Men dominate India’s gaming industry workforce despite 44% female gamers
India’s gaming market has experienced exponential growth, with its valuation exceeding $4 billion. Although almost 44 percent of gamers in India are females, they make up merely 12-14 percent of the workforce within the industry. The disparity is even higher for technical roles, where women hold only 6-9 percent of the workforce, according to the report by The Economic Times quoting All India Games Developers Forum (AIGDF).
The global gaming industry faces similar challenges, with women making up only 22-24 percent of the workforce, compared to their 46 percent presence in the gaming community. India’s figures are even more discouraging, highlighting the urgent need for structural changes within the sector.
Key challenges women face in the gaming industry
Women game developers tend to face prejudice at the recruitment phase and find it tough to scale corporate ladders. Male applicants are often favoured for leadership and technical positions, which creates a cycle of gender inequality. Since there are not many women leaders in the gaming sector, women professionals who aspire to achieve high ranks have limited role models and guides to look up to.
Many women report unequal pay and workplace discrimination, further discouraging them from pursuing long-term careers in gaming. Gaming conferences and networking events are often male dominated, making it harder for women to establish industry connections and find opportunities. A prevalent “bro culture” in gaming companies and communities can make women feel unwelcome, affecting their ability to thrive professionally.
Areas where women are more represented
Women are more visibly represented in non-technical positions in India’s gaming sector, such as game designers, artists, narrative designers, writers, community managers, and marketing experts. They are much less represented in technical positions, such as game developers, programmers, and AI experts, which are vital to game development.
Women are underrepresented at every level in Indian gaming firms, with just 12-14 percent occupying senior roles like CEOs, directors, managers, and senior executives. This lack of inclusiveness means fewer women’s voices contribute to game stories, character creation, and overall industry decision-making.
Industry expert advocates for gender diversity
Salone Sehgal, a founding general partner at Lumikai, an interactive media and gaming venture capital fund, highlights the imperative for enhancing gender diversity in the gaming sector. According to her, having a diverse workplace culture not only improves the work environment but also results in the development of superior products that appeal to the wider gaming population.
Sehgal told ET, “The biggest problem is that if you can’t see it, you can’t be it. You need to see role models you can model your career on.”
Sehgal points out that the male dominance in the gaming sector is mainly due to the underrepresentation of women in STEM fields, which subsequently affects their presence in tech roles.
Boosting female participation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) fields will help increase their representation in gaming. Removing gender-coded job descriptions (e.g., avoiding terms like “ninja” or “rockstar”) can help attract more female applicants.
Sehgal further stated, “There are conscious conversations we have with founders of our portfolio companies, and when we hire, the pipeline of candidates remains diverse. That starts right from the stage of job posts, where we have found that diversity applications are higher when we leave out words like ninjas and samurais because that tends to rebuff women.”
By addressing these challenges and promoting gender diversity, the gaming industry can become more inclusive and better equipped to meet the needs of its diverse audience.
Lumikai’s campaign has showcased 100 female trailblazers in India’s gaming industry, setting a benchmark for future initiatives. Organizations such as Mobile Premier League (MPL) and Lumikai are actively striving to enhance gender diversity in gaming.
