[casual_games] Why We Need Women

[Hal Barwood]

At LucasArts, when I was there, the percentaqe of women in the company 
was around 50%, and on my last team, about 35% of us actual developers 
were women, including 2 programmers (one a co-lead), my lead artist, 
several modelers, a level designer, a couple of production assistants, 
and my voice editor.  They were all supersolid.  Not all were dedicated 
gamers, but many were.  It was a pleasure to work with them.  So not all 
companies are starved for women.  I know women developers from several 
other companies as well, so LucasArts certainly isn't unique.

In my opinion, curmudgeon that I am, crude social engineering will not 
produce a change in the dynamic of our biz:  talented and capable women 
who actually want to put forth the effort to design and build games, 
hopefully appealing to other women as well as men and boys, will 
self-select, find the companies that will harbor and nurture them, and 
someday go forth to do great things.

Let's not worry too much about this.  Out of a multi-trillion-dollar 
economy in the good old USA, games generate mere billions.  Budweiser 
does more business selling beer.  So whether women are fairly 
represented among us means almost nothing in the larger scheme of 
things.  Opportunities abound.  Can we blame high school girls if they'd 
rather become doctors and lawyers than game developers?

The game biz is what it is, and is already turning, albeit slowly, into 
what it will be.  When I look around, contrary to Mr. Carella, I see 
women joining up in droves.  Someday I expect women's perspectives to 
enlarge and ennoble the gaming landscape, but it seems far from tragic 
that this wonderful moment hasn't quite arrived.

And my advice is:  hire people who are competent, whatever color or 
gender.  You'll be a yard ahead.

Hal




Brian Robbins wrote:

> There's a great editorial by Vinny Carella up on Gamezebo today

> entitled "Why We Need Women"

> http://www.gamezebo.com/2007/01/why_we_need_women.html

> 

> I'd love to know what people think of this. Is Vinny right, or is he

> way off target?

>