Striving to make more diverse games

For the first time in the history of the University of Southern California -- the top video game design school in the United States, as ranked by The Princeton Review -- women outnumber men in its game design graduate program.

In 2011, USC had 15 men and 5 women in its graduate program. That changed in 2015 when there were 12 women and 7 men. This trend also carries over to the undergraduate program, as more and more women are entering the field.

The LA Times spoke with many of the female students, and it seems one sentiment rings true among them: they want to make diverse characters they can relate to. "I'm here to make games that show women -- or different people -- in a better light," said graduate student Allison Comrie.

Martzi Campos, a master's student of the program, predicted that video games will show films how to be diverse. "Games have the change to lead the way and be like, 'Hey films, check us out. Look how diverse and widespread we are.' This is our chance for our medium to really shine."

I've personally seen the sentiment time and time again online that "if people want diverse games and characters, they should make them themselves." That is just what these ladies plan to do. You go, girls!

Super Mario Sisters? At USC, women now outnumber men in video game design graduate program [Los Angeles Times]