Guild Esports Is Working To Pave The Way For A Better, More Inclusive Gaming Industry
08 Mar, 2024
CEO, Jasmine Skee challenges us all to take inspiration from the evolution of opportunities for women in traditional sports and gaming, and highlights the necessity for visible female role models.
On a day when we’re encouraged to inspire inclusion, to bring women into the fold and to celebrate their achievements and positive progress made – I write optimistically, but it hasn’t always been this way.
At Guild we're working to pave the way for a better, more inclusive industry, one that provides opportunity for everyone who loves gaming. We’ve launched campaigns that shed light on the issues women in gaming face, we were the first non-football team to join Stormzy's initiative MerkyFC, and we source and nurture grassroots gamers through our academy programme helping them grow into esports champions.
To open doors and opportunities for women, now and in the future, visibility is key. Role models are vitally important. We’ve seen evidence of this in the rise in fandom alongside participation at grassroots level in women and girls football since the success of the lionesses at both the Euros and Women’s World cup tournaments.
Much like traditional sports, gaming has the power and potential to bring together communities and to change perceptions. Unlike traditional sports, gaming is always-on, it is 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year which opens up a wealth of opportunities within the industry. But there is more work to be done to elevate this narrative and showcase the industry's potential. Guild is committed to eliciting meaningful and sustainable change from grassroots up – we want to empower the next generation of gamers and gaming fans globally.
Almost half, 47%, of gamers are women, yet they only make up 5% of esports pros. A disconnect, all of us women will likely resonate with in our respective fields of expertise. The esports and gaming industry has hugely progressed in recent years, but there is still more work to be done. That is why we’ve commissioned a whitepaper report with Esports Insider designed to; shed light on where there are gaps currently, to provide guidance on where the sector needs to improve but also to highlight the great work being done already to make the gaming industry more diverse and inclusive.
Gaming is no longer a trend, a vast 84% of 16-34 yr olds are gaming weekly, next gen audiences are growing up gaming and it remains integral to their daily lives, beyond social media. The sector is projected to grow to become even bigger than football.
As a female leader of an organisation in esports, typically male dominated, and with a background in entertainment and sports (often the same) I see a huge potential in the power of seeing visible female role models we can all aspire to look up to.
This International Women’s Day, I challenge us all to take inspiration from the evolution of opportunities for women in traditional sport. Awareness has increased and perceptions are shifting – collectively women and their allies now need to go one step further to drive that change wider, helping future-proof alternative sectors full of potential.