Diversity and Gender Representation in Video Games
Unfortunately, like many other things, video games are a place where diversity and gender representation often struggle to show everyone they should. While there have been some major efforts in the last few years, there is still a way to go. What does diversity and gender representation look like in the current video game environment?
If you’re interested in learning more about diversity and gender representation in video games, you’re in the right place. Although not everyone notices representation, it does matter in a video game experience. Keep reading to learn more about representation in esports, the breakdown of characters in video games, and other information.
Diversity Representation in Esports
Esports is an area rising in popularity, from the massive tournaments where gamers compete to smaller in-house competitions. Although there are more women than ever participating in esports, there is still a significant gap between genders. There’s even less diversity, although again, that is changing.
Many reports state that the younger generation of gamers is more diverse than ever, but still, only around 5% of esports competitors are women when they make up 50% of the gaming world globally.
There is also a significant underrepresentation of people of color in video games. According to one source, the most commonly underrepresented groups are those from Black and South Asian communities.
Related: Why Are Esports Dominated By Men?
Diversity and Gender Representation in Video Games
While there are more games than ever today representing a wide range of people, there is an unfortunate lack of diversity and gender representation in video games. For a long time, video games have been very Western and male-dominated. Now, that’s changing - and video games are adapting.
Companies are now trying to not only hire a more diverse staff but also ensure the unique population of gamers around the world can see themselves in the games that they play on screen. There are some modern examples of this tactic as a success, and other areas where it still falls flat.
Gender Stereotypes in Video Games
Unfortunately, many gender stereotypes make themselves known in video games, often to appease the men playing them or the companies who are creating them. These gender stereotypes can shoot down women and people of color as characters and storylines are created that focus on unfortunate biases.
Here are the most common ways gender stereotypes appear in video games:
● Female character design: The design of female characters in video games tends to sexualize them, often with exaggerated curves and impractical, form-fitting or cleavage-baring outfits. However, that’s shifted in many video games over the years.
● Female access to video games: Many females aren’t encouraged to play video games because the women in the games are stereotypical or away from the leads.
● Female characters as leaders: Female characters often are not portrayed as leaders thanks to cultural stereotypes.
● Historical storytelling: Many historical games claim that women or people of color did not play roles in the events, and thus they cannot be represented - which is wholly inaccurate.
● Speaking roles: Women and people of color are often relegated to support characters and have very little to no speaking roles.
Some of these are intentional, while others are not.
Even though many video game creators don’t seem to intentionally create games with limited diversity, a quick sweep of modern and older video game options reveals that’s been the case for a long time. In the future, creators and designers should try to make women, people of color, and other minorities forerunners in their creations. Everyone should be seen.
Why Does Diversity Matter in Video Games?
Like anything else, diversity matters in video games because it’s valuable for gamers to play and see people like them shown on the screen. It creates a feeling of comfort and a welcoming atmosphere, especially in the gaming community where it’s common for tensions to run high and exclusionary behavior to happen.
Diversity in video games also helps players battle stereotypes, learn new things about other cultures, and expand their worldviews. Through gaming with diverse topics, gamers who might not otherwise travel anywhere else will see the universe through new eyes.
Related: How Video Games Influence Cognitive Skills
Best Video Games for Diversity and Gender Representation
If you care about diversity and gender representation in your video games, it’s helpful to know where to look. Luckily, there are many to choose from in the current market.
A few of the best video games for diversity and gender representation include:
● Hellblade: Henua’s Sacrifice
● Redfall
● Dragon Age: Inquisition
Characters in these games come from diverse backgrounds, and there is ample representation of many different people. Some storylines make these individuals feel human, rather than throwing them in as an afterthought.
Worst Video Games for Diversity and Gender Representation
Unfortunately, while some games perform well in diversity and gender representation, others miss the mark. Unfortunately, these also tend to be some of the most popular games.
Here are a few video games that need some work:
● Tomb Raider
These are missing some critical parts of accurate diversity and gender representation.
Although there is still some representation in these games, they either cave to tropes or neglect certain storytelling aspects that would allow far more inclusivity than they already do. However, many of these game creators have also made other games that provide better forms of diversity and gender representation.
Final Thoughts
Although diversity and gender representation in video games is nowhere near where it should be, there has been ample improvement over the last several years. Luckily, there has been ample improvement, and more people than ever in the esports and traditional gaming world can see the massive strides made.
We hope this information is encouraging. With an ever-changing world comes the need for entertainment to make large strides, and the world of video games is one of the top contenders.
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