Demographic survey of game developers

[grazzhoppa]

The IGDA (International Game Developers Association) conducted a survey of ~6500 people in the industry. Some of the resulting statistics:

• Male = 88.5%, Female = 11.5%
• White = 83.3%, Black = 2.0%, Hispanic/Latino = 2.5%, Asian = 7.5%, Other = 4.7%
• Heterosexual = 92%, Lesbian/Gay = 2.7%, Bisexual = 2.7%
• Average age = 31 years
• Average years in the industry = 5.4 years
• Percentage of people with disabilities = 13% (e.g., cognitive, mobility, sight, etc)
• More than 80% have a university level education or greater
• More than 60% of studios claim that obtaining diverse applicants is challenging

Not surprisingly, the industry lacks females and ethnic diversity. Gamespot analyzed the numbers in more depth.
But If you want some interesting reading, check out the comments on diversity left by the survey participants here (.pdf). The IGDA site with links to the survey data in its entirety and a summarizing, in depth analysis/report is here.



Here are a fews interesting comments (coming from the people who make games)

«Games are made by White Males, for White Males. I'm all for a diverse industry, it just isn't there. Marketing in the entire industry is very poor. Games either make it or don't, then copy the ones that do.» - M, 28, Uni, USA

«Diversity would create more opportunities/markets for different game themes which currently are more or less centred around action/violence.» - M(gay), 36, Chinese, Uni, Canada

«Please quit the PC stuff, you are a independant game developer org. Stop wasting money on diversity stuff and start doing useful stuff for independant game developers - who carws about race, sexuality or any of that stuff. This is the absolute last thing you need to waste money on - you are starting to sound like a political party - STOP IT NOW, or you won't see any more money from me!» - M, 37, White, Uni, USA

«I think the lack of diversity is not through hiring practices, but by the marketing practices of publishers. They choose the demographic of who they want to sell games to, and that demographic becomes interested in games as a hobby and some choose that as a profession. The movie industry is way more diverse than the video game industry but that is because movies, for the most part, have always accepted broad diverse audiences.» - M, 30, Uni, USA

«I disagree that "promoting workforce diversity" is necessary or something I want the IGDA focusing on. Certainly preventing discrimination and promoting quality of life, perhaps collecting and sharing demographic data, but I don't see why active promotion of diversity in our profession is relevant. Seems like it borders on inappropriate, in fact.» - M, 34, White, Ma, USA

«I am very concerned with how this survey's data is to be used. The phrasing of the questions I found to be distrubing, who cares about sexual preference, we're focused on games not the interpersonal details of the workforce which is none of my business and I do not want other in my personal or professional business.» - M, 32, White, disabled, Ma, USA

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[Deleted member 3]

Long story short, if you're a white heterosexual male who studied at an university you're most likely a nerd.

 

[DR.Death]

lmao dan you make me wonder some times