In-depth article on Gamasutra about female characters in games and how it’s not happening at Activision.
Because Activision and big publishers are forced to not take risks, no need to yell at them they won’t change anything.
Women need to jump in the dev wagon far more than they do. I know more women talking and writing about games that creating some for sure. And in ten years I haven’t seen anything moving fast in this area, but one, amazing success: a game with a new mechanic, with a female character, conceived with a team lead by a female game designer and approved by a wide and large audience. Portal.
Fuck I thought it would prove once and for all that there’s something to do in this area. I guess I was wrong.
Women don’t make games, they don’t reach a huge market with their own intuitions, their own views, their own priorities, nothing changes. I believe it’s more than just putting a female lead character in a 3D world.
We know for years now that the vast majority of gamers includes from 40% (ESA 2010 numbers) to 55% (social games) of women so what the fuck people are talking about saying that you have to reach for a male audience to make money? That’s ridiculous and I don’t understand how this argument can even be used today, except of course for big publishers running a testosterone business.
I don’t care about them. I care about games and they demand more variety. So hop in ladies.
Also, 15 dev women to follow on Twitter. I add @bbrathwaite (expect game design, Excel fun and boots conversation).