Women’s History Month

Minecraft is home to a diverse audience. In fact, we are lucky to have one of the largest (if not the biggest) gaming communities in the world – many of which are women. And while the gaming industry has come a long way in terms of making gaming more inclusive, there is still plenty to be done to reach gender equality. This is why annual observances like International Women's Day and Women's History Month are still important; to raise awareness and create opportunities to uplift people.

Over the last couple of years, we’ve celebrated the occasion in many forms, and during 2023, we had the pleasure to team up with the amazing people at Women in Games International. 

WIGI is a nonprofit organization that, since their start in 2005, have been committed to invest expertise and resources into highlighting and celebrating women, femme-identifying, and nonbinary professionals in the games industry. WIGI has a plethora of programs that foster gender equality and empower women in different ways – from mentorships and keynotes to guidance on how to be a better ally.  

With their help, we have held Discord stage shows and talks to discuss experiences of being women in the gaming industry and the challenges that come with it. In addition, Run for Equality Initiative was highlighted; a games charity fundraiser event to promote the inclusion and equal treatment of women in the global games industry.

In 2024, we wanted to highlight the achievements of women throughout the world, and with the help of the medium we love the most: games! Together with Hispanic Heritage Foundation, we released LatinExplorers 2, a Minecraft Education map that follows the three wonder women Monica Ramirez, Gloria Estefan, and Dr. Ellen Ochoa who all rose to the challenge of making the world a better place. The game is available for free at the Minecraft Marketplace.

Building diversity and achieving equality is an ongoing process – and work to make sure it is reflected in our own actions. In a male-dominated industry, we’re proud of the fact that most of our leadership identify as female!

“There are over 3 billion gamers on the planet today, and in order to reach them, it’s super important to have either different gameplay styles or games and stories that really resonate. This also means having more diverse teams and bringing more diversity in thought,” said Ada Duan, GM, Growth Product & Partners.

The best part of this journey? Everyone can be part of it! Regardless of who you are, if it’s through a Minecraft map or an event created with the help of a large organization, we can all do something! We hope that you are part of it – both in and outside the space of games.

So, how will you be celebrating Women’s History Month?