Women in Games CEO Says the Gaming Industry Is ‘Going Backwards’ After the Incidents at GDC 2023

Women in Games CEO Marie-Claire Isaaman has released a public statement after reports about the GDC 2023 incidents. Reflecting upon it, she said that the gaming industry is going backwards.

GDC 2023 incidents

There were multiple reports of people being assaulted, harrased, and having their drinks spiked at GDC 2023.

Isaaman highlights that several women were “hit on relentlessly” during the event while some were “harassed on the show floor.”

The women were “belittled and undermined” and there were “two women were lured to a hotel room for a pitch and then assaulted.”

Toxicity in gaming community for women

Isaaman said that while “toxicity is an issue across the entire gaming community”, “the experience that girls and women encounter are often much darker and threatening.”

She added that “sexist stereotypes and being aggressively quizzed about their gaming skills often lead to more violent verbal abuse and threats of rape” in the gaming world.

There are cases where the abuse doesn’t stop after a game and there are chances that it spills over to the real world through stalking and threats.

“We are going backwards as an industry! None of this is okay, none of this should be happening!”, said the CEO of Women in Games.

GDC’s response to incidents

After the GDC 2023 reports, a representative of GDC told Kotaku, “We are very upset to hear that some people, especially women, reported concerning experiences during the GDC week at off-site events, including assault and drink spiking.”

“This is outrageous and unacceptable; everyone has a right to feel safe. We severely condemn any such behaviour and support the victims; we encourage reporting to the police and hope the perpetrators will be found,” GDC added.