Gender Equality in the Game Industry

Gender equality is a very hot topic at the moment and the game development industry is no exception, one of the most discussed topics is the case of the female armor. Very often you see in games that male characters are depicted in full armor, looking strong and masculine while the female characters are given armor that barely covers anything; basically she is going into battle in a metal bikini.

Example of Female Armor from Baldur's Gate

There is a growing interest in something different and gender equality is something that is always present in our education and it was the reason for Sveriges Television's (SVT) visit to the university day before yesterday to make an interview on the topic. It was aired today and although I was sure they did not point the camera in my direction there I was in the background. Here is a link although it is in Swedish only: Här utbildas framtidens spelutvecklare.

 As mentioned it is a very hot topic and very much integrated in our education, we are asked to educate ourselves on the topic and every choice we make we have to be able to explain why we chose the way we did. The one thing I am thinking about now is when we got the question whether we only had male guards in our game during the alpha presentation. There are a lot of people who do not think that things need to be changed but I believe that there is a growing desire for something different; we have seen it before and there are a lot of people who want to offer the players something new. This will create a greater variety in the supply of games that is available. The most important thing is always to keep in mind that every choice you make sends a message to whoever comes in contact with your work and make sure that you can stand by your choices.