Mark Religioso, a brand manager for the video game publisher Bandai Namco Entertainment, wants more women to be involved in the professional gaming arena known as esports, where players compete in video game tournaments to win thousands of dollars in prize money.

So this year, Mr. Religioso began planning “Bonnie and Clyde” tournaments, where esports teams consist of one man and one woman. He also began laying the groundwork for a mentoring program to foster interest in esports among women.

“These are baby steps so that we can get more women on the team,” he said. “We need to make the scene a welcoming place.”

Mr. Religioso’s efforts are one of several recent moves by video game makers and publishers to increase diversity in esports, which is rapidly becoming one of the video game industry’s most visible segments. As more women play video games, the esports industry is starting to focus on getting more of them involved in professional competition to help the effort expand and become mainstream.