We’re taking our mission to the virtual world

Dove is partnering with gaming industry allies to help level up the virtual world and increase representation for women.

Gaming has become the number one form of entertainment for teen girls in the US. 83% say that they play video games in their spare time – 60% of them before the age of 10. The stress relief and brain stimulation from gaming can have therapeutic benefits, and women and girls are using gaming to make connections and build communities in a way that lets them express their true selves. But when it comes to a diverse representation of women, the industry is falling short.

For over 60 years, Dove has championed Real Beauty. Since 2004, the Dove Self-Esteem Project (DSEP) has become the largest-self esteem education provider in the world, working to build body confidence in the next generation.

New research from Dove, co-published with the NGO Women in Games and the Centre for Appearance Research (CAR), reveals that these narrow beauty standards in the gaming industry make girl gamers feel misrepresented. Girls agree that the lack of diversity is an issue, and 74% wish more female characters in games looked like women in real life. Together, we can change this.

Introducing Real Virtual Beauty

Dove is partnering with gaming industry allies to level up the gaming world with the global launch of Real Virtual Beauty, a series of commitments challenging the representation of beauty and championing self-esteem in the virtual world.

Together with our partners – Epic Games’ Unreal Engine, Women in Games and Centre for Appearance Research, we’ll work to train game developers all around the world to create a broader representation of women in games.

As a result of this training, we’ll launch the Real Virtual Beauty Avatar Library in partnership with Epic Games – the biggest avatar in the world dedicated to broadening the representation of female characters in gaming.

Super U Story, now on Roblox

In partnership with female-led gaming studio Toya, the Dove Youth Board and experts from CAR, we’ve created the world’s first video game specifically designed to equip young girls with the tools they need to help combat negative self-esteem and build body confidence.

Super U Story offers a first-of-its-kind, educational gaming experience that helps users to be their true selves, instead of aspiring to unrealistic gaming ideals. The game takes place in ‘The Academy’, a school for kids with superpowers that’s under siege by a group of rogue students spreading negativity.

Players can customise their avatars to experience a more realistic version of beauty, team up with friends to explore The Academy, earn power-ups, and complete quests.

Let’s change representation in gaming

We want to lead the way in transforming gaming into a positive place for women and girls. Together, we can help give girls the tools they need to build self-esteem, and ensure the virtual world is a diverse and inclusive place for everyone.