International Game Developers Association Demo Survey Finds Industry Workers Are Largely 30 Year Old White Males With University Level Degrees
Extensive Study Probes Issues of Workforce Diversity, Shows Average of 5 Years Experience, 13% Disability Rate, Reported Lack of Diversified Job Applicants
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - October 18, 2005 - According to the International Game Developers Association (IGDA)'s new "Game Developer Demographics" report, the game development community is largely comprised of white, educated males, with just over five years of experience in the field. The study also uncovered that the average age is surprisingly 31, in a sector thought to be very young. The IGDA's survey further revealed that more than half of studios find it tough to draw applicants of diverse background.
The IGDA's groundbreaking report, the first of its kind, answers the question, "who makes games?" by examining the demographic makeup of the development community. Nearly 6500 people participated in the survey, answering a series of questions pertaining to age, race, sexual orientation and education among other variables.
"As an industry, we need to wake up to the fact that games exist in a broader societal context that is constantly changing," Jason Della Rocca, executive director for the IGDA, said. "There is no doubt that we would all benefit from a more diverse pool of talented creators appealing to ever broader audiences."
Key results of the demographic survey include:
- Male = 88.5%, Female = 11.5%
- White = 83.3%, Black = 2.0%, Hispanic/Latino = 2.5%, Asian = 7.5%, Other = 4.7%
- Heterosexual = 92%, Lesbian/Gay = 2.7%, Bisexual = 2.7%
- Average age = 31 years
- Average years in the industry = 5.4 years
- Percentage of people with disabilities = 13% (e.g., cognitive, mobility, sight, etc)
- More than 80% have a university level education or greater
- More than 60% of studios claim that obtaining diverse applicants is challenging
For more information and to download a copy of the report, please visit www.igda.org/diversity.
About the International Game Developers Association (IGDA)
The International Game Developers Association is a non-profit membership organization that advocates globally on issues related to digital game creation. The IGDA's mission is to strengthen the international game development community and effect change to benefit that community. For more information on the IGDA, please visit www.igda.org or e-mail info@igda.org.