Authentic leadership is empowering women to break the mold

I’ve been in the mobile game industry for over 13 years, working in a range of roles. Over that time, things have shifted for women in the industry—it's not perfect, but we’re moving in the right direction. We’re seeing more women at all levels and a noticeable decrease in the infamous toxic culture that once characterized some game studios. I’m excited to see female friends stepping into CEO roles and leading the charge for further change. 

Celebrate Diverse Leadership Styles 

Fresh off the boat from Sweden, I quickly realized that starting work in the Canadian games industry meant stepping into a predominantly male-dominated field. While the situation wasn’t much different in Sweden, there was more acceptance of different leadership styles there. I decided that instead of trying to blend in, I’d just be myself. To be honest, I wasn’t sure how to fit in, so I thought, “If I can’t blend in, let’s stand out!” I’ve heard some incredible women say they’ve learned to operate within a traditional male leadership style—common in game studios across North America—and that it has worked for them. I knew that approach wouldn’t work for me.  

Instead, I’ve been fortunate to connect with individuals—both women and men—who valued my empathetic, collaborative, and emotionally intelligent approach, traits often associated with a ‘feminine leadership’ style. Their support gave me the courage to advance in my career while staying true to myself. I have also worked for leaders who adopted a traditional male approach, characterized by authoritative decision-making, assertiveness, and a competitive focus. However, I didn’t stay long at those game studios. 

To all women in leadership positions or those aspiring to be there: you don’t have to fit into a mold. Be yourself and find a style that suits you. Embrace and celebrate your unique ways of thinking and leading.

East Side Games  

At East Side Games, we’re making strides toward creating games for everyone. I’m particularly proud of our work on RuPaul’s Drag Race Superstar. I just returned from DragCon, and the overwhelming support from the LGBTQ+ community was truly heartening. East Side Games also partners with organizations like Code Coven and Indigenous Friends Associations, bringing incredible talent from underrepresented communities into our fold.  

Looking ahead 

Mobile games have revolutionized access to gaming— as we all learned years ago, everyone has a gaming device in their pocket. Women who don’t identify as gamers still play (and pay). I believe there’s tremendous opportunity to craft games specifically for female audiences and take bigger swings in unique artistic expressions. We’ve only just begun, and that excites me!

Elin Jonsson, Chief Business Officer, East Side Games

Misogynistic content in mobile advertising still needs to be addressed

From what we've seen, ads are getting worse day by day and are getting more offensive for everyone, especially women. Since we're on the ad monetization side, we're tackling users' complaints regarding the ads they see in the games/apps. I don't think that we need to follow a specific strategy but rather a common sense and a more ethical approach for the content we want to show in the creatives and also in our games. Games should be a safe space for everyone where they can come to relax, have fun, and enjoy everything within that game - ads included.

By discarding ads with misogynistic content like abuse, degradation of women on so many levels, objectifying them (women with specific body types, nudity, women shown as "ugly" and then being molested or cheated on by their husbands, etc.), we can make them feel comfortable playing the game or even more interested in downloading the game that is being advertised if we're talking about the ad itself.

Advertisers and publishers should work on games being more inclusive for different audiences, keeping in mind that sensitive and inappropriate content is labeled that way for a reason. My question for them would be - do you really want that kind of content to be associated with your game/brand/product in any way and is that something that you would want to watch 2-5-10+ times per day in the game you're playing?

Ivona Pinjak, Ad Mon Specialist, GameBiz Consulting

Inclusive representation is helping to transform the industry

When I first stepped into gaming as a Creative Director across marketing, I expected the culture to be male dominated based on how gaming has been portrayed and its challenges to become more inclusive. But what I found was that it is growing, evolving and diverse in both culture and gender identities.

Within games, portraying women as complex and capable characters can shift perceptions away from stereotypes, showcasing women as the leaders, warriors, and adventurers that we are.

An inclusive approach like this, not only provides role models for players but it also encourages more women to enter and contribute to the industry behind the scenes. This level of representation can attract a larger more diverse workforce, build a broader audience, expand the market and generate real change across the industry.

I’m very much of the belief that to see oneself represented goes a long way to bring in fresh perspectives with unique voices and specific points of view.

Tina Shaw, Creative Director, Activision

Advancing female leadership within mobile gaming is the path to greater diversity and inclusion

I’ve been in the industry for almost 9 years now and I did notice a shift in diversity and female representation in the mobile gaming industry. It’s encouraging to see that companies are making a bigger effort to bring in and recognize talent from different backgrounds.

Female leadership in mobile gaming and ad tech is growing, but there's still work to be done. I see a lot more women in key positions than before, but they’re still underrepresented in key roles. Diversity is so important for companies because it drives innovation and creates stronger, more inclusive teams. To keep improving, the industry needs to focus on mentorship and supportive policies that help women advance and lead.

I think there are a few steps companies can take to better support and empower women in the gaming industry. For me personally, representation has always been very important. Seeing other women thrive in leadership positions, not necessarily embodying the same traits as their male counterparts, has really inspired me to follow a similar path. Also, it is so important for companies to actively recognize and nurture talent, stepping outside traditional stereotypes to find and develop potential leaders.

For women in the industry, my advice is to confidently showcase your strengths and invest in developing the skills needed to advance your career. Don’t hesitate to ask for what you want and seek guidance on how to achieve it. Networking is crucial, too—having a strong support system can make a huge difference.

Yoni Nijboer, Head of Parterships, exmox

Creating a safe and welcoming environment for female gamers is imperative

Being a female product manager and gamer, I first trust my gut feeling about what makes a game appealing to the female audience. However, it’s crucial to stay aware of market trends, analyze player reviews of competitor games, conduct playtesting to gather additional insights and consider players’ feedback with each update. Designing a game that appeals to female gamers can be challenging, especially in genres skewed toward male audiences. For example, in a hack-and-slash game I’m managing, we focus on several key elements to make it more inclusive; we feature a strong and compelling female protagonist, we ensure that the content is respectful and avoids objectification in Hero outfits, and we include a range of female Heroes with different skin tones and body types to connect with a broader female audience.

It’s also great to have an emotional storyline that resonates with the female players, as this would create a deeper connection between the players and the characters, leading to a more engaging experience. Additionally, female players appreciate social interactions, so integrating multiple social features, such as public and voice chat, with various emotes to express themselves can enhance their gaming experience.

One of the challenges I encountered was managing a product with toxic behaviour in a strategy game’s public chat, where offensive comments were used. To address this, we implemented stricter rules, censored inappropriate words, enabled reporting players, and had admins actively monitor the chat. These methods helped create a safer and more welcoming environment for the female audience.

Yasmeen Abbas, Project Manager, Sandsoft

Attracting and retaining diverse talent is essential for driving change in the industry

Creating truly inclusive cultures within companies requires ongoing commitment and awareness. In the games industry, a primary barrier is the underrepresentation of diverse groups in STEAM fields, which limits the talent pipeline. By supporting education and outreach initiatives, we can help build a more diverse future workforce, which has been a priority for King through our support of NGOs such as Ada College (UK), Swedish Games Industry, ReDI School and Junior Achievement.

We’ve also focused on fostering inclusive behaviors to create workplace environments where everyone feels valued and heard. Ongoing efforts to establish partnerships and action plans to attract, develop, and retain diverse talent will continue to be essential for driving meaningful change for players and professionals in our industry.

Vikki Leach, Senior Director, DE&I, King

Involving demographics in development ensures products resonate and build stronger connections

To effectively engage any demographic, the key strategy is to actively involve them in both the development and publishing processes. Ensure their voices are not just included but empowered, so their opinions and concerns are genuinely considered. By doing so, you can create content that resonates with their needs and preferences, making your product more appealing and relevant to them.

Engaging the demographic directly in decision-making processes fosters a sense of representation and trust, leading to stronger connections and better outcomes. This inclusive approach ensures that the final product aligns with the values and expectations of the target audience.

Malize Evans, Co-founder, Co-CEO, and CMO, Raftur Games

ZiMAD's Inclusive Approach to Gaming

As the Chief Communications Officer (CCO) at ZiMAD, ensuring that our content resonates with a diverse audience, is a critical aspect of our strategy. Our portfolio includes a wide range of mobile games, from jigsaw puzzles, which predominantly attract a female audience, to board games that appeal more to male players. Despite the diversity in our audience, our guiding principle remains consistent: creating high-quality games that everyone can enjoy. We believe that all players, regardless of gender, appreciate and gravitate towards beautifully designed and thoughtfully crafted games.

One of the ways we challenge gender stereotypes in our content is by integrating beloved intellectual properties (IPs) that transcend gender boundaries. For instance, we have offered content featuring universally loved characters and themes such as SpongeBob SquarePants, stunning nature from National Geographic, and classic Disney animations. These IPs have the power to resonate across generations and appeal to players of any gender alike, ensuring our games provide something special for everyone.

Our core strategy to maintain relevance and appeal across different demographics involves a deep understanding of our players. We conduct detailed surveys within our gaming communities to gather insights into how our players think and what they desire in their gaming experiences. Additionally, we rigorously test new creative content, analyzing which segments of our audience are most attracted to these new elements and how they engage with them. This data-driven approach allows us to tailor our content to meet the diverse needs and preferences of our player base, ensuring we continue to deliver experiences that are both engaging and inclusive.

Anastasia Zaiceva, Chief Communications Officer, ZiMAD