XSET’s Erin Ashley Simon Provides Esports Opportunites For The Underserved, Underrepresented Talent

Esports’ popularity and market value show no sign of slowing down.

As the industry’s popularity continues to gain traction, the market cap continues to increase. For example, Accenture estimated that the total value of the gaming industry in 2021 exceeded $300 billion. That statistic is more than the combined markets for movies and music, driven by a surge in mobile gaming and an emphasis on social interaction during the pandemic. Yet, despite all the positive aspects of esports, it still lacks diversity. A recent report showed that 46% of gamers are women; however, only 20% are Latinx, 15% are Black and 5% are Asian American. Additionally, 16% are LGBTQIA. Companies such as XSET are breaking barriers and making gaming diverse.

Erin Ashley Simon, multimedia personality and co-owner of XSET, helps shape the organization’s culture and facilitate connections and content in and around music, entertainment and the gaming industry. As the chief culture officer, she provides more industry-focused opportunities for those from underserved, underrepresented and marginalized communities. The company fields some of the world’s top competitive esports teams in titles, including Valorant, Rocket League and Fortnite. It partnered with high-profile brands such as Ghost Lifestyle and SCUF Gaming, also working with socially positive causes, including Big Brother Big Sister of America.

“If we sign a nonbinary player, I’m the one that makes everyone aware of the appropriate ways to identify the individual from their pronouns,” Simon explains. “I also work on projects that focus on specific communities. We’ve been focusing a lot on HBCUs. So I lead those DNI projects, whether from a charitable, educational or even an entertainment perspective. I work with our team making sure that a lot of the projects, initiatives and milestones we have incorporate a very inclusionary aspect.”