Women in Games has launched its Women in Games Manifesto 2026, setting out a renewed, industry-wide call to action to address persistent gender imbalance across the global video games sector.
The Manifesto arrives at a moment when video games are one of the world’s most influential cultural and storytelling mediums, yet workforce representation continues to lag behind player demographics. While women account for close to half of all games players worldwide, they make up fewer than a third of the industry’s workforce.
Women in Games positions this imbalance not simply as a diversity challenge, but as a strategic issue with implications for innovation, sustainability and long-term growth.
At the heart of the Manifesto are 14 core reasons why empowering women in games is critical to the future of the industry. These link inclusive development practices to improved creativity, broader perspectives in content creation, and stronger organisational resilience. Rather than framing equality as a future aspiration, the Manifesto argues that fairness must be treated as an active, ongoing process embedded into industry culture.
Alongside the Manifesto, Women in Games has introduced Women in Games Voices: The Living Guide, a global platform designed to amplify the lived experiences of women working across the industry. The initiative builds on the organisation’s long-standing advocacy work and will feature video, podcast and written content, alongside educational resources intended to support organisations, educators and policymakers.
Dr Marie-Claire Isaaman, CEO of Women in Games, said the Manifesto represents a collective commitment to systemic change: “As the industry looks toward futures shaped by AI, virtual worlds, and the metaverse, who builds those systems matters.
“Fairness is not charity – it is strategy. When women thrive, the industry thrives. This Manifesto is an invitation to the entire ecosystem to build a fair playing field together.”
The launch comes against the backdrop of ongoing challenges for women and gender-diverse professionals in games, including disparities in pay, leadership representation, workplace safety and visibility. In response, the Manifesto outlines Women in Games’ work across five key spheres of action: Industry, Education, Policy, Community and Culture.
Partnership is positioned as central to achieving meaningful change. Women in Games works with corporate, education and individual ambassadors, as well as global chapters and networks, to influence practices across studios, classrooms and boardrooms worldwide.
You can view and download the Women in Games Manifesto 2026 here.
To read more about Gender in the workplace on Empower Up, click here.
