Women’s representation in the Gaming Industry: Esports and competitive gaming
As the world continues to experience an unprecedented time under the COVID-19 pandemic, many people were told to stay home and practice social distancing to slow the spread of the virus. Many of us may think about what to do when we are self-isolating ourselves from others, and playing Video games is still a huge part of our entertainment. The Esports Industry, also referred to as competitive video game sports, is gaining a huge audience and revenue due to the increase in the number of gaming populations across the globe. The stay-at-home orders of 2020 have supercharged an expected growth rate of 9% annually in the coming years. Viewership on platforms like Twitch has jumped by more than 50% in 2020 as more and more people consume video game-related content. Competitions have moved online and split into multiple divisions to avoid schedule conflicts and time spacing for the players to give time.
Video games are generally seen as a male-dominated industry, both in the creation and competition scenes, and women are mainly the underrepresented group. Many female individuals have experienced dominance over it, but not negatively as they work towards creating a more diverse environment for all gamers, including Twitch streamers, who mainly stream their gameplays and competitive players who showcase their matches.
According to Statista, 40% of gamers across the United States are Women, and it proves that video games aren’t just for a specific group of people. When it comes to competitive gaming, it can have a difficult time to include as women have experienced more discrimination in the workplace to toxic online behavior at play such as harassment on social media. In the last year alone, nearly half of all women in gaming have experienced gender discrimination–three times more than men, according to a report from esports giant Evil Geniuses. Despite the many struggles they have faced in the past, there are no impossible ways of excluding others when it comes to gaming. Breaking the stereotype on certain hobbies that humans have can bring in new perspectives and scenes for the gaming industry for diversity and inclusiveness.
So what’s happening around to push for inclusiveness and diversity in the gaming world for women? Some several organizations and groups are stepping up to support the people both mentally and financially at a corporate level. For example, Dignitas, owned by the Philadelphia 76ers, launched the Dubbed _FE initiative to support female esports players with educational, social, and competitive resources, whether they are in beginner, amateur, or professional roles. Having the resources and information about competitive gaming and social media usage helps underrepresented groups who are interested in joining certain communities within the gaming industry. There are no boundaries when it comes to gaming, especially regarding genders as long as we can create a supportive and inclusive environment.