Inappropriate and serious behavior was reported after this year’s Game Developers Conference and highlighted by the company Women In Games.
In particular, it is about drugs in drinks, cases of harassment, even aggression. The company Women in Games, which specializes in issues of equality in the industry, be it developers or players, fears a possible step backwards in dealing with women within the community.
Women in Games is a UK not-for-profit company founded in 2009
It is President Marie-Claire Isaaman who is sounding the alarm with a powerful message in response to a recurring critique of feminist groups – do they still have an interest in Western societies today?
“Our industry is going backwards! None of this is acceptable, none of this should happen! If anyone were to question the point of the company’s existence these days, it’s here! »
In fact, the situation observed at this year’s Game Developers Conference is not unique. If the organizers of the event talked about the violence as a matter of course, it is clear that it is difficult to see anything more than wishful thinking. In fact, as early as last year, an event related to the Game Developers Conference, organized by a feminist association specializing in video games and sponsored by Activision Blizzard, was treated as a “hunting ground” for predators. Just as criticized as this year’s event, there was no improvement in terms of speaker and visitor safety.
Speaking of this year, Leena Van Devanter, Studio Developer at Reuben Games, said: “The women at GDC this year saw themselves belittled and discredited, moved on, […] two women were even invited to a hotel by a powerful man to talk about a project, where he then attacked them. Given the gravity of such reports, it is logical to feel helpless – especially since these types of scandals are the order of the day – and not knowing what to do.
Nowadays we are lucky to see women with rich stories in our favorite games. Now it’s all about seeing what’s going on off screen
Clubs and companies like Women in Games are part of the solution, according to Marie-Claire Isaaman. Ideally, by working with these associations, organizers would be able to better anticipate potential attacks and therefore offer safer events. It’s difficult to be so categorical when we see that some of these associations are associated with companies that are at the center of harassment-related controversies.
Therefore, as a player, as a consumer, it is difficult to know what to do in such situations: all this goes beyond the simple player and we certainly cannot solve such problems. What is certain, however, is that these questions not only concern the makers, but also the players: Women in Games Argentina in particular was concerned about how the players interact with the players last December.
Through an experiment in which professional Valorant players first played normally and then put themselves in the role of players using voice modifiers, the federation had been able to see how sexism was expressed between the players. It was then stated that they had been unable to work with their team. This then led to an apparent drop in performance and, even worse, a potentially complete disgust with the game.
“This experience really doesn’t make me want to keep playing. We don’t really want to go into that again, it’s not the kind of interaction I want to have every day” – Alfredo, one of the pro players who attended the experience
Therefore, the study asked this question: In such an environment, is it surprising that so few players invest in a professional career? Krista, the influencer who showcased the experience on the networks, then concluded by saying, “The biggest difficulty players face isn’t the gameplay — it’s the culture.”
Scarlett, Canadian Starcraft II champion with the title “Kryptonite of the Koreans”, “the most successful woman in sports”, is the highest paid player in the industry.
These questions, which are closer to players’ daily lives, are already something that are easier to act on. And yet it remains complicated – we won’t even shout out here to behave better, as it is certain that the players affected by these inappropriate behaviors do not read articles on the subject. However, it is clear that things must change, and in the right direction.
Admittedly, it’s a societal problem, and unfortunately – in order for the situation in video games to develop in the right direction in the long term, mentalities have to evolve. A first step, however, would be to ensure that the basic rules of respect are respected – and that at least the law is respected. Let the example given to the players with the names in the industry be one to follow rather than one to avoid.