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New scoring system that ranks games based on their representation of race, gender and disabilities reveals there’s still a long way to go to accurately represent the diverse communities playing them
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A new study by Currys PC World investigating diversity in the gaming industry has found that, while the representation of race, gender and disabilities has improved in games since the nineties, there is still a distinct bias in favour of the young, white, straight male.
Using a bespoke scoring system (please see methodology for breakdown), they analysed games that have made a mark at E3 and The Game Awards over the last 20 years. Games were awarded points for: female characters in prominent positions; for exploring LGBTQ+ plot points or themes; for mixed race characters prominently placed in the story; and for disabled characters or references. Their key findings are below:
Ethnic minorities are still underrepresented in games, but things are (slowly) improving
Despite efforts being made in recent years to improve the ethnic diversity of characters in games, an analysis of all games nominated for a Game Award from 2003 to 2018 unearthed that black and ethnic minorities are still severely underrepresented.
While RPGs (role-playing games) sometimes offer a choice of playable characters, their default characters are often white. When other ethnicities are represented, it’s also common for them to be type-cast.
“The diversity that is applied to white characters is something that is often missing when other races are depicted in games.” Adam Campbell, co-founder of POC in Play. “Representation still feels incomplete and inconsistent. We’re still also hard pushed to find those protagonists that are not the stereotypical Indiana Jones or the tough, bald, male type, so ‘diversity’ is the exception rather than the rule.”
· Proper ethnic diversity is still lacking. Only 3% of Game Award nominees (2003-2018) have featured a person of colour as a default protagonist.
· Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and The Walking Dead are the only games where a playable person of colour is baked into the story from start to finish.
· Fallout 4 doesn’t feature a specific character on the cover, but the player creator screen serves a generic white male/female face as the first thing you see.
· Canada is by far the best at getting representation right. Edmonton’s Bioware has put an emphasis on freedom of choice of character, and Ubisoft Montreal consistently tells diverse stories (e.g. Assassin’s Creed).
Representation of women in games is on the rise, yet the characters are often hyper-sexualised
With as many as 42% of gamers in the UK being female (and that number rising to 52% in France[1]) it only makes sense that women are represented equally in games. This doesn’t appear to be the case, however. While the last decade has seen a 189% increase in games featuring playable female characters, fewer than a third of game covers feature a woman in a prominent position. When women are featured, they’re often sexualised. For example, the cover of San Andreas sports a blonde-haired woman in a come-hither pose.
“Female characters have historically been hyper-sexualised for the male gaze in gaming,” says Jay-Ann Lopez, founder of Black Girl Gamers. “You can observe this with the various representations of Lara Croft. I do not believe there is an inherent problem with women being viewed as sexy. However, when it is the only version of women shown, it strips us of our depth and limits us to serving as purely visual objects. Still, there are more and more holistic and nuanced female characters appearing within games.”
· Game covers continue to put men first. Only 11% of covers have women as the focal point, or with a share of the focus.
· From 2012 onwards, diversity has markedly improved. The Walking Dead release that year starred a black man (Lee) and a young mixed-race girl (Clementine) and was a critical and commercial hit.
The notion that people with disabilities need to be “fixed” is rife in the gaming industry
On the rare occasions that disabilities are represented in games, they are more likely to be physical ailments than mental. Mental health has only been tackled in the last few years as awareness rises. Plus, characters with a physical disability are often “fixed”.
Accessibility expert Ian Hamilton says: “This notion that people with disabilities are broken and need to be fixed – a concept known as the medical model of disability – was rejected and abandoned in the 1970s, yet still persists in media and in games, often through the trope of medical conditions being replaced by superhuman powers or superhuman prosthetics. Moreover, games are often guilty of furthering the myth that a disability is rare, with all the impact that has on broader prejudice and discrimination.”
· Deadly Premonition shows protagonist Francis York Morgan talking to an imaginary character, Zach. What starts off as a curious subplot turns into a fascinating exploration of mental health.
· The Joker, ace pilot of Mass Effect’s SS Normandy, suffers from Vrolik syndrome (brittleness of the bones), while Lester, the sardonic sidekick in Grand Theft Auto V, has an unnamed wasting disease. Yet both men are fiercely independent in spite of the challenges they face and are not defined by their disabilities.
LGBTQ+ themes are being explored more in gaming narratives
LGBTQ+ themes are rarely explored in games, and that’s especially true of the biggest titles.
This being said, things are improving. Some of the biggest games to tackle homosexuality with grace in the last 20 years include:
· Assassin’s Creed Odyssey (2018) and The Sims (2000) with both allowing you to enter a relationship with anyone you please
· The Last of Us (2013) boasting an expansion pack that portrays Ellie in a relationship with another girl,
· Fallout 3 that features a romanceable gay character, and
· Life is Strange (2015) that explores a number of well-written gay characters.
“Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator lets players be either a cis or trans man and captures a reality of the gay community I haven’t seen before in a game. Not every game can be Dream Daddy – and not every game has to be.” Alayna M. Cole, MD of Queerly Represent Me.
· Only 11% of GOTY nominees and E3 winners offer up significant LGBTQ+ storylines.
· From 2009-2018, there’s been a 300% rise in games featuring proper representation when compared to the preceding ten years (1999-2008).
Ultimately, things are getting better. Since 2012, nearly half of all games have featured diverse casts, LGBTQ+ themes or characters of colour – as opposed to 26% pre- 2012. Plus, The Last of Us II, one of the biggest PS4 games coming out in the next year, is set to feature a female LGBTQ+ lead. With time, here’s hoping that the enduring (and inaccurate) stereotype – that only young, white men play games – will fizzle out.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_and_video_games
Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network
This is a Syndicated News piece. Photo credits or photo sources can be found on the source article: New scoring system that ranks games based on their representation of race, gender and disabilities reveals there’s still a long way to go to accurately represent the diverse communities playing them
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– National Lottery ‘Add some play to Christmas’ campaign supported by enhanced protection measures –
– In a UK National Lottery first, Allwyn becomes a Level 3 Gift Responsibly supporter –
National Lottery operator Allwyn has unveiled its multi-channel ‘Add some play to Christmas’ campaign, which puts National Lottery Scratchcards at the heart – positioning them as a fun way to come together, no matter the occasion or the group.
As part of that, Allwyn has once again signed up to the National Council on Problem Gambling’s (NCPG) 2025 Gift Responsibly Campaign – this year as a Level 3 sponsor, the highest possible level and a UK National Lottery first.
Founded in the early 2000s, the Gift Responsibly Campaign works to raise public awareness about the risks of youth gambling. Through partnerships with lotteries and other organisations, the campaign educates communities about the risks of buying lottery products for children.
As part of its commitments as a Level 3 supporter, Allwyn will carry a ’18+ Gift Responsibly’ mark across its National Lottery gifting-related festive advertising – to re-iterate the need for people to be 18 or older to buy, gift, receive and play.
The company has also created three brand new bespoke creative assets promoting responsible play that it will use:
- across its @TNLUK and @AllwynUK social media channels
- on in-store National Lottery media screens
- as part of a digital campaign
Allwyn already carries out extensive training with its 43,500 retail partners to prevent underage and excessive play, as well as running a rigorous ‘Operation Guardian’ programme for mystery shopping and knowledge checks with National Lottery retailers to ensure compliance.
The company’s advanced NCPG participation will also see it prompting its tens of thousands of retail partners to remind their customers to gift National Lottery products responsibly this festive season, through direct communications and trade advertising.
Jordana Jackson, Head of Participant Protection at Allwyn, commented: “Since becoming National Lottery operator early last year, we’ve made great progress on our participant protection plans. We’re proud to once again be supporting the NCPG’s Gift Responsibly Campaign and, for the first time in the UK National Lottery’s history, commit to Level 3 sponsorship – the highest level of support possible. This commitment includes a range of activity to remind everyone that, while National Lottery Scratchcards can add festive fun and help raise over £30m a week for Good Causes, they’re strictly for adults.”
The post Allwyn commits to highest level of 2025 Gift Responsibly Campaign appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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LeoVegas Group signs partnership deal with Valletta FC and boosts local footprint in Malta
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LeoVegas Group has entered into a two-year partnership agreement with Malta Premier League club Valletta Football Club. As Exclusive Online Gaming Partner, the LeoVegas Group corporate brand will feature on the men’s squad’s match kits, at training grounds, and prominently across the club’s digital channels. The partnership will enhance the Group’s brand visibility and commitment to the local community, while further strengthening its position as an employer of choice in igaming.
LeoVegas Group and Valletta Football Club, one of the most successful clubs in Malta’s history, today announced a new partnership that will see LeoVegas Group’s corporate brand become the club’s Exclusive Online Gaming Partner during the 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 seasons. The agreement includes match kit sleeve branding for the men’s squad, visibility across all club facilities, including the Rabat Football Ground and Dangli Football Ground and the matchday fanzone, as well as branding on the squad’s training bags. The club’s digital channels, which have tens of thousands passionate followers on social media such as Instagram and Facebook, will regularly feature the LeoVegas Group logo in their content.
As partners, LeoVegas Group and Valletta Football Club will also collaborate to create exciting branded experiences across the Maltese capital for both fans and employees. Group employees can look forward to exclusive matchday opportunities and VIP experiences. The partnership enables LeoVegas Group to further strengthen corporate brand awareness across the Maltese islands and continue positioning the Group as an employer of choice for talent seeking careers in the growing igaming industry.
Additionally, the partnership includes branding on the youth team’s kit. This shirt sponsorship opportunity will be donated by LeoVegas Group to a local non-governmental organization (NGO), which will be selected through a popular vote by club members during a club meeting.
Stefan Nelson, LeoVegas Group CFO and Malta Managing Director, said “We are very proud to partner with Valletta FC, one of the most successful and popular clubs in Malta. Our Group has considered itself a partly Maltese company almost since its inception, and we are thrilled to collaborate with the capital’s club to create exciting opportunities for fans, employees, and future talent alike. When two strong lions join forces, great things can happen!”.
Claudio Grech, Valletta Football Club President, said “This partnership brings together two brands that share Malta’s global reputation for excellence in gaming, entertainment, and sport. LeoVegas Group has become a world leader in mobile gaming while Valletta FC stands as Malta’s largest football club. Both of us thrive on delivering excitement and engagement — whether through live football or immersive digital experiences. We also share a forward-looking vision that embraces technology and online communities to connect with our audiences. As LeoVegas Group continues to expand internationally, Valletta FC is equally determined to evolve into a regional football powerhouse, making this collaboration a natural and powerful alignment of ambition, innovation, and Maltese pride”.
The post LeoVegas Group signs partnership deal with Valletta FC and boosts local footprint in Malta appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Gamblers Connect Named Finalist in Three Categories at the International Gaming Awards 2026
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Gamblers Connect has been officially shortlisted in three categories at the International Gaming Awards 2026, one of the most respected global recognitions within the gaming and iGaming sectors.
This announcement marks an important milestone for the company, reflecting its continued growth, consistent industry presence and long-term commitment to responsible and high-quality affiliate operations.
Gamblers Connect has been shortlisted in three distinct categories: Affiliate (Company) of the Year, recognising its public-facing affiliate excellence; the Great Place to Work Award (Operator), highlighting the strength of its internal culture; and the Safer Gambling Award, which reflects the company’s commitment to responsibility standards across its operations.
The 19th annual International Gaming Awards will be held on 18th January during ICE Barcelona. It is regarded as one of the leading global recognitions for excellence across the gaming industry. Each year, the IGA highlights companies that show innovation, quality, responsibility and meaningful contribution to the sector.
Gjorgje Ristikj, Founder of Gamblers Connect, said: “Being shortlisted across three very different categories shows our strength on multiple levels. It recognises our public-facing work, the culture behind it and the responsibility standards that guide everything we do.”
The post Gamblers Connect Named Finalist in Three Categories at the International Gaming Awards 2026 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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