Posted on 03/22/2014 5:05:25 AM PDT by markomalley
BioWare Montreal's gameplay designer Manveer Heir received a standing ovation for his rousing "Misogyny, Racism and Homophobia: Where Do Video Games Stand?" talk at GDC yesterday.
He challenged the industry to demolish the many stereotypes that exist in video games and accept "a social responsibility to mankind".
"These negative stereotypes affect the identity of individuals in these groups. They affect the way people think and treat others in the real world, and perpetuate the social injustices that occur in these different groups," he said, according to Polygon.
"We should use the ability of our medium to show players the issues first-hand, or give them a unique understanding of the issues and complexities by crafting game mechanics along with narrative components that result in dynamics of play that create meaning for the player in ways that other media isn't capable of."
He says it's "very cynical" to assume the audience isn't capable of embracing a gay hero or heroine, or "more exclusive women protagonists in games that aren't glorified sex objects and actually have personalities beyond supporting the men in the game", GamesIndustry International's report added.
Realism arguments - ie that women weren't soldiers in medieval times, for example - are "laughable" excuses, he said. Dragons didn't exist either.
'But the audience doesn't respond as well to heroes who aren't white males!' - ie those games sell fewer copies. Hogwash, he argued. Those untypical games simply don't have the investment the typical blockbusters do.
"I want us as an industry to stop being so scared... Let's create a game that changes the core experience for the player... Let's find a way to challenge the majority and the minority perception of how we deal with race, gender, sexual orientation and all other sources of social injustices we have in our world," he said.
"Let's not be scared to ruffle feathers and let's be open and honest about our intentions. Let's push and engage in a new discourse as a result of these dynamics. And let's do all of this because what we are currently doing is absolutely not working.
"But this problem isn't solved with words, it's solved with action," he continued, building to a climax. "It's solved not only with intent but convictions and a little bit of courage. It's solved by fighting, by challenging your team to do something a little deeper and making something that's important to you. It's solved by you here in this room. And that is our ability to change and impact the world. This is the way to push the art form. This is our way to challenge ourselves and others.
"Wherever we stand today as an industry, I am confident that we will stand somewhere far better tomorrow as long as you right here are willing to be an agent of change. I sincerely hope you are ready for that challenge because I sure as hell am!"
Since the typical gamer is a white male, you give them the games and characters they want. Any company that tries to follow this fools advice will feel it on the bottom line.
Agreed. PC BS will fail in the gaming world.
Why wasn’t he tossing his grenades?
LOL - Gaming is the last place in society where our young men can go to escape all of the social engineering idiocy. Sorry, but the simple fact is that it was white Christian men supported and aided by white Christian women who created and forged a society based on liberty for all, including women and minorities.
So, fight on young men, and please fight as hard for yourselves as you have for others. We have your back!
I haven't played MW2 in a long time, and only played that mission a couple of times. (and can't say I shot civilians, but you do have to fire your weapon when the cops arrive)
You do get a grenade launcher though lol
“Do you even get Grenades in that Mission?”
Yes. Of course, I never used them...
As far as I am concerned, the cat is already out of the bag.
All forms of media has been at work for several decades changing attitudes toward many issues. For example, same sex marriage is sweeping the nation because the culture has been force fed the “gay is fine.”
They didn’t learn their lesson with the 1982 video game “Custer’s Revenge”, which had almost no sales until they railed against it, after which is sold 80,000 copies at $49.95 each.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Custer%27s_Revenge
As loaded with horrific violence, murder, rape, more rape, etc. as games like the Grand Theft Auto series are today, the makers probably hope against hope that somebody will rant and rail against their game, thus increasing sales.
She is a staple of these genre.
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