Esports has been a traditionally male-dominated space for years. The stereotype of the teenage boy playing video games in his room does not ring true in 2021. The current statistics show that women make up 45-50 per cent of the gaming audience yet they only account for 30 per cent of the esports audience.
That number is growing every year and women are beginning to carve out a much-needed space in the industry. It isn’t just the playing and streaming games that makes up the esports industry – there are also opportunities in esports based media companies, news outlets, esports betting operators, tournament organisers, sponsorships, and more. All of these industries are hiring more and more women each year.
A lot of this is due to the hard work of women and esports organisations that are already in the industry, who recognise the issues that they faced and are helping create a better space. One of these organisations is PlayVS. They are a company that helps schools develop esports programs for their students.
Their recent Game Changers initiative is focused on different aspects of diversity and inclusivity. This year they are focusing on women in the esports industry. They are offering AMAs, fireside chats, and other events designed to help young women hear from current pros about how they made their way in the industry. They have a zero-tolerance policy for toxic and harmful behaviour designed to create a structured and safe environment for young women to learn about and take part in the esports industry. They are building up the future esports for years to come.
Malta has yet to find a firm footing in the world of esports, but the biggest event held here is the GO Malta Esports Festival that has been held annually since 2012. One major tournament is the NOVA Counter Strike Global Offensive tournament that is held in St Julian’s. The Malta Esports Forum has also gone a long way in bringing the world of esports to Malta.
As for the esports competitors, the face of the industry, they are gradually becoming more diverse. One of the best things about esports is that teams do not have to split along gender lines. The fact that the game is played on a computer means that co-ed teams can and do exist.
Gamers like Xiaomeng “VKLiooon” Li and Kim “Geguri” Se-yeon are some of the best competitors in their field. In 2019, Xiaomeng “VKLiooon” Li became the first woman to win the Hearthstone Grandmasters event at BlizzCon beating a metric ton of competitors. When she accepted her award all she had to say was, “Forget your gender and just go for it.”
Kim “Geguri” Se-yeon is currently the only woman competing in the Overwatch League. She is such a good player that for a time she was accused of cheating because of her accuracy and stellar gameplay. She proved that she was just that talented in a controlled test and has remained one of the star players on her team, the Shanghai Dragons to this day.
In the gaming and esports betting industry, titans like Entain have partnered with colleges and universities like UNLV to create programs such as the Women’s Innovation Igniter. The programme is designed to help UNLV undergraduate and graduate women find a path to successful careers in the gambling and technology industries. The first round of this programme is expected to launch in August 2021.
Despite these advances, esports still remains a male dominated industry. People tend to gravitate towards jobs and hobbies that are socially acceptable. Society still has a long way to go before the stereotype of the teenage boy playing video games in his room fades from view. It is down to the hard work of the countless women already in the industry already working hard to make the space more welcome, inviting and socially acceptable for everyone.
Disclaimer: Play responsibly. Players must be over 18. For help visit https://www.gamcare.org.uk/.