Shattering Stereotypes: Advancing Women in Malaysia’s Gaming Landscape
The Star Lifestyle shines a spotlight on three remarkable women who are making waves in the gaming industry. Claz’room College’s Managing Director, Tencent Games’ Associate Producer, and Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation’s Senior Manager are not only leaders in their respective fields but also powerful advocates for gender diversity and inclusion in gaming. These inspirational figures offer valuable advice to young women aspiring to enter the gaming industry, encouraging them not to let societal expectations or stereotypes deter them from pursuing their passion.
Claz’room College’s Managing Director, Tung Yan Ning shared her journey of breaking through scepticism about her career choice in the arts:
“Despite facing scepticism from others regarding art as my career choice, I couldn’t ignore my inner calling. Having that one right high school teacher transformed me from a less-than-favoured student to an academic achiever and changed my attitude towards education. My advice for all young women interested in going into the gaming industry is to continuously develop your skills and refine your craft. Surround yourself with a supportive network of mentors, peers, and allies who believe in your abilities. Don’t let societal expectations or stereotypes sway you.”
Shahrizan Mohd Sharif, Senior Manager of Digital Content Development at Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), highlighted the need for more support for women entrepreneurs:
“More initiatives supporting women entrepreneurs, such as funding schemes, business incubators, and mentorship programs, are needed to encourage more women to start their own businesses in these fields. Additionally, stakeholders need to be educated about the benefits of having diverse teams and the value that women can bring. For example, as of 2020, female gamers accounted for 40%-45% of the total, according to Google and Nike’s partnership. Having more women in the gaming industry can challenge biases and promote a more inclusive market.”
“More initiatives supporting women entrepreneurs, such as funding schemes, business incubators, and mentorship programs, are needed to encourage more women to start their own businesses in these fields. Additionally, stakeholders need to be educated about the benefits of having diverse teams and the value that women can bring. For example, as of 2020, female gamers accounted for 40%-45% of the total, according to Google and Nike’s partnership. Having more women in the gaming industry can challenge biases and promote a more inclusive market.”
Gaga Li, Associate Producer of Regional South East Asia Publishing for Tencent Interactive Entertainment Group, presented empowering insights into turning gender-based differential treatment into an advantage:
“If you ever find yourself in a situation where you receive differential treatment based on your gender, transform it into an advantage. Women possess unique advantages in terms of thinking patterns, physical strength (they can go through the pain of childbirth!), and family roles. These qualities enable women to effectively lead teams, understand the needs and ideas of users on a more personal level, and foster a better working atmosphere and team cooperation efficiency. I hope all women can courageously embrace their passion, broaden their horizons, and ultimately become the best version of themselves.”
To read the full articles, please visit the links below:
Part 1: How Malaysian women can level up in the gaming industry: advice from one who did
Part 2: MDEC senior manager of digital content urges women in gaming industry to step up
Part 3: More women in gaming industry is advantageous, says associate producer of one of world’s largest video game companies