A comprehensive new study from the University of Stirling has uncovered troubling patterns in how women experience gaming culture, revealing that nearly 30% of female gamers feel guilty about playing video games while 16% actively hide their gaming activities from friends and family. The research, conducted in partnership with Cardiff University and Swedish gaming studio Undone Games, surveyed 1,000 women across the UK who play mobile games—the most popular gaming platform among female players.
The findings highlight significant barriers that may be constraining growth in a gaming market now worth over $500 billion globally.
Women comprise 46% of all gamers worldwide yet represent only 24% of the gaming industry workforce, creating a disconnect between consumer demographics and the developers creating games.
The study, led by Dr. Steph Rennick from the University of Stirling’s Interactive Media department and Dr. Seán Roberts from Cardiff University’s Communication faculty, reveals the persistence of exclusionary attitudes in gaming culture.
Despite 41% of women surveyed reporting that gaming is “one of the things they most look forward to each day,” nearly 60% felt they didn’t play enough games to consider themselves “gamers,” and over 30% would be embarrassed to use that label.
“When I ask people if they play video games, women often say no. But if you ask about playing games on a mobile, many of them will suddenly say yes. It’s like they have an idea of what a ‘real’ gamer is in their heads, and they feel like they don’t meet that ideal,” explained Dr. Roberts.
The research builds on the academics’ previous work documenting gender bias in video game dialogue, which found that male characters receive twice as much speaking time as female characters across 50 major role-playing games. This systematic underrepresentation extends beyond content to workplace culture, with recent industry surveys showing that only 43% of game developers believe their employers adequately enforce anti-discrimination and harassment policies.
Market Implications of Gender Exclusion
The exclusionary culture documented in the Stirling study carries significant economic implications. The female-oriented gaming market alone is projected to grow from $2.67 billion in 2024 to $8.79 billion by 2033, representing a compound annual growth rate of 14.5%. Games specifically favored by women generated over $16 billion in revenue in 2023, with mobile puzzle games proving particularly popular among female audiences.
However, workplace discrimination continues to limit the industry’s ability to capitalise on this market potential. Women in gaming earn approximately 32% less than men in comparable positions, according to recent industry analysis. Female gaming influencers earn an average of $160 per collaboration compared to $234 for their male counterparts, despite women comprising 72% of gaming influencers.
“The cost of gaming is much higher for women than for men,” noted research from digital sociologist Samuel Coavoux, who found that girls have significantly less leisure time than boys—about four hours per week compared to nine hours for males—creating additional barriers to gaming participation.
Industry Culture Under Scrutiny
The Stirling research coincides with growing scrutiny of gaming industry workplace practices. Recent surveys reveal that 96% of professional esports players experienced cyberbullying in the previous 12 months, with women disproportionately targeted for sexual harassment. The #MeToo movement has exposed systemic harassment issues at major gaming companies, including high-profile cases at Activision Blizzard, Riot Games, and Ubisoft.
“Many of the workplace risk factors cited by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission are commonplace in the games industry: overwhelming male workforce; lots of young workers; workplaces where some ‘superstar’ employees are perceived to be particularly valuable; workplaces with significant power disparities; and workplaces which endorse alcohol consumption,” said Emily Greer, CEO of Double Loop Games.
The persistence of these cultural barriers may explain why confidence in company diversity initiatives is declining, with only 27% of developers rating their employers’ diversity efforts as “very successful” in 2024.
The researchers suggest that addressing these barriers requires systemic changes beyond individual company policies. “Guilt and shame are just symptoms,” Dr. Roberts explained. “While these are clearly negatively impacting women gamers, they may not be the root of the problem. Instead, removing barriers to play for women may require deeper changes such as reducing leisure inequality between men and women”.
Industry experts recommend several specific interventions: broadening marketing to showcase gaming diversity, developing more inclusive game content, and implementing stronger workplace harassment prevention measures. Companies like Nintendo have seen success with more inclusive approaches—Nintendo Switch Online shows equal gender participation rates.
“People in the games industry and gaming culture can also help by broadening the perception of who plays video games, who games are for, and what types of games are available. It would also help to normalise the celebration of gaming achievements for women,” the researchers concluded.
As the gaming industry continues its rapid expansion, addressing these cultural barriers represents both a moral imperative and significant business opportunity to unlock the full potential of female consumers and talent.
The complete University of Stirling study can be found HERE.
