As half of Metanet Software Inc, the indie developer behind N and N+, I’ve worked in this industry for nearly ten years and have ascertained that the games industry needs to change substantially to survive in this swiftly evolving world. The composition of teams making games is not terribly diverse, and as such the games being produced aren’t representative of very many opinions and points of view, and are starting to stagnate. Fresh eyes and fresh perspectives would help: more diversity in game development is better for business and better for team dynamics, leading to a higher quality output of new ideas, and that means more interesting, more nuanced and more varied games. We need to really shake up the numbers to keep this industry alive!
How do we encourage diversity? There are lots of factors influencing who makes games and why, so this is just a start, but building a future on a solid foundation is crucial.
You generally need three main things to start:
Visible Role Models
Strong, independent, fiercely passionate people who have succeeded in or enhanced their industry indicate to each of us that what we dream is attainable; that even when things seem utterly impossible, there is hope.
Tools and Information
Newcomers to any industry need to know what tools are available, and what the strengths and weaknesses and common uses of those tools are. For example, in game development, you could use languages such as Actionscript or Unity to build a web-playable game, but you need to use XNA if you want your game on XBLIG. Knowing what’s possible and what considerations need to be made helps to approach ideas in a way that persuades their transformation from paper to reality.
Support
One of the most valuable tools in any game developer’s toolbox is a good support network of knowledgeable peers and the opportunity to ask questions and get feedback on projects. There are plenty of online resources and forums, and it helps to have some local connections as well.
Since the games industry in particular is such a relatively young industry, there is a real opportunity here to make some lasting changes, but all of us need to continue to make steps towards the future we want to see. There are a multitude of reasons why there isn’t more diversity in game development, but some of the most prevalent are entirely socially constructed: there is a lot of racism, sexism and other forms of discrimination ingrained within us as a result of hundreds of years of misguided beliefs, and that tends crop up (consciously or unconsciously) and lead to uncomfortable social situations; not the best foundation for a working environment. We are going to need to alter the culture we live in, in order to really find lasting change. GameChangers seeks to take a crack at this.
As you may know, I co-lead The Difference Engine Initiative with Jim Munroe last year. When we proposed the DEI as one of the TIFF Nexus creative jams, we did so because, having worked in the games industry for several years, we saw some issues we didn’t particularly like and wanted to take some action. One of the things that concerned us was the overall homogeneous nature of the people making up this industry. Imagine what it would be like if the people making games were as diverse as the people playing them! We began the Difference Engine Initiative with a focus on women, hoping to meet some new vibrant and creative people and to introduce some new voices to the world of game development. These days, making simple games using point-and-click tools is an attainable goal for virtually everyone, so we set out to provide support for some passionate people who stepped up to give it a try. This was a great effort, and is just one of hopefully many. That’s where GameChangers comes in.
When I was invited to participate in GameChangers, I was thrilled. The event has started to take shape over the course of the past several months and is sure to result in some very interesting outcomes. That the focus of the initiative was so different from that of the Difference Engine is delightful: Game Changers potentially appeals to an entirely different audience, which helps the message of cultural change propagate through different channels and reach a very broad range of people. Instead of only women, GameChangers looks for 50%, so the teams that result from this initiative will be diverse and varied in multiple ways, which is a potentially perfect place for novel ideas and creativity to grow. I am eagerly anticipating seeing what innovative collaborations develop from this program and am excited that things are starting to come together. This is a great way to continue to address some of the issues underlying the games industry and our culture, plus it’ll result in more games! Something for everyone to enjoy.
If you’re interested in making games, why not take advantage of this awesome opportunity? Sign up for the GameChangers Open House on February 4 at 4pm.