Progressive gamers, developers seek to eradicate stereotypes from industry

Zachary Clemente starting gaming when he was 6, but in college he started playing less of “Counter-Strike” and other first-person shooter games because he felt they were too violent and aggressive.

He started looking for other games and in 2008 became engrossed with “Beyond Good & Evil,” a 2003 action-adventure game made by Ubisoft. It featured a female protagonist named Jade, an investigative reporter tasked with taking care of orphans while exposing an alien conspiracy.

“I wanted other stories, other perspectives that I could relate to or that were alien to me, so that I could experience something different. For the time period that she was made, Jade was a spectacular character,” Clemente said.

A few years later, he found “Journey,” an exploration game created by thatgamecompany in 2012 for the PlayStation 3. Lauded for its expansive scenery and unique storytelling, players interacted with each other online as genderless robed figures identified by symbols that could only communicate through chirps. The experience meant so much to Clemente that he got a tattoo of the symbol that represented him in the game.

[SaveFerris]

Interesting article. Developers like Bioware are adding more diverse characters to their games such as Dorian and Sera in Dragon's Age: Inquisition and I hope to see more well written characters in other games too.

[Blacktric]

"Eric Starker, 38, found that mainstream games were not meeting his expectations for equal representation. About two years ago, he started a group in Seattle called Queer Geek for LGBTQ gamers. Keeping tabs on the industry helped Starker learn about games like “dys4ia” by Anna Anthropy, “Depression Quest” by Zöe Quinn and “Gone Home,” created by Fullbright."

Yeah, I'm not taking this seriously in any shape or form. AlJazeera's "objectivity" was apparent from the last GamerGate story they ran.

"Today gaming's fan base is more diverse than it’s ever been, but the makeup of the industry itself doesn’t yet reflect that diversity,” said 26-year-old Anthony Burch, writer for “Borderlands 2” and “Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel.”"

Jesus christ it keeps getting worse. First, a clear SJW whose only purpose of being there is to promote non games of two nepotists, and now someone who called GG supporters as "enabling child porn posting on Twitter" without any sort of evidence featured as some sort of objective voice.

[ginganinja]

SJW - "These games need more representation for these sections of society"
GG - "Stop trying to censor our games. Go and make your own if you're that bothered"
SJW - "Hey, we've made our own games and some folks really like them"
GG - "Shut up, they don't count as 'real' games. Now get out of here."
SJW - "But, we've been here from the start..."

[Nwah]

Nice strawman.

[Blacktric]

""These games need more representation for these sections of society""

And they go on to celebrate removal of games from shelves (GTA 5 from Target Australia) or distribution services (Hatred on Steam) while continue to shit on every single game that has a female character wearing skimpy clothing... And you're telling me this isn't censorship?

" "Hey, we've made our own games and some folks really like them" "

Again, just because you've made a game that's targeted at minorities or people with mental problems doesn't mean it should be shielded from criticism. Depression Quest is a laughable attempt at both making a game and a game that's supposed to teach people how to cope with depression or to show how hard it can be to live with. You can check a few of the "non SJW circlejerk" websites to see how many people who previously had depression are mocking the hell out of it.

""But, we've been here from the start...""

Yeah no. I haven't heard of ZQs or Wu's or Sarkeesian's name for 20 years. There was a massive surge in internet users back in early to mid 2000s. Where were they? If they were "role model" material, they would have made themselves known through their work. Yet one's known for making a crappy mobile game featuring half naked women that got selected to be GOTY on a website that her friend works at... And the other one got 160k dollars and still haven't delivered the videos she promised for 2+ years now.

I have however, heard many of the other female developers' names many times in that past 20 years. I guess it just requires you to be a decent person with some sort of skill and not a skinny jeans wearing hipster crybaby who thinks the world owes them because they have a vagina...

[ShaunCameron]

That first statement said all that needs to be said. Reality not living up his worldview so there must be something wrong with it and has to be "changed."

The second statement? Has it ever occurred to the writer that the makeup of the industry is due to the general lack of ability and/or willingness by those other groups to put in the time and effort required to make it? Just because you exist at all doesn't entitle you to anything.

[VX-Geist]

The stench of SJWs is strong with this one...

[ShaunCameron]

Envy and ego are what motivates them.

[annoyedgamer]

"Zachary Clemente starting gaming when he was 6, but in college he started playing less of “Counter-Strike” and other first-person shooter games because he felt they were too violent and aggressive. "

I read the first snippet on the description and that is all I need to read to know this is one of those "progressive" posts. The term progression here is as someone else mentioned. I get what I want but may not have what you want. Prepare to be eradicated. Very much akin to the Anti-Semitic propaganda spread by the Nazis in Germany prior to the Holocaust.

[hazelamy]

wow.
straight in there with the nazi comparison.

and of course you see yourself in the position of the oppressed group, right?

so, for you, people wanting games to be more inclusive is the same as the jews being sent to die in concentration camps.

and the right wing idiots say women have a victim complex.

you think millions of people being murdered is in any way comparable to somebody saying games shouldn't just be for straight males?

frankly, you disgust me.

you think your petty little boys club crap really matters that much?

that's just sad.

funny the same people who say women aren't real gamers because they play casuals and they don't take part in the community, are the first people to attack any non straight male opinion.

so the guy doesn't like violent games?
and that means he's not worth listening to?

you know, most non neanderthals see progression as a good thing.
better than stagnation.

gaming changes, i know you fear that, but you're going to have to accept it sooner or later.

[JohnathanACE]

@hazelamy
"so, for you, people wanting games to be more inclusive is the same as the jews being sent to die in concentration camps."

He didn't say that, he's saying that both progressives and Nazis use propaganda to push an agenda so they can eventually get what they want. Its funny that you complain about the Nazi comparison when its usually liberals go to insult when losing an argument (that and racist).

"you think millions of people being murdered is in any way comparable to somebody saying games shouldn't just be for straight males?"

Nobody is saying gaming should only be for straight males. Yes many games are aimed towards them but guess what? There are tons and tons of games out today that appeal to everyone (especially with the indie scene) so don't act like you don't have options.

"funny the same people who say women aren't real gamers because they play casuals and they don't take part in the community, are the first people to attack any non straight male opinion. "

Again no one is saying all women are casuals. What we don't want is hardcore games to be dumbed down for casuals. Modern gaming has become incredibly easy compared to what it once was and many games basically hold your hand. Why do you think that? To appeal to casuals of course. We need to stop dumbing down hardcore games and find a better way for casuals to move up to hardcore games so everyone is happy. Also not only women are casuals, they come in many different forms.

"so the guy doesn't like violent games?
and that means he's not worth listening to?"

No. But it shows that there's a lot of games he misses out on and he might not have the whole picture on the industry and everything gamers like.

"you know, most non neanderthals see progression as a good thing.
better than stagnation. "

So everyone who disagrees with you is a "neanderthals"? Different people have different values and definition of progression. Who are you to insultingly force your opinion on them?

"gaming changes, i know you fear that, but you're going to have to accept it sooner or later."

Yes gaming changes like everything else, look at how much the industry has changed from 10 or 20 years ago. Personally I think that the industry has generally changed for worse since and then and companies have lost touch with what games want anymore. Gamersgate is trying to stop gaming change for the worse and is trying to keep everyone happy not just one group.

[ShaunCameron]

Too bad that progression happens to be that of degradation and the general lowering of standards all in the name of being "fair and equal" which ironically breeds the very stagnation you swear to be so against.

[telekineticmantis]

It's to a point now where, I'm actually excited by diversity. As a non-white male, I've been playing games for almost 30 years and have never been upset about the protagonist almost always being a white male, I usually dare not suggest another form, but when I see a game like Hellblade, an open-world game that seems rich in mythos, a seemingly visceral almost palpable background, with a female lead who has no overtly exaggerated breast, no cleavage, looks dirty, but still brings in that unique factor of femininity, as we see her in the traler with so much scorn on her face, a hatred/need for justice/revenge, and then a subtle cry, only because she thought she was alone... I know It's 2014, but I feel like that's something I've never seen before. She envokes a powerful warrior, but not fearsome, the fear more comes from, the unknown. What is this dirty little girl doing roaming this land with a bloodstained sword? They even researched a Celtic group who did indeed have female warrios. While most games can just throw in a White male lead, or a White looking male lead, (Like most Japanese RPG, FInal Fantasy, XenoBlade, Zelda), no questions asked, no real backstory, as to what he's doing on that territory of the planet, regardless of the fact, most of the people from there are a different culture, I'm glad they made her(character from Hellblade ) have a real place in the world, by explaining her existence.

I'm starting to believe what many journalists have been saying, that indies are the future,to the point where, i'm even consideing going into game development. Because I've had so many concepts go by the wayside, for games that would be such different, but also fun concepts. Then there's my deep study of a rich history of Black culture, that people are familiar with that people weren't aware was actually Black history, such as "the dark ages", "the Byzantine empire". I would love a sophisticated delve into the untold history of that era, that's written on the walls of the temples and castles, and in the book called "Icons"(which cost $1000, absurd!).

[annoyedgamer]

Go make em if you got ideas Id be glad to experience them and so would alot of others. Dont say that there has not been diversity becore though those other games just do not get very popular because the market for them is small but they exist and not in small numbers either.

I mean it about the ideas, we need cretivity not politics and if you think you have ideas dont sit by the wayside and let them go to waste.

[00]

its funny now that's is these so called progressive SJW that a projecting the gaming stereotypes by calling all gamers misogynist white neckbeard virgin males now, and going so far as to eradicate the word gamers to change it to their own need so they can have their special little club and exclude anybody that doesn't fit said new definition.

[GokuSolosAll]

Where is it stated that Journey's characters are genderless?

Damn weirdos forcing your female protagonists, gay agenda, and rainbow race character casts. Pro tip: If a story is good and organically features a female protagonist then good. If a character happens to be gay, it shouldn't be a main issue and should, merely be alluded to or, if at all, be revealed in a low-key and natural way and not just some big digital gay pride parade and it shouldn't just arbitrarily be some gay person. Same with different races, Street Fighter had every race and it was good and natural, it also had both men and women, and even a gay dude, Poison.

Basically, keep agendas away from gaming and let stories be told naturally, don't bully developers into making your agendas happen. If you want to do that badly enough then do it yourself. Indies have freedom to make shitty games.

[Ogygian]

In other news...

Moral hubris in journalism is reaching record levels.

Quite ironic that this article makes reference to the game "Beyond Good and Evil" while asserting a dualistic view of morality itself.

[Sketchy_Galore]

Eradicating stereotypes in games sounds like a fantastic idea. No more cheesy cliche ridden games I'm embarrassed to tell people I play! Finally, some more well written and believable characters! Hoorah!

....oh wait...... by 'eradicating stereotypes' you mean relentlessly pushing positive stereotypes in order to fill a preplanned quota of equal and positive representation rather than allowing stories to evolve naturally from an artists' original vision, don't you?

[Tapani]

Normally I dig Al Jazeera (albeit reading/watching it with a filter), but the American part of the organization is a wee bit too... radical for my taste. Too much of anti-everything and too little "can't we all just get a along while reporting objectively?"

If they were saying that let all the flowers bloom and let progressive gamers create an underground culture for artistic and substance driven games, then sure, I'm in. But if progress and progressiveness means eliminating something else from the market in order for someone to push their agenda, well... that's just creating new stereotypes. Where's the progress in that?

Maybe the article's intentions are good, but the wording is slightly off. However, I do like the comments and discussion people are having here on N4G about this. Maybe progressive gamers gather under these type of articles.

All you adult (not looking at age, I'm only 32) and "progressive" gamers, feel free to add me on PSN: "ptt1982jp"