Violence against women is still prolific in the world of gaming… but there are signs of progress. Today (25 November) marks the United Nations’ International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. The question remains why, despite the progress of feminism over the last century, do we still need to stand against violence towards women. The U.N. estimates that at least 30% of women and girls (over the age of 15) in the world have been subjected to sexual violence at least once in their life.

In a recent interview with AdWeek, Electronic Arts’ vice president of brand, Elle McCarthy, reflected on the ‘gamer’ identity. “I often get asked about how brands can partner with gaming or talk to gamers, but there’s really no such thing as gamers at all,” she said. “Did you know that only 14% of players self-identify as gamers and that is as low as 6% for women?”

Last week, Valve announced that it is updating its Steamworks platform by introducing an open-beta test for UTM traffic analytics.

The details differ, but the pattern is always the same. 

Where once video games were restricted to entertaining patients in the children’s ward – itself a hugely valuable contribution – they are now being woven into treating children and young people for both mental and physical conditions.

The “Rooney Rule” states that employers seeking out senior hires must commit to interviewing at least one minority candidate as part of each selection process. The rule encourages employers to make a greater effort towards diversity, without mandating quotas based on ethnicity.

I’ve spent the last few days comparing Games of the Year lists for 2020, with those of a decade ago, and more. I wanted to learn how much games have changed these past ten years, and what that might say about the state of gaming.

In 2020, accessibility moved to the center of game design. After years of ambivalence, activist campaigning, and a few well-meaning wrong turns, game companies are now placing accessibility as a priority.

As we await the arrival of vaccines, the COVID-19 global pandemic continues to wreak tragedy, chaos, and economic hardship throughout the world. In the specific arena of video games, the pandemic has created a strange set of circumstances triggering unexpected effects, ranging from monetary to cultural.