Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in the Games Industry: Focusing on Change
Gamers in the United States are almost evenly split between men (55%) and women (45%) with 73% identifying as White, 9% as Hispanic, 8% as Black, and 6% as Asian (source: Entertainment Software Association), however, just 24% of game developers are women and only 2% identify as black (source: International Game Developers Association). Further, in-game toxicity and harassment related to sexual orientation, race, or ethnicity is all too common. This panel will discuss the current state and efforts being undertaken to bring more diversity and inclusion to the industry and counter in-game toxicity and harassment.
Panelists:
Jessica Rovello, CEO & Co-Founder, Arkadium
Jill Kenney, Co-Founder and CEO, Paidia Gaming
Renee Gittins, General Manager, Phoenix Labs
Leanne Loombe, Head of External Games, Netflix
Moderator: Gordon Bellamy, CEO of Gay Gaming Professionals (GGP) and Visiting Scholar, USC Games and USC Esports