10 Overlooked Ways ALL Video Game Studios Could Improve
9. Diversity In The Long Term
Diversity isn’t just a flash in the pan. It should be something we in all industries should be looking to perpetuate... for good.
The games industry is at the forefront of diversity in terms of race, gender and culture, and that’s fantastic... but I’ve grown increasingly concerned with with idea of “positive discrimination” - the act of pushing so hard for equality that the actions are inadvertently undermined by perceived insincerity.
I’ve spoken to a number of individuals in the games industry, including women and minorities, who had doubts they were hired as part of a “diversity drive” (some having responded to tweets saying “people of colour especially welcome” then finding themselves on the front covers of recruitment newsletters).
One dev said she felt “like a showdog” as she, two other female devs, and the sole trans member of staff in the studio, were hired on the same day.
Though it does come from a good place, positive discrimination ultimately ends up creating toxic, pervasive doubt. In order to have true diversity in the long term, we need to simply normalise hiring anyone, whoever they are or wherever they’re from, if they’re best for the job.
It really is as simple as that.