E-sports involve competitive multiplayer gaming by professional players, often enjoyed by spectators. E-sports is gaining popularity globally. The size of the e-sports industry was USD $1.88 billion in 2022. The sector is also expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 26.8% between 2023 and 2030.
Almost half of the gamers are female. However, women are largely underrepresented in professional e-spot settings. Just like regular sports, the e-sports space is also male-dominated. It is in recent years that the presence of female players is growing. So let’s understand how many women are into e-sports compared to men.
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The current landscape
You will understand how much women are underrepresented in e-sports if you look at the gap between the number of casual and professional players.
Around 57% of women aged between 18 and 29 years play video games. Out of this 57%, only 9% of the women play professionally.
For men, the proportion of video game players from the same age group is 77%. Out of this 77%, as many as 33% males are professional gamers.
Women’s representation in e-sports is important as diversity leads to new perspectives and thus innovation. For example, men and women go through different experiences. They have different approaches to problem solving. Therefore, together, men and women can bring new ideas to the table.
Adequate representation of women can also increase the profitability of e-sports businesses. Do you know that almost half of the women playing video games make in-app purchases? It means that the e-sports businesses can increase their revenue by appealing to more women.
You must now understand the importance of increasing the representation of women in e-sports. But first let’s find out why women are underrepresented in the first place.
Key barriers that women in esports face
Sexism and traditional mentality discourage women the most from playing e-sports professionally. It is a traditional viewpoint that men are superior in sports due to physical advantages. However, this is pure stereotyping as e-sports don’t require you to apply physical strength. It is all about motor skills, knowledge of game dynamics, and gameplay strategy.
When female players win in e-sports tournaments, the win is often called an outcome of “female privilege.” For example, people may say that a female gamer won because of her close ties with someone at decision-making rank. Suppose you play rummy online and win using your skills. Nothing will be more discouraging than someone disregarding your talent due to their stereotypical mentality. Mindsets like this often turn into harassment as well.
Around 30% of the professional gamers are those female players who face cultural misconception. They are made to feel like they are not fit for top-tier competition. For example, you may find people telling you to not participate in any global-esports events. It is because they might feel you do not have the capacity to compete in a male-dominated arena. However, women are still creating waves and proving these mindsets wrong.
Today, you will come across many female players and streamers. Kristen “Kkat” Salvatore is among the top professional e-sports players who competes at the highest levels in shooter games. Stephanie “Missharvey” Harvey is considered an elite player.
Petra Stoker is popular as a professional Valorant player for G2 E-sports. You may have also heard about Kathleen Veronica Belsten who is popular as “Loserfruit”. She is the second-most followed female Twitch streamer.
There are also a number of female casters who are responsible for analysis and commentary during e-sports tournaments. Female players are also taking up the role of team managers. Let’s look at a few success stories on female gamers making an impact.
Success stories and female trailblazers
A growing number of female players are taking the spotlight. Sasha Hostyn or ‘Scarlett’ is the first woman to win a large StartCraft II tournament. Kim Se-Yeon or ‘Geguri’ plays for the famous Shanghai Dragons of the Overwatch League. She is the first female player in the league.
Female gamers are not just playing; they are also leading teams. The CLG Red is a female squad playing for Counter Logic Gaming. Dignitas Female is another women-led team to win and participate in several tournaments. Female players have also become prominent in behind-the-scenes influencer roles.
Women are participating in game development as well as coaching. For example, Christine “potter” Chi is the coach for the e-sports organisation Evil Geniuses. She led her team into becoming the Valorant Champions 2023. It is her efforts that the contributions of coaches in making an esports team win is finally being recognised.
As the potential of women in e-sports is realised, organisations in the industry are finding ways to remove barriers to participation.
Initiatives and organisations empowering women
Do you know there are female-focused e-sports tournaments and training academies today? ‘Women in Games’ is a non-profit organisation. It recruits women and protects their interests in the gaming industry. ‘Valorant Game Changers’ is an e-sports tournament exclusively for women and other underrepresented genders.
‘GirlGamer Festival’ is meant to celebrate and promote the competitiveness of women in e-sports. There are also scholarships and mentorship programs for educating and empowering young women to take on roles in the gaming industry.
Removing barriers to participation is important. Making e-sports appealing for women is equally important to encourage participation in professional gaming tournaments.
Role of brands and sponsors
Do you think inclusive branding can help address gender-based stereotyping in gaming? There is surely a need for branding efforts that can encourage women to participate in e-sports. Gaming must be promoted as something that is meant for anyone who enjoys it, regardless of gender or background.
Encouraging might not be enough. There is also a need to empower women. Do you know that sponsorship deals and prize money are generally low for women’s e-sports compared to men’s? The top 100 male e-sports players earned $192.4 million. The top 100 female e-sports players only made $2.8 million. Hence, it is important that tournaments for men and women come with the same level of reward.
Brands are partnering with e-sports teams with players from underrepresented groups. Burberry’s partnership with Gen.G is an example of this. Game development brands such as Rockstar and Ubisoft have partnered with ‘Women in Games’ to promote equality in e-sports.
Reforms are also needed in the ways in which games are played and e-sport tournaments are organised.
Steps toward an inclusive future
Stronger moderation of community activities is needed to make e-sports space safer for women. You will be happy to know that organisations are already using AI and trained moderators to identify abusive players.
Mixed-gender tournaments with open participation are also being held. Such tournaments offer women a chance to prove their skills against men, and thus help break stereotypes. Game developers are also taking the responsibility to include diverse narratives and perspectives for in-game storytelling.
Do you think you will be more inspired to do something if you see achievements made by others like you? If your answer is “yes”, then you already recognize the importance of role models. Will you not download the rummy app if you see women like you winning prizes from rummy online?
It is also important to educate young women on the career opportunities with e-sports.
The global shift: Regional progress
You might have noticed that female participation in e-sports is growing in all regions. Women may still feel pressured to accept the traditional gender roles in gaming. Women are also made to feel that their win is the result of a male player not giving his 100%. This belief has stemmed from the cultural perspective about men raised to be protective of women.
Developing markets are making progress though. New opportunities are created for women in e-sports. International collaborations and efforts by not-for-profit organizations are eliminating barriers to women’s participation. Women gamers are also being empowered by having their skills recognised.
Conclusion
E-sports organisers and game developer brands are trying to challenge the stereotypes. The organizations are also trying to reduce barriers to participation. Non-profit and advocacy groups are working towards equal opportunities for everyone. You can support women in e-sports by motivating enthusiasts to participate. If you are a male player, you must show respect to female players and recognise their talents. Coach others if you are a professional player. Discourage abusive players and raise your voice to make e-sports a safe space for female gamers. Download the rummy app and start empowering yourself and others.