Women starting to break barriers in male-dominated esports

MANILA, Philippines — The growing popularity of the esports and the gaming scene has seen its highs and lows. One particular issue the industry continues to tackle is diversity, both in players and developers.

Back in 2020, a wave of sexual harassment and misconduct accusations rocked both the local and international gaming scenes. Resignations by and terminations of top officials from various game developers happened left and right, while most women started speaking out on their treatment in the industry.

During this time, many local teams, tournaments and organizations took to social media to express their support to women gamers and esports athletes, condemning sexual harassment or any unruly behavior in the gaming arena and calling for a safe playing environment.

The once male-dominated industry has seen a shift to be more diverse and inclusive, not just in the back-end of the industry but also with its players and tournaments.

“It’s a thrilling time to be in the gaming scene today. The pandemic surely has changed the way we see gaming and esports, and it has provided a space for gaming to be recognized as more than just a hobby. While on lockdown, games provided an opportunity for people to meet new friends, and stay connected, providing some sense of normalcy in a time where so many things were uncertain,” said Kimi Salazar, Riot Games Philippines’ brand manager for MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) in an exclusive interview with Philstar.com for National Womens’ Month.

Salazar herself believes that women have played a significant role in the continuous growth of the esports and gaming industry. She cited the participation and success of SIBOL’s Women Wild Rift team, which won the first Southeast Asian Games gold medal for women in the esports event.

She added, “Because of [the win], we saw more players play [Wild Rift], and this win firmly established that Filipinos (and more importantly, Filipina gamers) can dominate in international gaming and esports tournaments.”

Though the local scene is seeing more female gamers, there is still a lot of hesitation and fear from the majority of women, who fear that they will be ridiculed if they take more active roles the industry.

“I would love to see more women confidently embracing their passion for gaming and pursuing careers within the industry. Many of us, including myself, grew up in a generation where video games and esports have always been a boys’ playground, and being a woman who loved to play games wasn’t always received positively. So, it was a hobby or interest that I kept as low-key as possible because people could be very judgmental, even if I just played games casually,” shared Salazar.

Wanting to have a career in gaming, Salazar saw many detours as local opportunities had been few. After a decade of perseverance, she now works for Riot Games and has met many women in the industry, witnessing for herself that it is no longer the “male-dominated” world as it once was. This is particularly for Riot Games, a resource group called Riot Women Asia has been established to help build a safe and inclusive workplace.

“As the co-lead for the Asia chapter [of Riot Women Asia], I share Riot’s goal to help build and foster a safe, inclusive working environment in our region, including the Philippines. Being one of the most diverse regions, our group understands that women empowerment and our cultural traditions vary at different levels, but this is also our biggest strength because there is so much we can learn from each other. We want to build a community of Asian women and allies through creating a safe space in the industry, drive away biases against women, and blur the line between what are considered masculine or feminine as success factors to be a good leader or a worthy player,” said Salazar.

Looking ahead, Salazar hopes that more women take the leap of faith and explore a career in the esports and gaming industry.

“I believe that that future is just on the horizon. It just needs a firm push from everyone within the industry working together to reach more women who are just as passionate about games. I hope that female gamers know that not only are there many opportunities available to them, it is becoming an industry where they can flourish and grow,” said Salazar.

She added, “It took me 10 years to get into the gaming industry, with lots of detours because local opportunities were few back then. Getting into gaming and esports can be daunting, and there will be many distractions along the way. But if you are determined to pursue your passion in gaming, open your eyes to the opportunities available and track it like a quest. You might need to take a few side (but relevant) quests to build your skills and level up, but always keep your eye on your main quest.”