Advancing Inclusivity in the Gaming Industry: Takeaways from the Esports Business Summit

This gender disparity in esports is not just confined to earnings; it extends to the physical presence of women in gaming spaces. An alarming example of this is the conversion of women's bathrooms into men's facilities at some tournaments, reflecting a widespread perception that women do not belong in the esports world.

Considering these disparities, the Esports Business Summit (EBS), held in Las Vegas, Nevada, from October 22 to 24, 2023, highlighted diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as a critical theme. EBS serves as a conference that brings together all facets of the esports industry to facilitate education, networking, inspiration, and deal-making.

The closing keynote session, "Next Steps in Building Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Gaming," focused on what companies can do to foster a more equitable esports space. Moderated by Malcolm Coley, Chief Technology Officer and Founder of Futures First Gaming, the panel featured two pioneering women in the gaming world: Angela Roseboro, Chief Esports Officer, Roseboro Group, and Former Chief Diversity Officer at Riot Games, and Amber Dalton, Senior Director of Global Events at Twitch. The previous night, Roseboro and Dalton were honored with EBS's most prestigious award, being named two of the 2023 Luminaries.

"I didn’t even think to ask for a seat. I just took one and sat down," said Dalton of her start in gaming. As Co-Founder and Board President of the PMS Clan, an all-women gaming organization, Dalton emphasized the importance of representation and the need for spaces where women's voices and presence are celebrated within the gaming community.

Roseboro, with an impressive 30-year background in HR and leadership roles, spotlighted the importance of organizational culture. She stressed that culture is not a mere buzzword but is, in fact, the very personality of a company.

Her tenure at Riot Games, which began in 2019, commenced with a disheartened workforce. Roseboro's approach was to actively listen to her team and apply changes. Within the first month, she implemented consistent processes and changed the Code of Conduct to help recharge and rebuild the culture. Within weeks, she saw the transformative power of actively listening to her team's concerns and acting upon them.

"I told the team, ‘I’m here as a human, not just a leader,’ and that made all the difference," said Roseboro.

The conversation then turned to the subject of diversity and inclusivity initiatives within the gaming industry, which sometimes come across as performative. Angela stressed the need for authentic representation and highlighted how diversity should be viewed as an opportunity for growth rather than a problem to be fixed. She encouraged organizations to engage in the conversation without fear, learn from their mistakes, and grant grace to those attempting to create a culture of inclusion.

"I’d rather try and get things wrong than not try at all," said Dalton echoing the sentiments. She noted that the fear of saying the wrong thing often hinders progress.

Both speakers underlined the importance of creating a culture of inclusion that allows for mistakes, fosters open dialogues, and encourages mutual understanding.

"Create a culture that allows for mistakes and grace," said Roseboro.

The discussion also delved into the barriers that people of color face in the gaming industry, including limited access and the necessity for hardware, as well as the importance of representation on gaming teams. To highlight this, Coley drew attention to the absence of black and brown faces as well as women featured at the Fortnite Championship.

Roseboro noted the issue of access, especially in PC gaming, where the hardware required can be a significant financial burden, easily costing thousands of dollars. Additionally, many people lack access to the internet, further limiting their opportunities in the gaming world.

For women, one of the biggest barriers is still harassment. Often, women will mute their mics to avoid sexual harassment. Hearing comments like, “Go make me a sandwich,” is not uncommon.

"We have to have places where women can be identified and represented without harassment," stated Coley.

To combat harassment effectively, the panelists called for companies to take reported violations more seriously and establish connections so that a violation in one game is treated as a violation in all games.

Despite a 150% year-over-year growth in women's esports viewership and the expansion of opportunities for underrepresented individuals through new tournament series, there is still much work to be done. By fostering authentic representation, encouraging open dialogue, and actively seeking diversity, the gaming industry can create a more inclusive and equitable future for all gamers.

Posted at MediaVillage through the Thought Leadership self-publishing platform.

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