IGDA issues statement on sexual abuse in the game industry

By Brandon McIntyre Published 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.

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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.

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Brandon McIntyre

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Gaming

Sega of America workers vote to create biggest game industry union yet

sega of america unionization vote sonic

The workers at Sega are the latest game developers to embrace unionization, as employees at Sega of America have just voted to unionize.
We first learned that workers at Sega of America wanted to unionize in April to improve their pay, benefits, and work hours, per Axios. A group of employees from departments like marketing, localization, testing, and product development began working with the Nation Labor Relations Board and Communication Workers of America to unionize then. Sega of America management decided to voluntarily recognize the group, so the decision for unionization went to a vote.
Two hundred Sega of America workers were eligible to vote. According to Kotaku, 91 voted yes, 26 voted no, three ballots were voided, and 19 ballots were challenged. Still, that's enough for the vote to pass in favor of the formation of the union.
"Our 200+ member union is now the largest multi-department union of organized workers in the entire gaming industry," the union stated on Twitter following the vote. "So excited to celebrate this win & head to the bargaining table w/ Sega to continue building this company we love." It went on the thank various game unionization efforts that came before it at companies like Activision Blizzard and ZeniMax Media before stating, "We can't wait to see more workers join us in unionizing their workplace -- together, we can ensure EVERY worker wins their fair share!"
This Sega of America union is the latest success in an industry where unionization efforts have become a lot more common. Although Sega of America's union might just simply seem like the latest of many, its success at that larger scale indicates the potential of unionization to take hold of game companies of all sizes.

Gaming

MLB The Show 23’s Storylines mode fixes the biggest issue with sports games

Art of the players featured in MLB The Show 23's Storylines mode.

Over the past 10 years, sports game developers have grappled with how to make compelling single-player content. Of course, Franchise modes where players can simulate seasons as their favorite teams are a major draw, but the genre’s biggest names have also been looking to offer something else that isn’t an endless simulation. While modes like FIFA’s The Journey and Madden’s Longshot offered unique and extremely narrative-driven takes on that idea, MLB The Show 23’s Storylines mode is the best take yet on compelling single-player sports games.

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Gaming

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

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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.