It’s sad but true – some guys believe that video games are clearly their dominion, and that there’s no place for girls in said dominion. But the truth is, there is a place for them – and they’re surely finding their spot within it.

Over the past few years, there’s been an upswing in more women getting involved in the video game community, not only as players, but also as developers and executives who have some say within the industry. It shows balance within said industry, as women clearly have as many good ideas and skills as men – and in some cases, even more.

A report from The Guardian indicates that 52 percent of overall gamers are women – more than half of the industry out there. Granted, a big chunk of them come from the mobile market, where games like Clash of Clans and Candy Crush Soda Saga are just as easily accepted by females as they are males. Still, it’s a staggering sign that females do make a difference in the industry as far as playing is concerned.

That’s not all. More professional players are entering the scene, and even though some male gamers still aren’t quite accepting of them as equals, that isn’t stopping companies from opening the doors to them. But there are still limitations, like with certain tournaments holding special events for both males and female without intersecting them, as explained by PC Gamer.

And, of course, some women have prominent roles as developers within the community. Jade Raymond worked as a producer on Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed series for years, helping the series prosper before eventually departing the company last year to strike out on her own. And creative director Amy Hennig made a name for herself working on Sony’s Uncharted series, before eventually moving on over to Visceral Games, where she’s hard at work on a top-secret Star Wars game project.

What we’re seeing here is a shift, one that provides a welcome mat to females within the video game industry instead of the usual scornful eye. That’s not to say that everyone is willing to accept them – there are still those skeptics out there – but it seems the industry is becoming more integrated as they find their place within it. And it’s a welcome sight, as many of them provide the kind of ideas and skills that can help the industry move forward.

It’s still an ongoing fight, as some tournaments still refuse to let females compete with males, but slowly but surely, women are finding their place with games. So make room for a player two, guys. They’re here to stay.