In the last 8 months I’ve come a long way in how I view the video games industry and the folks who help make it spin. Video games can teach us things we didn’t even know we needed to learn or make us cry at digital characters’ loss; there are so many amazing things that video games can do. Here at GameSkinny alone I’ve seen countless articles highlighting the positive side of gaming. These article included positive communities, along with games that focus on education and innovation. There’s truly ground being broken with games in schools, communities, and medicine. These games reach beyond your stereotypical software. Despite these steps forward, one thing I’ve noticed about the perception gaming has – from within its own community – is its obligation to have morally higher standards than the rest of the world. To think we’re going to somehow be more progressive than the rest.
When reading an article like “The Straight White Guy Industry” I wonder what expectations the writer’s actually setting for video games. The writer tends to undermine the progress made by major publishers and small studios in areas about racism, LGBT issues, and misogyny. With quotes like “…representing gay, lesbian, bi, and trans* characters in a positive light is rather progressive, especially for the video game industry…” I don’t understand why this is such a surprise, I know of countless people who play and create games that don’t have an anti-LGBT opinion, if anything, a complete 180 from that notion. There’s no intentional neglect, certainly not trying to offend anyone when creating a game whether that be from the art style or the dialog.
The writer continues to discuss how women are objectified in video games when bringing up the boob jiggle-fest that is Dead or Alive Xtreme Volleyball, he says: ” but that reaction shows just how used players are to the hyper-sexualization, objectification, and dehumanization of women in games—it’s industry standard.” I’m pretty sure every time I walk into a mall with my almost 4-year-old child, I feel I must shield his eyes from all the barely clothed women on signs in front of stores. This “objectification” exists well outside just video games. I’d go out on a limb to say just in sheer numbers of games available today, the majority do not objectify women. His example would be the exception, not the rule.
There are some excellent points he’s made, and we both agree there’s plenty of room for improvement. But what culture does he live where the issues of LGBT rights get respected? What culture exists where women are truly viewed as equals? Well to my point, and the article’s point, there isn’t a culture that’s completely, full-on tolerant in any, if just one of those areas. Yet people and the author continue to complain how the industry is such a terrible place for a person in a minority group. What about TV, movies, music, and books, are the communities around them any better?
You mean to tell me that there are TV shows, movies, and books on store shelves that aren’t putting the raw, emotional, radical change we need in the world front and center?
What a shocker. Change has never happened fast for anyone or anything, now add numbers of people in the billions to that. The kind of change that’s expected from one of these articles makes it sound as if video games are falling behind the curve with ethical issues, when it’s quite the opposite. To downplay a major story arc for your Mass Effect character’s relationship isn’t helping. When what you want is a major studio and publisher to allow the option to maintain any kind of sexual orientation you wish from being straight, lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender; and then you actually get those changes, I’d say that’s a win. But war’s won through single battles, not one gigantic victory that rushes over the world and changes things magically.
You mean to tell me someone’s offended by this stereotype?
The movie industry is often compared to video games when talking about how media and entertainment affects us. Now, I’m not a movie goer, the last time I went to a movie theater was maybe 2 years ago, but even I’m aware of the prevalence the indie film industry has had. I’ve heard of all types of films, attempting to shed light on subjects that make some of us squeamish. Subjects ranging from our prisons, to food, our work ethics, sex life, our tolerance of others, the list goes on. These subjects are touching on things that need drastic change, and change that seems like it’s quite rudimentary to solve. But the subjects of LGBT and racism have been around since before any of us were born. Where do you think the island of Lesbos got its name from? So if movies, one of the top leaders in media across the world, are having trouble finding a general audience to appeal to with these sensitive subjects (some punishable by death in certain region’s of the world) why would games have an easier time? Movies and games in both the big budget and especially in the indie department, occasionally address these issues and are usually met with high praise when done tastefully.
Again, it’s not that these small victories allow us to hang up our hat and call it a day.
These “wins” are tiny nuggets of truth that will eventually snowball into a gigantic ball of positivity, that’ll do away with the negativity and shortsightedness in these issues. But that’s a long way off. We will continue to see games like Gone Home, which you play as a female lead in an emotionally powerful story, and Papers Please which shows us what it is to have someone else’s livelihood in your hands. We might start seeing some issues with racism in the coming years, as game studios (the folks who make the games) are gaining some serious headway in geographical areas such as South Asia, India, and Africa. Contests like Adobe Game Jam, Bring Your Own Game, and any NASSCOM Game Developer Conference help highlight developers from under represented areas. Hopefully with some studios gaining traction and funds we will see some truly innovative titles from these folks. And ones that might dare to shape how we view ourselves and others. As these indie titles continue to gain popularity and money, AAA studio’s and publisher’s will follow suite.
The fact that all these changes in our culture are in motion, with communities like GaymerConnect and Ladies of the Round Table, coupled with the erroneous outcry for something different from the quiet majority is a good thing. I don’t think however, that “we” gamers, as a sub-culture, are completely held responsible for the rest of the worlds views on these hot-button issues nor does it reflect the overall gaming community’s views. As much as we may like to think we alone can fix things, “this is much more of a cultural issue than an industry issue.” I think the changes are happening, albeit at a sloth-like pace, but happening none the less. Lets celebrate that on the long way to the finish line. By giving more attention to the vocal minority, you’re sometimes actually perpetuating the cycle. From my own experiences, I find taking the time to highlight the positives and the good coming from the industry, we will eventually be seen as the community we are, instead of one complaining about what we’re not.
