The IGDA exists to advance the careers and enhance the lives of game developers, and one critical way we do this is by advocating for positive change on issues that affect professional game developers.

We focus our advocacy efforts on issues that…

• require a dialogue with others;
• exceed the scope of any one developer’s or company’s ability to resolve;
• affect the global game development community, rather than any single individual or company; and
• are not particular to any one skill, product, or method of game development.

Some of the key issues we’re addressing include:

• Violence in video games and related social issues
• Sexism and discrimination in the game industry
• Sexism and diversity in game content
• Quality of life (“crunch time,” work–life balance, etc.)
• Internet freedom and privacy
• Positive impacts of video games
• Credit standards
• Game accessibility
• Employment contract fairness

Much of the IGDA’s advocacy activity occurs through the Anti-Censorship and Social Issues Committee; however, each and every member of the IGDA is a developer-advocate who is encouraged to stand up and speak out!

Quality of Life

Improving quality of life for game developers wherever they live and work.

IGDA Quality of Life Resources:

• Business Sustainability: Best Practises (August 2018)
• Developer Satisfaction Survey: Summary Report [2014] (27 June 2014)

For more, visit the full collection of Quality of Life resources in our Resource Library.

Anti-Censorship

Ensuring and preserving games’ status as protected speech and artistic expression.

EL INICISO XXI BIS DEL ARTICULO 27 (Mexico, 2013)

The IGDA wrote a letter urging lawmakers not to adopt a legislative proposal under consideration that would impose a restrictive classification system on video games sold in Mexico.

• Letter to The Honorable Carlos Alberto Puente Salas regarding EL INICISO XXI BIS DEL ARTICULO 27 (Mexico) (7 May 2013)

Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association (United States, 2011)

The IGDA spoke out on this case and joined the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) in filing an amicus brief in support of upholding federal trial court and appellate court rulings that a California statute restricting the sale of video games to minors was unconstitutional, and that video games are a constitutionally protected form of expression. In a landmark decision for the industry, the United States Supreme Court ultimately upheld the prior rulings and declared video games constitutionally protected free speech.

• The United States Supreme Court ruling in the case of Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association (PDF) (27 June 2011)
• Press release: Interactive Entertainment Organizations File Brief in Support of Video Games’ First Amendment Rights to Supreme Court (20 September 2010)
• AIAS–IGDA Amicus Brief (PDF) (17 September 2010)

Violence and Video Games

Addressing public concerns and misconceptions about violent content in video games.

In the News:

• GameZone: New Jersey Department of Education spreads anti-videogame propaganda (26 August 2013)
• Polygon: Video games don’t create violence in society, they reflect it (14 January 2013)
• ShackNews: Vice President Biden offers ‘no judgment’ on game industry (14 January 2013)
• FoxBusiness.com: Do Violent Video Games Produce Real-World Violence? (Video) (11 January 2013)
• CNET: Game developers urge balanced approach in Biden probe of violence (10 January 2013)
• GameSpot: IGDA urges Biden not to censor games (10 January 2013)
• VentureBeat: Game developer association to Biden: ‘We welcome more evidence-based research’ (10 January 2013)
• Polygon: International Game Developers Association offers to help Biden on gun violence task force (10 January 2013)
• Gamasutra: IGDA’s open letter to Vice President Joe Biden (10 January 2013)