An industry for everyone

Diversity in video games is not limited to counting how many people from underrepresented groups work in a studio. It also involves asking which characters appear, which experiences are considered in the design, who is left out due to an accessibility barrier, and what behavior communities allow. Making an industry more diverse is not just about incorporating more profiles, but about rethinking games, gaming spaces, and rules of coexistence.

Professionally, women have gained presence, but there is still a gender gap. Initiatives emerging from independent creators, but which have received support from companies and entities, such as Gaming en femení, which travels across Catalonia to give visibility to the women who work there, or Obre els ulls, les dones FEM Videojocs, promoted by the Generalitat, try to make this talent visible.

For Susana Pérez Alonso, a content creator known as Simmer Valenciana, coordinator of Gaming en femení, the issue goes beyond showing that women are there: "There is a lack of visibility, of communicating what this industry is really like, of exploring the possibilities and of knowing a constantly unstable market. If there are no role models who can guide new professionals, it will be very difficult for a girl who is considering her professional future to imagine herself working in this sector".

Simmer considers it a mistake for inclusion initiatives to be limited to focusing on women who are already interested in the sector: "We women are already sensitized, now we must address those who make the decisions, those who still do not want to believe that another video game industry is possible".

Conxi Pérez, CEO of RolldBox Games, values the diversity of creative teams: "I work hard so that more girls are encouraged to study technological careers, also computer science, and to enter the world of video games. There is a lack of diversity in creative teams, especially there are very few developers". "Our audience is diverse and, therefore, we must also have that diversity in the creative team," she concludes.

When it comes to making video games accessible to everyone, accessibility is fundamental. "Making it work for everyone means that anyone who wants to can play, regardless of their abilities," explains Carme Mangiron, researcher and professor at the UAB and member of TransMedia Catalonia, who specializes in video game localization and accessibility.

Barriers can be less evident than they seem. "One of the main problems is that the video game only provides information through one channel," points out Mangiron. Information that is only visual can exclude blind or low-vision people; a scene without subtitles, deaf or hard-of-hearing people. And the size, contrast, and exposure time of the subtitles must also be configurable. Sounds are not irrelevant either: footsteps, an explosion, or a ringing phone can contain information necessary to advance.

Therefore, "it is crucial that information is presented through different channels". A radar can indicate where footsteps are coming from; an animation can warn that a phone is ringing; controller vibrations can provide information through the haptic channel. For people with reduced mobility, reconfiguring controls or eliminating time limits can make the difference. And for people with cognitive disabilities or learning difficulties, practice spaces, goal reminders, the ability to save frequently, and clear language can be important. The researcher argues that people with diverse profiles and abilities should participate in the tests and that quality control should incorporate accessibility testing.

"Often, when there is tension between accessibility, user experience and the creator team's intention, it is because accessibility has not been taken into account from the beginning; if it were considered from the start, implementing it would be easier and more economical for companies," maintains Mangiron. The inclusion of many accessibility options allows for expanding the audience without altering the core mechanics of the game.

Responsible design

Data from the Department of Health of the Government of Catalonia has warned about the problems related to screen use and behavioral addictions among adolescents. Responsible design can contribute to a healthier relationship with gaming. Prioritizing the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of players, as well as the social impact of the gaming experience, means we must necessarily talk about: monetization systems, in-game purchases, loot boxes, variable rewards, or dark patterns –guidelines designed to retain the user or squeeze them to the maximum– raise questions about a video game's ability to absorb time, attention, and money. 

Diversity also affects the space created around gaming. Communities can be meeting places, but also spaces for harassment and discrimination. Rules of coexistence, reporting channels, and moderation are increasingly becoming part of the experience. Simmer Valenciana points out that "few video game communities in general, and this includes Catalan-speaking ones, are a safe space for women"; those who participate in them "are often stigmatized if there is any complaint," she laments.

We have made progress, but trolls are always noisy: the debate over representation still generates hostile reactions in a part of the community. As in other media, the introduction of more diversity has triggered rejection campaigns. Design can determine what view of the body and gender a work takes as normal; some video game heroines born with a hypersexualized anatomy have tended towards more natural proportions and a characterization less dependent on the exhibition of the body in later representations.

Accessibility is also about the ability to reach different linguistic communities. Thanks to cost reduction, the automation of complex processes, and the creation of more accessible tools for developers, artificial intelligence can make it easier for more games to be available in Catalan in the future. While this has not yet fully materialized, Mangiron believes that this remains a pending issue in video game localization, partly because large companies assume that Catalan-speaking players will opt for Spanish. In his view, it would be necessary to combine player demand with specific grants and other support measures. However, he also highlights the user's share of responsibility: "Our role as consumers is crucial: if the game is available in Catalan, let's buy it and enjoy it in Catalan," he argues.

Ultimately, it is about building experiences, studios, and communities in which more people can participate without having to overcome barriers that have nothing to do with their ability to play. Diversity broadens perspectives; accessibility, the possibilities for participation, and responsible design can foster a healthier relationship with the player. These are inescapable issues for an industry that aspires to reach everyone.