The Cake

What the Gaming Industry Is Missing by Ignoring WOC

The lack of representation is glaringly obvious

If you’ve been in the orbit of millennial and Generation Z men and boys, you’ve likely seen the viral dance videos, memes, and news clips amplifying the phenomenon that is gaming. Popular titles like Fortnite, Minecraft, and NBA 2K are household names even if you’ve never touched a gaming console.

While only a quarter of the gaming fan base are women, forecasters predict that percentage will increase as more Gen Zs and Gen Alphas around the world gain access to mobile devices.

Although the industry is largely male-dominated, women of color are working hard to shift the narrative to one that includes them. While only a quarter of the gaming fan base are women, forecasters predict that percentage will increase as more Gen Zers and Gen Alphas around the world gain access to mobile devices. The industry is reportedly worth $152 billion and has seen notable companies like 100 Thieves and PlayVS raise millions in venture capital.

One Black woman, Keisha Howard, from the South Side of Chicago, was looking for a community of other Black women gamers after the economic crash in 2008 and participating in a gaming reality TV show tryout. Wanting so badly to be a part of a community that did not exist, Howard created Sugar Gamers, a space for women and people of color gamers to meet in real life, by posting a Craigslist ad. As an advocate for inclusion, Sugar Gamers works with brands and stakeholders to ensure representation and create its own games. I had the privilege of connecting with Keisha to ask her a few questions.

How did you first take an interest in video games? What systems or games did you play?

Keisha Howard: I started playing at 10 years old. I was an introvert growing up, with all brothers. They were my only friends, and the only way I could play with them was by learning how to play video games. I didn’t start off loving it, but I felt the thrill of competition when I beat my oldest brother in Street Fighter on…