Fewer Than Half of Developers Believe Their Employers Effectively Implement Anti-Harassment and Anti-Discrimination Policies

The International Game Developers Association has released the results of its 2023 Developer Satisfaction Survey, shedding light on various concerns within the industry, including equity, diversity, inclusion, layoffs, and crunch time. The survey, which collected data from May 17 to October 20, 2023, and included responses from 777 game developers, reveals that only 43% of respondents believe their employers adequately enforce policies related to non-discrimination, equal opportunity hiring, and sexual harassment. Furthermore, 28% of those surveyed reported that their workplaces lack equality, diversity, and inclusion programs, while 38% have formal complaint procedures in place for these issues. These findings are particularly concerning given the numerous allegations of harassment and discrimination against game companies in recent years. A significant 85% of respondents consider diversity to be important within the industry, workplace, and in-game content. The survey also indicates that the industry has become more diverse over the past two years, with 58% of developers reporting an increase in diversity, up from 49% in 2021. However, 67% of respondents feel that there is still a lack of equal treatment and opportunity. According to IGDA executive director Jakin Vela, the industry needs to better understand the implications of diversity from a global perspective, taking into account cultural and regional differences. The survey found that 31% of respondents identify as women, marking a slight increase from 2021. Additionally, 4% of developers surveyed identify as Black, and 7% identify as Latinx. The survey also touched on the recent wave of layoffs, which resulted in the loss of 10,500 jobs in 2023, with 4.8% of developers reporting current unemployment. There was a slight decrease in crunch time, with 28% of developers reporting crunch, down from 33% in 2021. The survey also found that 63% of employees, 64% of freelancers, and 75% of self-employed developers experienced crunch more than twice in the past two years.