Highlights
- Women in Games launches Manifesto 2026, targeting gender imbalance.
- Women make up nearly 50% of players but only under 33% of the games workforce.
- Inclusion is positioned as an industry strategy tied to creativity and sustainability.
Women in Games has launched the ‘Women in Games Manifesto 2026,’ renewing its call to address gender imbalance across the global games industry. Announced via the organization’s official LinkedIn channel and website, the update is positioned as a roadmap urging the sector to shift from aspiration to action.
The organization said women make up nearly 50% of players but less than 33% of the industry’s workforce, with representation falling further in leadership roles. First published in 2024, the manifesto has been updated for 2026 after progress was assessed as insufficient, despite increased awareness of inequality.
Women in Games Manifesto 2026 Positions Inclusion as Industry Strategy
The manifesto outlines 14 reasons why empowering women is essential to the future of games, linking inclusive development to creativity, innovation, sustainability, and cultural impact. It frames fairness as an active, ongoing process, particularly as technologies such as AI (artificial intelligence), virtual worlds, and immersive environments risk reinforcing bias if inclusion is not prioritized.
The framework guides Women in Games’ work across five areas: industry, education, policy, community, and culture, and is delivered through collaboration with corporate, education, and individual ambassadors, as well as global chapters and partners.
“Fairness is not charity - it is strategy,” said CEO Marie-Claire Isaaman, adding that who builds future game technologies “matters” as the industry evolves.
Alongside the manifesto, Women in Games launched Women in Games Voices: The Living Guide, an evolving platform sharing women’s lived experiences through articles, research, videos, podcasts, and learning resources.
