Interactive entertainment company Zynga is on a mission to connect the world through games. Zynga’s annual Pride month celebration, “Play with Pride”, highlights the importance of championing diversity and inclusion in the video game industry.
This year, each of Zynga’s 15 game studios are celebrating with their own unique in-game content including new cosmetics, rewards and Pride-themed events. Additionally, Zynga is partnering with the It Gets Better Project, a non-profit geared toward amplifying Queer stories and communities. With the mission to uplift, empower and connect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer youth around the globe, the It Gets Better Project has been making an impact for over a decade by telling stories and providing resources to the Queer community. Zynga and Zynga’s parent company, ESA member Take-Two Interactive, are donating a combined $50,000 to the organization in support of its mission.
“Zynga has done impressive work making gaming feel more inclusive, and this partnership highlights how the LGBTQ+ community can make a positive, lasting impact by bringing diverse experiences to the industry,” said Morgan Cohn, strategic partnerships manager at the It Gets Better Project.
“Inclusivity doesn’t just happen – it has to be intentional, which is why the annual “Play With Pride” initiative is so important to us. It’s our love note to the LGBTQ+ community around the world who enjoy our games, and a celebration of the identities of the developers who make our games,” said zPride co-lead Lad Geake.
Increasing Queer representation and celebrating Pride is as much an internal mission as it is an external one. Zynga recently launched a spotlight series highlighting members of zPride, an LGBTQ+ employee resource group of more than 300 participants. The series highlights many of the brilliant minds on the Zynga team while exploring the importance of designing inclusive, affirming and safe online and in-person spaces. In the first spotlight of the series, Senior Experience Designer Bernice Wong (she/her) discusses her career in the video game industry, the industry’s progress in representing members of the Queer community and what she looks forward to seeing in the future.
Inclusive fun is a core company value and Zynga takes pride in its responsibility to create inclusive, safe and celebratory spaces for all players. Learn more about the “Play with Pride” campaign on the Zynga Pride website.
