Women writers share their thoughts on sexism in the game industry
A Polygon feature on women writers offers solid insight into what it's like to be a contemporary woman writing for entertainment, with commentary from writers working in the game industry.
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"The worst is when it's not overt. You never know if you didn't get the job — or weren't even considered — because you didn't play your hand right, or if they just secretly think a man could write it better or get along better with the rest of the team."
- Game and television writer Anne Toole shares her thoughts on sexism in the game industry. Polygon ran a feature on women writers today that offers some solid insight into what it's like to be a woman writing for entertainment, with commentary from writers working in the game industry. It's worth reading for contemporary game developers, as it shines a light on how both overt and subtle sexism can bubble up in the game industry. The writers interviewed -- among them Rhianna Pratchett (Tomb Raider), Anne Toole (The Witcher) and Susan O'Connor (Far Cry 2) -- shared some of their experiences writing for games, with comments casting the (comparatively young) game industry as a bit more hospitable to woman writers than the entrenched film industry. "Everyone is still learning the best way to do things and how to make the most of out unique medium, so maybe it's a little more accommodating because of that," said Pratchett. "If you can do the job, you're in! Writing and narrative design are definitely field[s] which a lot of young women seem to be interested in entering." Pratchett also shared some of her own experiences with sexism in the industry and cautioned that she may even have gotten off a bit easy due to her reputation as a journalist. "It's been a positive experience for me personally," O'Connor told Polygon. "But I read the crappy news about sexism in games, just like everybody else. Those stories are real and I know it." The full story is worth reading over on Polygon, if only for the insight it offers into the experiences of women who write for games.
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