As a seasoned gamer with memories that stretch back to the early days of gaming, I’ve seen the evolution of this industry like a rollercoaster ride through time. Back then, games were raw and unapologetic, much like our youthful spirit. But times have changed, and so has the gaming landscape.
Initially during video game creation, many game developers diligently focused on their tasks without paying much heed to the cultural, racial, gender-based, or societal concerns that are prevalent in today’s gaming industry.
They had a great deal of freedom in their expressions, as they could barely be held accountable for anything. While it’s important to take some of these ideas into consideration when creating, aiming to satisfy every possible player could potentially compromise the final outcome of the game.
These days, there’s a strong focus on monitoring societal issues, even extending to game material. Yet, this approach has led to several misfires lately.
Let’s discuss an important question: Who bears the primary responsibility for a game’s performance at its release, or even before it hits the market – the gaming developers and publishers themselves?
When it comes to game development, creators typically design and construct the games, while publishers often provide the funding and distribute the final product. Generally speaking, developers tend to have greater freedom in their decision-making processes.
creators have the freedom to communicate in whatever manner suits them best. However, if your studio is a fledgling one without financial backing, you’ll find yourself needing assistance from publishers – a situation that may prove challenging because they are the ones who establish the guidelines, and it’s important to note that many publishers heavily censor content.
In simpler terms, during the early gaming era (1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s), publishers would often encourage developers to create grand games that could generate revenue. However, nowadays, they are more concerned with issues such as societal acceptance of content, inclusivity, potential discrimination, and avoiding backlash or cancellation.
Publishers strive to ensure that the games they release do not elicit disapproval from ‘woke’ individuals or today’s generation. To achieve this, they often incorporate elements designed to please everyone. The issue arises when attempting to please everyone, as you may end up excluding or offending a significant segment of the gaming community – those who are accustomed to the more liberal content that was prevalent in earlier years.
Additionally, some large corporations bring on firms specializing in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) to guide them through inclusion issues such as diversity. Regrettably, several of these DEI-focused companies have received poor ratings from gaming review platforms and communities, and I can’t help but think of Suicide Squad when considering this.
Have an opinion on this article? We’d love to hear it!
It’s acceptable and even enjoyable for me to see diversity and inclusion in video games. However, I don’t appreciate being pressured or forced to accept them just because they’re popular. Developers should understand their primary audience – the gaming community – rather than trying to please society as a whole.
In the game Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Ubisoft introduced a black samurai character, who may or may not be historically accurate (there is no conclusive evidence). This move was made to promote diversity within their games, but some gamers have criticized this decision. Consequently, there are concerns that the game might struggle in sales before it even hits the market.
Compare this to Black Myth: Wukong, which was rumored to have its developers visited by these DEI companies so they could add inclusion, but they did not comply. As a result, the gaming community is impressed with the stance, and it might even result in a bigger launch later than expected.
So, are game companies at fault for having games flop these days? Absolutely.
Because of some misguided choices, an overemphasis on pleasing everyone, and the addition of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, it seems the game development process has become somewhat complex and confusing.
In a straightforward manner, it’s best that diversity and inclusion become an inherent aspect rather than the main focus when developing your project or game.
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2024-08-14 16:12