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Zynga's Virtual Diversity Platform encourages inclusivity in gaming

Zynga studio NaturalMotion has created Access All Areas, a virtual studio to encourage diversity in games

Zynga's Virtual Diversity Platform encourages inclusivity in gaming

Mobile game developer Zynga has made a move to promote diversity in gaming with the launch of Access All Areas, a virtual studio which allows users to see and learn about the video-game industry. Access All Areas has been developed by Zynga's subsidiary studio NaturalMotion and is intended for young people, and others, to find out more about how they can get into the games industry. It aims to showcase the skills and qualifications necessary for all aspects of working in games. Given that Zynga is now the largest division of Take-Two Interactive by revenue, it’s no surprise they’re leading the way with this initiative.

Co-Founder of Access All Areas and Senior Director of Analytics at NaturalMotion, Kerrie Neale, said of the announcement “We built Access All Areas in conjunction with partners and experts to increase awareness about gaming careers and to broaden access for everyone, especially young creative minds from different backgrounds. Today’s launch is the result of passionate work by our teams to deliver an innovative digital space that educates students on all aspects of gaming, from transforming a game from idea to product to discovering various pathways into a gaming career. We welcome everyone to explore and experience the diverse talent pool that goes into creating amazing games.”

Digital charity

Given Zynga’s prominence in mobile gaming, it's little surprise they and their subsidiary NaturalMotion are taking a step like this. However, it may also point to Zynga’s important role within the broader Take-Two Interactive corporate ecosystem. Their social impact fund was, of course, in existence well-before their acquisition, having been announced in 2020. But it’s still interesting to see them putting their foot forward with a virtual studio tour that seeks to introduce young people and prospective employees to all aspects of game development.

Zynga are also putting the UK first in their announcement, gesturing to their intention that this new diversity platform caters to underrepresented communities across the country. Given how important representation has become, both in a moral sense and in a business sense to demonstrate a diversity of viewpoints and skills, it’s no surprise that Zynga are helping lead Take-Two forward in the same manner that Activision-Blizzard have done to broaden the representation of their business.


Staff Writer

Iwan is a Cardiff-based freelance writer, who joined the Pocket Gamer Biz site fresh-faced from University before moving to the Pocketgamer.com editorial team in November of 2023.