MPU 2206 - BASIC ACADEMIC WRITING

ASSIGNMENT: SUMMARY
TRIMESTER 3, 2022/2023

Student ID # Tan Zi Long

Lecture Section FCM4

Lecturer Nor Azlah Abu Bakar

Marks
Task fulfilment (15)

Language (5)

Total (20)

Instructions
● This task is to be completed individually.

● Any information-sharing among students is strictly prohibited.

● Students need to adhere to the submission deadline.

SUMMARY TEXT
Instructions: Read the following text carefully. Based on the information in the text,
summarise in about 100-120 words, why women are underrepresented in esports.

In 2020, women accounted for nearly 41% of all gamers in the United States, and in
Asia, which accounts for 48% of the world’s total gaming revenue, women now make up 40-
45% of the Asian gaming population, according to Google and Niko Partners. A recent study
also shows that female gamers play all types of game genres (especially popular online
games) using different devices and platforms. One area of gaming, however, still has seen
almost no female presence, esports. Almost half of the younger female population plays
video games. Even though there is a substantial female presence in games, there seems to be
absolutely none in high-level competitive gaming.
Unlike traditional sports, esports is, theoretically, an equal playing field regardless of
gender. The best esports competitors make millions, and the industry prides itself on
meritocracy. So why is there such a distinctive pay gap? According to the independent
site esportsearnings.com, the highest-paid esports player has accumulated more than $7m in
winnings across his career, and the top earners are all male players. The first woman appears
at #367: the Starcraft II champion Sasha “Scarlett” Hostyn. Hostyn has made about $400,000
in prize money. It appears that women are routinely paid significantly less than their male
colleagues, and do not achieve the same level of success in the field. Prize winnings are not
the only way for esports players to make money, but the disparity extends to other areas of
pro-gaming careers. Very few women are in a salaried player position; the only woman to
have played in the Overwatch League is Kim “Geguri” Se-yeon. According to The Guardian,
few women are in a salaried player position, and only three of the top 100 paid creators on
Twitch are female. With significantly lower earning capacity, esports is not a full-time career
option for most women players.
Many female gamers are subject to discrimination which leads to gender inequality in
esports. To put it plainly, the esports industry struggles with misogyny. In an interview with
Polygon, the Overwatch League’s first female coach Molly “Avalla” Kim, stated that she had
once been accepted onto a team as a player before she “gave up quickly because of the
difficulties of joining a team house with other male players”. Elsewhere, she said that one
team had also rejected her as a coach because “our players don’t want female coaches”. Kim
has also spoken about the hurtful comments she has received online about her appearance. It
can be difficult for women to reach the top ranks at all if their team or other players become
uncooperative.
The harassment faced by women because of their gender in esports is widespread and
shocking. Devin Nash, the co-founder of NOVO.TV states “As a woman joining the esports
industry or being a competitive gamer, you have to overcome every single person that tells
you to get back in the kitchen.” Other ways that women are being harassed online include
swatting, doxing, flaming, griefing, botting, hate speech, and online voice chat abuse. Studies
have shown that voices perceived as female in-game chats are many times more likely to
receive harassment. Others simply prefer not to speak to avoid any negativity, which in turn
hampers their ability to play well, as well as their general enjoyment.
Where women are discouraged, gatekept, or retire early from positions in esports,
they are far less likely to compete in and win the major tournaments. Many people within the
gaming industry are working to make it more inclusive. The United States Women in Games
Ambassador program has 12 Corporate and 446 individual ambassadors across the world who
are working to support women and girls to better understand the games industry, and its aim
is to double the number of women in games over ten years.
 Adapted from Castello, J. (2021). Female pro-gamers. The Guardian. https://shorturl.at/drwCJ
ANSWER:

The article discusses why women are underrepresented in eSports. Firstly, women struggles to
achieve the same level of success like their male colleagues and earn dramatically less as competitive
eSports players thus most women players does not prefer to be a full-time player. Secondly, misogyny in
eSports industry cause many female gamers a subject to discrimination which leads to gender inequality
in esports. This cause their team or other players uncooperative, making woman having difficulties to
reach the top ranks. Lastly, women are facing harassment because of their gender in eSports. Online
harassment towards women cause them avoid speaking which hampers their overall performance and
experiences.

Total number of words: 106