2K and Hangar 13 partner with Women in Games to improve diversity of hiring

Women in Games and 2K/Hangar 13 have announced a partnership to encourage a more proactively diverse and inclusive hiring policy across the publisher and its development studios.

As part of the push, 2K and Hangar 13 will join the Women in Games board – though the main push right now is as a sponsorship deal for the upcoming Women in Games Conference, which will be held September 11-12 at the University of London.

Hangar 13’s sponsorship of the event stretches to hosting events and speakers during the conference, and the studio will have a recruitment booth at the event.

In a statement, global studio head and creative director at Hangar 13, Haden Blackman, said: “Diversity is good for game development. Having a broad range of perspectives working to make and market your game means that the game will resonate with and reach more people. We’re very excited to support Women in Games and other organizations that are working hard to connect developers and publishers to diverse and talented people.”

Melissa Bell, senior VP and head of global marketing for 2K, also said: “Women in Games is a fantastic organization that’s been instrumental in supporting diversity in the games industry for nearly 10 years. We hope this partnership leads to more women joining the development and marketing teams at 2K and Hangar 13, but our goal is to support women in the industry at large.”

Women in Games WIGJ – to give the organisation its full name – aims to double the number of women working in the games industry by 2025, according to its CEO Marie-Claire Isaaman. “It is extremely important that the organisation works in tandem with studios to advise on initiatives and support research,” she said, “Our new long term partnership with 2K represents a clear signal of intent, that through working together, we can change the prevalent culture of the games industry.

“This exciting new partnership will become public at this year’s European Women in Games Conference where 2K will lead in the European Advocacy Awards taking place on September 11th, lunch on the Tuesday and closing drinks on the Wednesday.”

More information on Women in Games can be found here.