Geoff Keighley Responds To Specific Criticism Of Summer Game Fest

gameranx.com:

It’s been over a week since the Summer Game Fest dropped and kicked off a jam-packed week of gaming news, trailers, and reveals. It served as a kind of “flagship” for said week, and many were content or happy with what was shown at the event. Numerous games were revealed, including one set in a galaxy far, far away, and new information about titles like a certain web-headed sequel. But, as people looked back at the event, there was something that people noticed that felt odd. Mainly, Geoff Keighley brought multiple people on stage…and all of them were men.

While that might sound like a “small nitpick,” it’s fair to point out for various reasons. Women in gaming have dealt with various stereotypes over the years, including that they “don’t play games” or that when they play them, “they aren’t that good.” Women in the developmental side of video games have also had to deal with stereotypes about their abilities and harassment on every level, which is why Activision Blizzard is in such hot water right now.

Keighley has said that his shows and events are all about “appreciating developers” and the gaming space’s diversity, yet…fans couldn’t help but notice that no female developers were highlighted. In contrast, when the Ubisoft Forward and Xbox Games Showcase happened, multiple women were shown to talk about games and the events themselves.

Geoff Keighley interviewed with CBC and said there was a plan to have one of the female voice actors for Alan Wake 2 arrive to talk about her co-lead role in the title, but things didn’t work out. But he also noted that it was fair for fans to call him out on this:

“I think generally we do a pretty good job with diversity in our shows. That was something that’s a fair flag,” he said. “We