Playground Games is a UK games studio based in Leamington Spa and part of Microsoft’s Xbox Games Studios. The studio employs just over 500 people across creative, technical, production and operational disciplines, with a workforce representing 46 nationalities. The games sector remains highly competitive and historically under-representative across gender, ethnicity, disability, and socio-economic background, particularly in technical and senior roles. Against that backdrop, PG has treated inclusion as a long-term culture and business priority rather than a quick initiative or standalone programme. Two studio values, Everyone Belongs and Open and Honest, underpin our approach, connecting inclusion to how people are hired, managed, developed, supported and heard.
Since completing our Inclusive Employers Foundation assessment, where PG achieved a high committed rating, the studio has strengthened governance, staff voice, data, inclusive recruitment, employee networks, accessibility, health and wellbeing support, and leadership accountability. This culminated in Playground Games submitting for Standard accreditation and achieving Inclusive Employers Silver accreditation in late 2025 – the first Games studio to have achieved this award.

Playground Games connects internal culture change with external girls-in-STEM outreach, creating a full pathway from early inspiration to long-term retention and progression. Through careers fairs, Girlguiding workshops, school outreach, STEM days and careers support, the studio is helping girls and women see that STEM can be creative, accessible and achievable within the games industry.
The outreach initiative is practical, creative and measurable, reaching 36,204 students through Girlguiding game design workshops, STEM Days and CareersLive broadcasts.
Internally, Women@PG provides role models, community and outreach opportunities, creating opportunities, removing barriers and helping women/girls see a long-term future in STEM.