ESL and Intel launch esports diversity initiative AnyKey

ESL and Intel have teamed up to find out why gaming pros are a little less than diverse. The initiative is called AnyKey and it aims to create opportunities and advocate for underrepresented groups in esports.

I'm paraphrasing of course—the actual press release is rather more cautiously worded in that workplace-diversity-awareness-course sort of way, but behind the tiptoeing is an interesting game plan. AnyKey is split into two teams: the first, headed by MIT professor T. L. Taylor, will conduct proper research into the imbalances that exist and why they exist, through the likes of audience studies at live events and industry workshops, and then publish the findings in white papers. The second team, led by Morgan Romine (formerly of Red5 and Ubisoft), will then take the findings and have a look at whether there's a need and the means to address them.

AnyKey is supporting events such as the women's CS:GO event Intel Challenge Katowice, kicking off March 4, where it'll be present in the AnyKey lounge, "a welcoming space for conversation, information exchange, and networking."