According to the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), almost 40% of people who play video games today are women. That number is only likely to grow as gaming becomes more mainstream. Women don't just play video games though, they're a big part of the industry that develops and distributes them too. You may not know it, but there are a lot of women working in the video game industry. In development, design, business and more. You name it, they're a part of it. So today, we're going to take a closer look into the gaming industry and the women that are a major part of it. These are some women you should really get to know.

Probably one of the most influential women in the entire gaming industry, at least as far as North America is concerned, Perrin Kaplan is the big cheese of public relations and marketing for Nintendo of America. Not only does she oversee all public relations, she also deals with government affairs, investor relations, internal communication for all of Nintendo's Western Hemisphere projects and is a big part of Nintendo's global coordination efforts. Kaplan has worked for King Broadcasting, Seattle's NBC affiliate, the Washington State Senate, the Washington State Department of Ecology's public affairs team and, before finally joining Nintendo in 1992, she was the Vice President of The Rockey Company, a Seattle-based public relations and public affairs firm. In 1996, she became director of corporate affairs and has since become one of the most recognizable faces of Nintendo of America, excluding Reggie Fils-Aime.

It's probably safe to bet that almost every gamer in North America knows what the ESRB is. The little ratings on each game let us know who should, and should not be playing certain games. Patricia Vance is the person responsible for overseeing and enforcing that entire system and other self-regulatory practices of the computer and video game industry. In addition to her work within the industry, Vance works in partnership with retailers and other organizations that help promote and support in educating consumers about the ESRB's rating system. Prior to working at the ESRB, Vance spent 18 years at Disney/ABC, dealing with a large number of the company's properties, and new media and market initiatives, including Internet, games and educational software, in-flight entertainment and more.

Ever heard of The Sims 2? We thought so. Lucy Bradshaw was the executive producer of the project, overseeing the overall game design. She played a vital role in the game's success. Over her years of work in the industry at companies like Activision, Lucasfilm Games (later LucasArts), Ubisoft and Electronic Arts, Bradshaw has been a major part of a number of games, like Monkey Island 2: Lechuck's Revenge, the original Sims games and more. She has been working in the gaming industry for over 17 years and, since she joined Maxis in 1997, has been producing big hits in simulation titles. Currently, she is working with Will Wright, developing Spore.

Phaedra Bionodiris saw a gap in the gaming industry and found a way to fill it. In 1999, she and her sister, Ismini, co-founded WomenGamers.com, a website devoted to the needs and interests of female gamers. The site has games reviews, news and is written for and published by women. It also has a career centre, for women looking to get into the industry, as well as scholarships for gaming education. Boinodiris' efforts have won her accolades throughout the international press, as well as key roles on the boards of several institutes of higher education. She points out, "WomenGamers.Com has helped to put women who play games on the emerging markets radar. This step is critical in the process of ensuring that women continue to be integrated into the gaming industry both as consumers and more importantly as movers and shakers."