DEVELOPING PROBLEM

One of the many trains of thought prompted by these reports is why such toxic workplaces might be endemic to the videogame industry in particular. The DFEH lawsuit offers one potential reason, calling it a “maledominated industry”. HR specialist Caroline Stokes points to the pressures that most studios are operating under, both financially and in terms of backlash if a game is received poorly. Another problem, she notes, involves the pedestals on which notable developers can be placed. This contributes to “a sense of superiority”, which means attempted remedies can be viewed as “a pain in the neck that’s getting in the way of them programming or doing their art or, you know, doing things how they used to be able to.”