Blog 8: Inclusive Gaming

I think gaming has grown a lot over the past decade or so, especially in the competitive aspect. There are all type of gamers, examples of some are professional gamers, entertainment gamers that post content on Twitch, Youtube, and other social media websites, and collegiate gamers that compete against other schools. I think gaming is stereotypically associated with males and that has caused the issue of inclusive gaming. Even though there are similar stats between number of women and men gamers, gaming in general is related to men and has resulted in harassment and discrimination towards women in this industry. Gaming is one of the fastest growing industries in the world, however a more serious emphasis on inclusivity could make it grow even faster. I think in the competitive and entertainment side of gaming, men are the face of this space and are more well known over women. I love videogames, especially because I get to play and talk with my friends, and I have been playing since elementary school and also really like to watch gaming related Youtube videos. From my experience, I can only name a couple instances where I either played a videogame with a women or watched a video with a woman gamer in it and I honestly don’t think I have been intentional about it. I have played a couple games before like Jackbox and Amongus with girls in my friend group, but outside of that I have not experienced really playing with women and I am not sure if it’s the girls that I am friends with and their preferences or if they feel like they are not very welcome in the gaming space. It would be awesome to see more inclusivity in gaming and have the idea of women participating in gaming be the norm.