Following the backlash to the GDC party hosted by the International Game Developers Association (IGDA) that featured scantily clad female dancers, the Executive Director of the organisation – Kate Edwards – has written a lengthy blog post to express her regrets and explain how the IGDA will endeavour to do better with regards to its events in future.
For one, the IGDA is going to shift its focus away from “parties” and towards “networking events”. The hope is that these events will be appealing to everyone and allow people a chance to make connections. The IGDA wants everyone to feel included, and for anyone who doesn't to take their concerns straight to the people in charge (starting, Edwards says, with her). The issues with the GDC party can be traced back to the company the IGDA partnered with for the event, and Edwards says they'll be more vigilant in future when selecting these partners and will try to oversee the entirety of the event.
The IGDA will also pass on what it has learned about how (and how not) to run one of these games industry events with the creation of some voluntary recommendations for other organisations. The association will come up with these recommendations with the help of a membership advisory group that hasn't yet been assembled. If Edwards finds herself attending any event that violates the IGDA standards, she pledges to walk out, providing an explanation to the organisers on her way.
Are you happy with these promises?
