Female representation across the UK games industry is still "significantly" below the national average, with only 28 per cent of workers identifying as such.
This stat was revealed via Ukie's 'UK Games Industry Census' report - which was created in partnership with the University of Sheffield - showing that the largest demographic by some distance is males at 70 per cent. The remaining two per cent was made up of non-binary workers.
The report was conducted between September and October 2019 with 3,200 games workers taking part in the census, or approximately 20 per cent of the total workforce.
Three main areas were focused on throughout, including the kinds of work that games industry workers perform, their personal characteristics and their backgrounds.
Broadly young
When it comes to age, the industry has been found to be broadly young as two thirds of people employed in the sector are aged 35 or under. Furthermore, 54 per cent of staff have been in the industry for at least five years.
The number of Black, Asian or minority ethnic (BAME) people in games is slightly higher than the national working population and several other creative industries, such as film/tv, music and publishing. However, it is still lower than the average in the working-age population at 10 per cent.
Migration plays a big role in both ethnic and gender diversity. Workers that hold non-UK nationalities in the games industry accounts for 28 per cent of the overall, yet this number rises to 35 per cent for female workers and 40 per cent for BAME staff.
In terms of sexuality, 21 per cent of those surveyed identified as LGBTQ+, a significant figure considering that only 3 to 7 per cent of the UK's population identifies as such.
"Now have a benchmark"
"By conducting this census, we now have a benchmark that can lay the foundations for the creation of a truly diverse and inclusive sector for the future," said Ukie CEO Dr Joe Twist.
The summary signs off by stating that: "Going forward, the sector will need to build both short and long-term strategies that continue to help support and retain existing talent, as well as encourage engagement and recruitment among those who are less well represented."
Simultaneously, Ukie announced its 'Raise the Game' initiative to help better diversity in the games industry.
200 games businesses in the UK have been targeted for the campaign by 2021, with King, Jagex, Microsoft, EA and Facebook all committing to the cause as founding members. Those interested can find more information here.
Previous to this, Ukie found that UK game companies employ over 16,000 people and contribute $1.75 billion to the local economy.
