More than half of the 1,500 young players surveyed said they were expected to behave in certain ways based on their gender or race.
This is based on the Teens and Screens Report 2025 (via GamesIndustry.Biz), hosted by the Center for Scholars and Storytellers (CSS) at UCLA. The 1,500 youth players ranged in age from 10 to 24 years old.
Speaking of fear of online harassment, the survey found that more than half of women and girls gamers feel they have to “behave in a certain way” when gaming because of “gender, race or other identity.”
This was echoed by boys and men, with 64.5 percent feeling equally pressured to behave differently during play.
“Overall, regardless of identity, adolescents reported feeling pressure to conform socially, performance or skill expectations, and enacting or resisting stereotypes,” the CSS study noted. “The social features that make video games a place for community can also lend themselves to social pressure.”
Teen gamers report they want more inclusive games
Diversity remains an important topic for young audiences. 41.6 percent of gamers surveyed consider “racial diversity in characters and storylines” when choosing games. However, 47.8 percent of them said they have difficulty finding games with characters that represent them: More than half of Asian (55.9 percent) and Hispanic or Latino gamers (56.3 percent) were particularly affected by this problem, the survey found.
Meanwhile, the gaming and tech industries continue to lag behind diversity policies and initiatives. Last year, Microsoft has closed its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) team. Meta followed suit earlier this year, publishing an internal memo announcing the end of its DEI programs. This is reported by Business InsiderThe company's vice president of human resources, Janelle Gale, wrote that “the legal and policy landscape surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion in the United States is changing.”
In another report Runescape Jagex studio was came under internal criticism after canceling Pride Month events starting later this year. Last month, Jagex CEO defended the central point as an “apolitical” solution.
