It's incredibly challenging to navigate the games industry as a woman, and speaking out about it can have serious professional repercussions. This is the stark reality shared by Jessica Curry, co-founder of The Chinese Room, who revealed the profound difficulties she and other women face within the sector.
Curry, speaking on Radio 4's 'Woman's Hour' on January 28th, described her journey in the games industry as a mix of immense highs and crushing lows. "The games industry has been the best and the worst of times for me," she stated. "It's extraordinarily hard to exist as a woman; it kind of broke me in many ways."
As the musical force behind most of The Chinese Room's acclaimed titles, Curry made history in 2015 by becoming the first solo woman to win a British Academy Games Award for Music for her evocative soundtrack to 'Everybody's Gone to the Rapture.' A decade later, she remains the only solo woman to have achieved this honor, a statistic that speaks volumes about the industry's persistent challenges.
When questioned about this lack of progress, Curry pointed to deeply ingrained issues. "The games industry, I would say, is still resistant to any form of difference," she explained. "Within the industry, it is very protective of its roots, which were male and white. I'd like to say it's changing, I'm not sure it is."
Curry articulated the difficult double bind faced by women in prominent roles. "Because if I don't talk about it, I'm seen as ignoring the systemic issues within the games industry, but every time I do talk about it, I make myself and other women less employable, because people within the industry say, 'Oh, this is why we don't employ women, they talk about all the problems'." This creates an impossible situation where silence is complicity, and speaking out is professional suicide.
"And I also spend a lot of my time mentoring women, bringing people up, speaking about equality on all fronts, and that takes time and energy, whereas the guys in the games industry get to talk about their work," Curry observed. "They're bigging themselves up all the time, they're being asked about 'how did they compose something'. Whereas we become emblematic of the problem. So it's really hard to know where to stand on it."
But here's where it gets controversial... While Curry's experience is deeply personal, it echoes broader sentiments. A recent report in December last year, where a dozen women shared their experiences with GamesIndustry.biz, highlighted that despite some positive shifts since Gamergate, equality remains a distant goal. Maria Sayans, CEO of Ustwo Games, confirmed, "In general, it is still the case that women have to work harder to progress in the industry. Their competence is questioned more often, and they are less likely to be included in formal and informal networking events."
And this is the part most people miss... Despite the industry's hurdles, Curry also shared heartwarming anecdotes about the profound connection fans have with The Chinese Room's games. She spoke of receiving messages from players expressing how her music, particularly from 'Everybody's Gone to the Rapture,' provided solace during difficult times, such as burying loved ones or escaping war zones. "People are saying, 'During the pandemic I buried my parent to your music'. I get messages saying 'I'm escaping a war-torn country, I have Rapture in my ears, it's the only thing that's keeping me going'."
Curry's insights were shared ahead of BAFTA Games in Concert, a special event featuring music from titles like 'Assassin's Creed,' 'Baldur's Gate 3,' and 'Everybody's Gone to the Rapture,' performed by a 65-piece orchestra. This, she admitted, was a dream she "never could have dreamed of early in my career."
It's worth remembering that Curry had previously stepped away from the games industry in 2015, citing health issues, a "toxic relationship" with publishers, and the industry's treatment of women. The Chinese Room was acquired by Sumo Group in 2018, then by Tencent in 2021, but in a significant turn of events, announced in July 2025 that it was becoming independent once again.
What do you think? Is the games industry truly making strides towards gender equality, or are women like Jessica Curry still facing an uphill battle? Share your thoughts in the comments below – do you agree with Curry's assessment, or do you have a different perspective on the industry's progress?
