The gaming area has seen more women participation, as players as well as developers and engineers, be that as it may, the portrayal of women in leadership roles stays less and should be more inclusive, experts said on the occasion of International Women’s Day 2023.

“Women are not just limited to being gamers, but they are actively pursuing gaming as a career now,” said Harshada Sarode, Human Resource Manager at gaming platform PlayerzPot.

“The segment has been increasingly attracting the interest of female gamers as well as of game developers, designers, and marketers through engagement at various levels. Several gaming platforms as well as competitive eSports platforms are actively connecting with female gamers, who are critical influencers for the community at large,” said Neha Singhvi, Director of Public Affairs, Communication, and CSR at Games24x7.

A new survey by gaming platform Loco showed that there was a 10x ascend in the viewership of female streamers in 2022 when contrasted with 2021. Simultaneously, the female monthly active users (MAU) saw consistent 3x development.

Not simply in the jobs, gaming is likewise helping change the perception of women by breaking the stereotypes.

As indicated by Jyoti Gupta, VP of Engineering at Zupee, “The gaming industry can provide female characters with diverse and empowering roles that can serve as positive role models for women and girls. This representation can help challenge gender stereotypes and promote more inclusive and diverse narratives”.

This is likewise encouraging a feeling of strengthening in women gamers.

Regardless of the relative development, in any case, the portrayal of women in leadership roles stays less noteworthy.

“Although the number of women participating in the industry is increasing, the representation of women in leadership positions in online gaming is still low and this under-representation makes it difficult for many to envision themselves in leadership roles,” said Saumya Singh Rathore, Co-founder at WinZO games.

The reason why there are as yet relatively few women driving gaming organizations is the absence of good examples.

“You don’t find many women leaders who have been able to pave the way for or attract a lot of female counterparts and resources who can grow within that organization and an environment which does not feel like a boy’s club,” Rathore added.

Experts likewise proposed multiple ways by which organizations can urge more women to take up positions of leadership.

“To inspire a new generation of girls we need to get more women in the industry as decision-makers and leaders,” Sarode said.

The survey by Loco showed that the quality of remarks and safety on the platform additionally should be checked intently by the organizations to hold female support.

“It is essential that every person feels safe in this ecosystem, regardless if they are part of it as a gamer or a professional building a career. Having a strict policy toward harassment and malicious content will ensure that women feel safe on these platforms,” said Sarode.

The area is ready to become one of the biggest in the Indian economy. As per a report distributed by Sequoia and BCG last year, India right now has 300 million gamers and the income from the industry is supposed to reach $5 billion by 2025 in India. Reports also showed that around 45% of users on these platforms are women.

It appears to be basic for organizations to focus more on women and urge them to take up positions of leadership.

“Tech companies’ responsible actions today will pave the path for women to lead innovation tomorrow,” said Akanksha Dhamija, Vice President of Growth and Strategy at Zupee.

Credit: Business Standard