would this happen if homework were a video game?
Serious games impact society in so many ways. Whether it’s job advancement or medical treatment, a serious game can help. Because of the high personal relevance and connection involved in serious games, I believe that women developers who previously would not have considered gaming will nonetheless be drawn to serious games. Already, parents of chronically ill children have devised games to help children self-manage their medical conditions. It is such a powerful feeling to realize that one’s work will have so many implications and can even save lives.
Furthermore, serious games offer a way to make compelling games based on personal beliefs. Political advocacy groups and non-profits are turning to games to inform the public of their various viewpoints. These games contribute to a cause that is greater than oneself. But even if there is no outward group, one’s own personal convictions can be a source of inspiration. Art games, the most personal of games, demonstrate creative self-expression.
In addition, serious games have the potential to introduce women to game consoles. The success of Dance Dance Revolution has led many to purchase their own dance pads for use at home. responDESIGN, whose fitness program Yourself!Fitness was built with 100% game technology, reports that 90% of its consumers are women. While the company does make a version for the PC, I suspect that most users plug in the PlayStation2 or Xbox and exercise in front of the TV. If there were more applications targeted to women consumers, surely more women would be interested in owning game consoles.
While serious games haven't reached classrooms everywhere, more and more companies, schools, and facilities are considering their implementation. Game developers provide the needed skills to make these entertaining yet educational games. By doing so, they show that playing games can result in positive and beneficial effects.Need more information? Look here:
- The Serious Games Summit D.C. will be held October 31 - November 1, 2005 in Washington, D.C. Registration required.
- Open Call for Speaker Proposals for the Serious Games Summit at GDC06. Deadline: November 7, 2005
- Find these links and more on the Serious Games
Initiative homepage!
09 September 2005
Role Models
I've decided to continue my column on women's issues in the game industry. The GDC05 session, Attracting Women Into Game Development," brought up a wellspring of discussion and as co-moderator, I had a front row seat :) I'd like to use this column to explore the topics on my mind. It's good timing because of late, there seems to be much more activity and interest in women's issues. GDC05 even had a suggested Women's Track that covered such disparate areas as sexuality in games, recruitment, female game players, and quality of life issues.
I recently spoke to Tammy Yap, the programmer profiled in the July AP article "Programmers: Video Games Need Female Touch." She elaborated on her thoughts concerning women in the industry. Noting the need to reach the younger generation, she stressed the importance of good role models for girls and young women interested in technology. She cited a MSNBC report that stated that college women have shied away from computer science and despite the fact that more than half of the college population is female, their enrollment numbers in computer science are as low as they were in the 1970's. That's alarming, considering programming and other game development skills figure greatly in what the 2004 IC2 Institute research paper, "Gaming: A Technology Forecast," termed 21st Century science.
How can we interest girls and young women in computer science? We need role models that are visible and approachable. Indeed, during the GDC05 roundtable discussion, one woman remarked that she felt more comfortable applying to her current company after she learned that the President of the company was a woman. She felt assured that her concerns would be taken seriously. That's why I am so thrilled about the formation of Women In Games International (WIGI), a new organization for women in the game industry. I think such an organization is an important step in the maturation of our industry.
Groups like Women in Technology (WIT) and the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) already exist, so this isn't a foreign concept. They are, however, too broad or too limited to encompass all that amounts to the game industry. Programmers are necessary, but so are animators, producers, designers, and various multi-talented folk who can do more than one job function. The game industry has its own specific issues. Certainly, the IGDA has been supportive of the Women in Game Development SIG and its active mailing list. Still, when I visit local chapters around the country, I wish there were more women in attendance. More outreach would be helpful. A professional women's organization could benefit both the industry and its membership.
A professional women's organization, if it had local or college chapters, could rally interest in game development careers and try to break down the misinformation. In the public's perception, games are viewed as the pastime of young men or children. Plus, the games that are publicized have violence and controversy. A young woman interested in making games faces a hurdle. Society has an image of women as caregivers and this cultural image doesn't include a PS2. Moreover, a professional women's organization would give a public focus to women's issues in the industry.
Ultimately, a young woman would know that this is a community where she could learn more about the experiences of women working in the industry. Through local chapters, she would meet like-minded others and learn more about game companies in the area. Perhaps she would find a mentor. While there are well-known female game developers that serve as role models, what is great about an official organization is that all of its members can be mentors and role models. It is this personal connection to the community that will make the difference. With that, she has the self-confidence and support to forge ahead. Perhaps now she will get that job referral or advice on putting together a portfolio.
On the flip side, for companies, this organization might be the ideal place to find qualified female applicants, thus increasing diversity in the workplace. We are all interested in industry growth. The game industry is banking on female buyers to sustain its growth. Will increased diversity lead to more products with universal appeal? That's the theory. Girls find products that appeal to them and in turn, more of them become interested in game development. Our industry becomes more mainstream and even bigger.
Furthermore, I believe that a professional women's organization in the industry would give us the opportunity to get real stats on the table. Are women only 10% of the game development community? Or is this number based on anecdotal evidence? By polling its members, the organization could find out what its membership cares about and suggest ways to improve industry practices. These numbers would give weight to these recommendations, especially if we find out that there's a lot more women in the industry than we thought!
For a lobbying effort, a collective voice is always louder than a single one. In 1994, women professors at MIT banded together to compare awards, titles, grants, laboratory and office space given to men and women. The MIT administration was forced to concede that discrepancies existed. Subsequently, the women received higher salaries or other perks.
I recently spoke to Tammy Yap, the programmer profiled in the July AP article "Programmers: Video Games Need Female Touch." She elaborated on her thoughts concerning women in the industry. Noting the need to reach the younger generation, she stressed the importance of good role models for girls and young women interested in technology. She cited a MSNBC report that stated that college women have shied away from computer science and despite the fact that more than half of the college population is female, their enrollment numbers in computer science are as low as they were in the 1970's. That's alarming, considering programming and other game development skills figure greatly in what the 2004 IC2 Institute research paper, "Gaming: A Technology Forecast," termed 21st Century science.
How can we interest girls and young women in computer science? We need role models that are visible and approachable. Indeed, during the GDC05 roundtable discussion, one woman remarked that she felt more comfortable applying to her current company after she learned that the President of the company was a woman. She felt assured that her concerns would be taken seriously. That's why I am so thrilled about the formation of Women In Games International (WIGI), a new organization for women in the game industry. I think such an organization is an important step in the maturation of our industry.
Groups like Women in Technology (WIT) and the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) already exist, so this isn't a foreign concept. They are, however, too broad or too limited to encompass all that amounts to the game industry. Programmers are necessary, but so are animators, producers, designers, and various multi-talented folk who can do more than one job function. The game industry has its own specific issues. Certainly, the IGDA has been supportive of the Women in Game Development SIG and its active mailing list. Still, when I visit local chapters around the country, I wish there were more women in attendance. More outreach would be helpful. A professional women's organization could benefit both the industry and its membership.
A professional women's organization, if it had local or college chapters, could rally interest in game development careers and try to break down the misinformation. In the public's perception, games are viewed as the pastime of young men or children. Plus, the games that are publicized have violence and controversy. A young woman interested in making games faces a hurdle. Society has an image of women as caregivers and this cultural image doesn't include a PS2. Moreover, a professional women's organization would give a public focus to women's issues in the industry.
Ultimately, a young woman would know that this is a community where she could learn more about the experiences of women working in the industry. Through local chapters, she would meet like-minded others and learn more about game companies in the area. Perhaps she would find a mentor. While there are well-known female game developers that serve as role models, what is great about an official organization is that all of its members can be mentors and role models. It is this personal connection to the community that will make the difference. With that, she has the self-confidence and support to forge ahead. Perhaps now she will get that job referral or advice on putting together a portfolio.
On the flip side, for companies, this organization might be the ideal place to find qualified female applicants, thus increasing diversity in the workplace. We are all interested in industry growth. The game industry is banking on female buyers to sustain its growth. Will increased diversity lead to more products with universal appeal? That's the theory. Girls find products that appeal to them and in turn, more of them become interested in game development. Our industry becomes more mainstream and even bigger.
Furthermore, I believe that a professional women's organization in the industry would give us the opportunity to get real stats on the table. Are women only 10% of the game development community? Or is this number based on anecdotal evidence? By polling its members, the organization could find out what its membership cares about and suggest ways to improve industry practices. These numbers would give weight to these recommendations, especially if we find out that there's a lot more women in the industry than we thought!
For a lobbying effort, a collective voice is always louder than a single one. In 1994, women professors at MIT banded together to compare awards, titles, grants, laboratory and office space given to men and women. The MIT administration was forced to concede that discrepancies existed. Subsequently, the women received higher salaries or other perks.
I look forward to seeing WIGI's progress. Already, over 450 people have registered to its inaugural Women in Games International event, Advancing Your Career in Game Development: The Women's Perspective." Sessions include "Breaking In: How to Acquire The Skills and Get That First Job" and "The Executive Perspective."
Need more information? Look here:
- Women In Games International (WIGI) holds its inaugural Women in Games International event, "Advancing Your Career in Game Development: The Women's Perspective" on September 10, 2005 in Redmond, WA. Registration required.
- The Women's Game Conference (WGC) will happen on October 26 - 27, 2005 in Austin, Texas. Microsoft is holding a scholarship contest targeted towards female students in computer science who are interested in attending the WGC. Deadline: September 30, 2005
- Find these links and more on the newly redesigned IGDA - Women in Game Development SIG page!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)