Level Up: Women’s Role in the Gaming Industry

When you picture a gamer, who comes to mind? If a woman wasn’t your first thought, it’s time to rethink the stereotype.  

Women now make up nearly half of all gamers in Canada, and their growing presence is reshaping the industry—not just as players, but as developers, designers, and decision-makers.  

Kadie Philp talks with Dr. Andrea Braithwaite, senior teaching professor at Ontario Tech University and Vice President of the Canadian Game Studies Association, to explore the evolution of female representation in video games, the barriers women still face in the industry, and what needs to change for true gender equity.  

From the early Girls’ Games Movement of the ‘90s to today’s fight for fair pay and leadership roles, they discuss how gaming has progressed—and where it still has a long way to go.  

Listen For:
10:59 Women in Game Development: Still a Boys' Club?
20:28 Women Are Playing—So Why Don’t We See Them?
26:44 Gender Discrimination Lawsuits: Did They Change Anything?
31:22 Pay Transparency in Gaming    

GUEST: Andrea Braithwaite, Ph.D
Bluesky | Website | Email | Canadian Game Studies Association    

Links Mentioned:
GDC 2024 State of the Game Industry Report 
ESA 2024 Essential Facts About the US Video Game Industry Report
ESA Canada Reports    

Ontario Pay Equity Office
Website | Level the Paying Field Website