One of the most interesting talking points in the console wars isn& #39;t comparing the powerful PS5 and Xbox Series X, but looking at the cheaper versions of both machines.

We talk a lot about racial / gender diversity in the games industry, but we don& #39;t talk a lot about wealth.

The PS5 Digital Edition costs £360, while the Xbox Series S is £110 cheaper at £250. That& #39;s huge.

Plus, Xbox has the amazing Game Pass, which gives you access to over 100 games for just £8 quid a month. By comparison, some PS5 launch titles will cost £70 each.

If you& #39;re a student, single parent, or someone with a small income, Xbox has literally opened a door for you to experience next generation console gaming where you might otherwise have been shut out.

It’s a big deal when you think about the fact that the games industry is, on the whole, rich. @UKIE surveyed all of the UK’s studios last year and found that 12% of the industry workforce attended a private school, which is nearly double the national average.

62% of video game professionals come from households where the main earner worked in a managerial/professional role. That’s higher than nearly every other creative sector - including film and TV - and only lower than those found in roles such as doctors, lawyers and journalists.

Why are our game makers from such wealthy backgrounds? I bet it has something to do with the fact that gaming is an expensive hobby. If your parents don’t have the money to buy you games as a kid, you won’t even consider entering games as a career.

https://ukie.org.uk/UK-games-industry-census-2020">https://ukie.org.uk/UK-games-...

There& #39;s still work to do for race and gender in games, but if you’re a white 15 year old boy on free school meals in Bolton, we might not ever play the games you’re capable of making, because you& #39;ve not had the chance to experience them and get the education to enter the industry

I talked about this last week on the IGN UK podcast and on BBC World News just now, and while I love PlayStation (and will be buying the PS5 for the fab exclusives) I also love the fact Xbox is creating options that genuinely expand who might make games for us in the future https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👍" title="Thumbs up" aria-label="Emoji: Thumbs up">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="❤️" title="Rotes Herz" aria-label="Emoji: Rotes Herz">