Gaming Industry Strives for Inclusivity as Women Continue to Face Toxicity
The gaming realm, often celebrated as an inclusive sanctuary offering an escape from reality, thrilling adventures, and connections with kindred spirits, has recently been overshadowed by toxicity, a phenomenon that impacts both men and women. However, for women, this toxicity takes on a completely different form.
Contrary to popular belief, women have been a vital part of the gaming industry since its inception. For instance, Carol Shaw, the developer behind the successful 8-bit era hit “River Ride,” and Roberta Williams, the co-founder of Sierra Online, responsible for iconic adventure games like “Phantasmagoria,” have long been prominent figures in the industry. Despite this, women are often viewed as outsiders, both as players and developers.
This perception is evident in the games directed towards women, often stereotypically associated with their gender, such as dress-up games and titles like “The Sims,” “Nintendogs,” and “Animal Crossing.” These games are often viewed as simplistic and lacking the same prestige as action-packed games like “Counter-Strike” and “Battlefield.” This artificial classification not only diminishes the position of women in the industry but also undermines the success of these “girly” games, with titles like “Animal Crossing” and “The Sims” boasting over 45 million and 200 million sold copies, respectively.
Marta Wawrzyniak, from the gaming platform GAMIVO, recalls her own experience, saying, “I vividly recall being asked about the types of games I enjoyed. That person said it’s hard to imagine a girl playing shooters and I didn’t look like someone who played such genres.” She goes on to share an incident during a live interview at a gaming convention where the interviewer asked her if she had a boyfriend, causing embarrassment in front of a crowded audience. “It’s not difficult to imagine how embarrassing it was to hear this question in front of a crowded audience. People often say that we are being too emotional and why we care about silly remarks so much, but the truth is, experiencing this behavior is simply tiresome,” she adds.
The array of uncomfortable and often worrying encounters women face could fill a whole book. These encounters, ranging from sexist jokes and uninvited flirting to extreme cases of rape threats and harassment, not only diminish the position of women in the gaming industry but also cause significant damage to their well-being.
However, it is essential to note that men also experience toxicity in gaming communities. In fact, many gaming communities show no mercy for anyone. Wawrzyniak says, “I’d say that men can be as horrible to one another as to women when jumping on voice chats. The idea of false anonymity in gaming makes people let loose and spew the most horrible things without hesitation and remorse.” However, the harassment and toxicity faced by women in gaming communities are often rooted in sexism and misogyny, making it more insidious.
Gender-based toxicity manifests in various ways, ranging from seemingly harmless sexist jokes and uninvited flirting to aggressive forms of exclusion and hostility that directly target women. This behavior is not only disheartening but also profoundly damaging to the community.
A particularly troubling aspect of this toxicity is that it occurs regardless of a woman’s skill level, experience, or performance. Many examples exist where female gamers are praised for their performance, but this attitude changes as soon as they reveal their gender, especially in voice chats. This change in attitude can lead to harassment, slurs, and active attempts to ruin their gaming experience, including jeopardizing the entire team’s chances of winning.
Popular streamers, like SteffyEvans, have shared their experiences of toxicity during live streams, showcasing the verbal abuse and harassment they face simply for being female. Despite their skill and dedication to their passion, these women have faced relentless harassment. This behavior is not only disheartening but profoundly damaging to the community.
An experiment by Maybelline New York demonstrated this phenomenon perfectly. The study showed that certain players’ attitudes changed dramatically upon learning their teammate’s gender, irrespective of their performance. This change in attitude highlights the fact that the issue is rooted in gender discrimination, rather than any objective measure of skill.
In addition to facing toxicity in gaming communities, women also face discrimination in the gaming industry itself. Recent high-profile cases, such as the lawsuit against Blizzard Entertainment, have exposed the misogyny, harassment, and undermining of women’s expertise in the industry. This issue is further exacerbated by the stark gender gap in the gaming industry, with women accounting for only 30% of those working in game development, despite making up about 50% of the gaming community.
Fortunately, there are signs of progress, with more female characters depicted in non-objectifying, non-sexualized roles. Female characters are more diverse, complex, and realistic, signaling a shift in representation in the gaming
