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Do Video Games Need Minority Characters?

Don’t get me wrong – I am part of the “minority” here. But do we really need to bitch about video games NOT having enough characters coming from minority groups? I am sure that you have been reading about this recent issue.

A study was conducted by a group at the University of Southern California wherein they looked at 150 video games thoroughly (the top games for one year). Their findings are:

For example, it found that fewer than 3 per cent of video game characters were recognisably Hispanic, and all of them were non-playable, background characters.

Women, children and the elderly also were underrepresented. For example, only 10 per cent of playable characters surveyed were female, though women now make up 40 per cent of video game players.

I guess any avid video game player could have told you that. I don’t think that video game developers and designers would even deny the findings.

The more important question, I think, is: does it really matter?

I guess if you think like the researchers do, it does matter. According to psychology professor Dmitri Williams:

“In television, it was always a landmark moment when some minority or disenfranchised group appeared on the screen for the first time. That kind of visibility is really the first step toward leading to public consciousness and equal treatment. These cultural markers matter.”

I see his point, I really do. Some people would try out a game – even if it would normally not be to his liking – if his minority group were represented in it for the first time. But I doubt that that would make a difference if the game sucked. That person would not play that game again.

I think that what matters is whether the game is good or not. Period. What say you?