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Gamer Collection is about our fight on and off the field for progress through creativity and art. It’s dedicated to those leading the fight for gender and racial equity in...
Gamer Collection is about our fight on and off the field for progress through creativity and art.
It’s dedicated to those leading the fight for gender and racial equity in ways that reimagine the status quo.
When we say gender and racial equity, here’s what we mean. Equality is about sameness. It focuses on creating the same starting line for everyone. Equity is about fairness. It has the goal of ensuring everyone has access to opportunities that uniquely meet their needs to get to the same finish line.
Gender and racial equity acknowledges that our identities are plural (and often social construct). By focusing on equity, we're able to work towards a fair future for all.
Equality is the goal, and equity is the way to get there.
This isn't just about representation. This is also about working differently. We don’t just need more diversity at the table to continue to create the same products. We need equitable representation of folks from diverse backgrounds to challenge tradition and offer a new way forward.
There's a reason white men are often written as the heroes and it's a narrative that needs to change.
A study of game developers worldwide found that 81% identify as white, 7% identify as Latinx, and 2% identify as Black.
A study that analyzed every game nominated for a Game Award from 2003 until 2018 found that 60% place you in the shoes of a white character by default, while only 3% place you in the shoes of a person of color (POC).
Furthermore, 84% of executives in the Top 14 gaming companies are men.
We’re sharing the voices of the gaming industry and beyond who are reimagining and disrupting through their skill and advocacy.
Hear their stories and experiences, consider how this relates to your own life, and learn about ways in which you can take action.
"Dominance and supremacy is still what’s happening in these spaces. I could go online right now and immediately I’ll be profiled by how I sound. I’m going to be interacting with mostly males who see me as an intruder into their digital locker room. They feel that this is a place where no girls are allowed, no people of color are allowed. ‘What are you doing in here?’ I hear this absolutely every time."
—Dr. Kishonna Gray, Professor, Scholar & Gamer
Learn more about Dr. Gray's work here.
"Black characters are still underrepresented in games, where white is still seen as a kind of ‘default.'"
—Tanya DePass, Founder of #INeedDiverseGames
"I also want to see representation in games that is authentic and has someone Black behind it. I think it’s all great for people to represent Black people as long as it’s done well. But why are we still having these very monolithic teams developing games and creating characters? Why don’t you have someone Black on your team? What are your internal resource groups like? Do you have a Black ERG? Do you have a pride ERG? More game creators need to ask and answer those questions."
—Jay-Ann Lopez, Founder of Black Girl Gamers
"Games marketed themselves into a corner by talking about themselves as being something for dudes, by dudes. If an industry segments itself to white dudes of a certain age and a certain income bracket, it’s going to reach a saturation point."
—Dr. Bridget Blodgett, Professor
For more on equity, gaming, and technology...
Listen to Polygamer, a monthly audio podcast that encourages and celebrates equality and diversity in gaming by interviewing voices pushing for change.
Watch Coded Bias, a documentary that investigates the racial bias in algorithms after M.I.T. Media Lab researcher Joy Buolamwini uncovered flaws in facial recognition technology.
Support @komodogamingnetwork, a collective of game designers in Africa that are reinventing the conversation about gaming.
