In fact Carr believes ”it’ll be pretty much 50-50” in around 10 years’ time. It’s thanks to handhelds like the Nintendo 3DS that more girls are gaming. Carr doesn’t want studios ”full of blokes”.
The Electronic Software Agency claims around 45% of the gaming populace today are female. It stands to reason then more women are interested in development.
”I think handheld devices and things like the Nintendo DS, these are really accessible, and girls are drawn to the market perhaps more than in our day, where it was either a console or the Amiga or something like that, a PC,” Lionhead creative director Gary Carr told OXM.
”I think as developers, in terms of job applicants, we’re noticing now that we’re at last getting the diversity we want when you’re coming up with a creative team,” he continued.
”I don’t want to sit in a studio full of blokes, I want to be part of a diverse team.”
”I don’t just want guys making games for guys. I want guys and girls making games for guys and girls. You have to reflect that in your workforce, and it’s starting to happen. I think that five to ten years from now, it’ll be pretty much 50-50.”
The games industry continues to have something of an image problem when it comes to diversity, although there has been a sharp rise in prominent roles for women. Hopefully less ‘sausage fest’ studios mean less ‘dudebro’ shooters.
