According to Atari board member Jessica Tam, Saudi Arabia’s gaming studios are more inclusive than their US counterparts.
During a panel session at the Next World Forum in Riyadh, Jessica Tam, a board member of Atari, expressed her positive outlook on gender diversity in the gaming industry.
She highlighted Saudi Arabia as a leader in representation, noting that the country has more inclusive gaming studios than the US. Tam praised Manga Productions for their impressive 60% female staff, citing the government’s gender-blind and data-driven programs as key contributors to the company’s success in creating a diverse and inclusive workplace.
In addition to Tam’s comments, other female executives on the panel discussed the importance of making the gaming industry more appealing to women.
Regarding her experience in Atari, Tams said gender parity is reflected on the board level.
“We have two women and two men on the board” she said. “We had an instance where we had a meeting with the whole team, and when the time came for questions, a woman stood up, and she was quite emotional and started crying because she was so excited to be at a company where there were people like her on the board.”We have two women and two men on the board,” she said. “We had an instance where we had a meeting with the whole team, and when the time came for questions, a woman stood up, and she was pretty emotional and started crying because she was so excited to be at a company where there were people like her on the board.
“She felt like she belonged in the company. So, when people think about where they want to go in their careers, representation matters.”””She felt like she belonged in the company. So, when people think about where they want to go in their careers, representation matters.”
Fen said an exclusionary corporate culture was one of the difficulties she faced in the gaming sector.
“Opportunities don’t come from meetings,” she said. “People don’t talk about high-visibility projects in that setting. Instead, it’s done when they are hanging out or playing golf. These kinds of social settings naturally fall to men.
“Because many women don’t have access to that information, they are out of the loop. All is said and done when they find it, and the project has been set.
“Fortunately, some of this is starting to change with Western companies promoting more gender-neutral activities.””“Fortunately, some of this is starting to change with Western companies promoting more gender-neutral activities.”
Boyoung Kim emphasized that investing in women has yielded successful results, as evidenced by the outperformance of female-founded companies in recent years. The panelists agreed that creating a more inclusive and diverse gaming industry benefits the industry and society as a whole. By fostering an environment that welcomes and supports individuals of all backgrounds, the gaming industry can continue to grow and thrive.
