IGDA issues statement on sexual abuse in the game industry

By Brandon McIntyre July 2, 2020

The International Game Developers Association, which helps coordinate developer conferences and supports advocacy groups in the gaming industry, released a statement Tuesday regarding the recent sexual harassment allegations in the gaming industry.

Gaming industry companies, from developers to streaming services, have faced numerous allegations of sexual harassment in recent weeks. Several Ubisoft employees, including its brand marketing manager and associate director of public relations, were put on leave for misconduct allegations, according to Bloomberg.

Twitch faced a series of allegations on behalf of users who sexually harass female streamers and users online. The platform has since laid out its intention to suspend those who violate its sexual misconduct policies. Still, women are skeptical and female streamers offered a lukewarm response.

“It is heartbreaking to witness how many people have suffered at the hands of abusers within our industry and to recognize how many more continue to bear their pain in silence,” the IGDA said in a statement.

The IGDA provided a link to guidance for victims and witnesses of sexual harassment on how to report it and concluded by inspiring gamers to come together in addressing the various issues within the industry.

Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, and Twitch have all responded to sexual harassment allegations, but IGDA is the first gaming industry organization to weigh in. But many companies are focused on issues within their own workforce, players of their games, or users on their platforms, rather than looking at the larger problem. The IGDA provided harassment resources that anyone in the field can use for reporting instances of sexual harassment.

Each organization that’s commented publicly has expressed a desire to address these issues head-on and offered resources for victims. Still, many will look to how well it holds up those promises before welcoming a new era in gaming. The numerous allegations so far indicate there is a long way to go before that era is achieved.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Brandon McIntyre

Gaming

4 video game news stories that shaped the industry’s future in 2022

Living room with Microsoft Xbox Series X (L) and Sony PlayStation 5 home video game consoles alongside a television and soundbar.

With the video game industry in constant growth mode, it's rare we ever get through a year without some massive bombshell announcement with huge implications for the future. In 2021, for instance, we saw Epic waging war against Apple’s business practices, Valve disrupting hardware with its Steam Deck announcement, and a harrowing Activision Blizzard scandal that acted as a tipping point for the industry and its often difficult working conditions.

The news didn’t slow down in 2022 -- if anything, it escalated. The Activision Blizzard revelation in particular had something of a snowball effect this year, rolling its way into several major threads. Between high-profile acquisitions and a push for unionization, this year very much felt like a direct continuation of 2021. Nothing was a one-off story, but rather part of a historical moment that could make the 2020s the most pivotal decade in gaming history when all is said and done.

Gaming

‘President of Video Games’ Reggie Fils-Aimé delivers his State of the Industry address

A man speakers, gesturing with his hand, in front of a large mural of Mario.

Video games are the worlds largest form of entertainment, reaching billions of people every year. Yet the industry is mired in product shortages, delays, and a burgeoning crisis of diversity and inclusion. The industry is in desperate need of leadership to restore order. Enter Reggie.

Reggie Fils-Aimé is one of the most recognizable people in gaming. From the moment he made his public debut on the E3 stage in 2004, declaring his intention to kick ass, take names, and make video games, he’s projected a larger-than-life image that gamers responded to. Since leaving Nintendo in 2019, he’s written the best-selling book Disrupting the Game: From the Bronx to the Top of Nintendo, been a judge for Rogue Jam, a reality show focused on indie games, and joined various boards and leadership positions in education and business. Digital Trends had the chance to sit down with Reggie at PAX West to discuss the state of the video games industry and bestow upon him a new title: The President of Video Games.

Gaming

U.K. government won’t ban loot boxes, but urges the games industry to police itself

Loot boxes in different games like Fortnite, Rocket League, PUBG, Dota 2

The U.K.'s Department of Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) has announced that it will not enact any laws regarding loot boxes, which are common in mobile games and some console games. Instead, it's calling on the video game industry to regulate loot boxes themselves after releasing its report containing the results of its investigation into the predatory gaming element on Sunday.

Two years ago, the DCMS launched a call for evidence into the effects loot boxes may cause on children and teens, as well as their impact on mental health, finances, and online gambling. The investigation elicited 32,000 responses to a player survey and 50 submissions from game companies, researchers and third-party organizations, as well as an independent rapid evidence assessment by the Innovation for Games and Media Enterprise (InGame), which was commissioned by the DCMS.