From the article:

“Play is an integral part of human evolution and learning,” she says, mentioning that this is a topic she covers in her book. “Gaming, being the most refined form of play in our time, has much to offer. Instead of focusing on what gaming is not, it’s more effective to showcase its true essence. The industry’s effort to create a more diverse range of games, beyond merely violent and intense ones, will help showcase the broad spectrum of gaming as an expression of creativity.”

  • Aielman15@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    I feel the problem is not the industry but the fanbase. As of the last few years, it’s become pretty common to see videogames become target of hatred for “going woke”: H:FW’s Aloy’s “peach fuzz”, TLOU2’s Abby being too masculine, women not living to the average beauty standard, LGBT characters “shoved down people’s throats”, character editors decoupling gender and sex or using gender-neutral language, narrative being cringe because it targets millennials (as if older games didn’t target young audiences, too)… The industry is going forward, but I don’t think the fanbase is ready yet.

    Sometimes I think the fanbase is regressing, even. I’ve seen people lamenting increased “politics” in their videogame, yet saying that MGS or FFVII or Bioshock are their favourite games. Gamers don’t even pay attention to what they consume, they merely parrot whatever their favourite influencer says. “Woke” is a meaningless term that gets thrown around whenever they don’t like something.

    • ImpressiveEssay@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      ‘Going woke,’ is referring to intent.

      Are you meeting quotes or actually engaging with race on a substantiative level.

      It’s undoubtable that a lot of race casting in recent times has been to appease audiences rather than and honest engagement with reality and irl race relations.

      Intent… it matters.

      • William@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        Intent does matter.

        But the vast majority of complaints about a game being “woke” are just the inclusion of a character this a minority in some way. The complaint isn’t about how they’re included, just that they are, usually as a main or highly visible character.

        • ImpressiveEssay@lemmy.world
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          4 months ago

          I disagree… of course in countries like America you would have some outspoken actual racist n shit…

          But the vast majority of people just don’t like casting for castings sake…

          Nobody bitches about sigourney weaver in alien… nobody bitches about Denzel playing leading roles cos he’s black, calling it 'woke. ’

          Why don’t people call that woke?

          Because its obvious. When a project is hiring just to fill a quota, often…it is extremely obvious.

          The vast vast vast majority of people don’t care what race, gender,sexuality you are, just as long as those things werent being taken into account when trying to get a job.

          Yaknow… basic equal human rights stuff.

          • ampersandrew@lemmy.world
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            4 months ago

            So if that’s all it’s about, why is there so much complaining about the race or gender of fictional characters in a video game?

            • ImpressiveEssay@lemmy.world
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              4 months ago

              I would imagine a whole myriad of different reasons, some rational and logical and some bigoted and dunse.

              And not to mention, I have seen many many many comments upset about race focused casting (over talent, ability, suitability to the role etc) and then people ask 'why are you complaining about race of gender of a fictional character."

              So… they think they commentor is being racist because they actually engage with the subject.

    • Snowflake@sh.itjust.works
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      4 months ago

      People just want to play a game. Not have to go from a normal non sexualized zombie game to a now weirdly sexualized zombie game. And then they were made to be the bad guy for not wanting to play the game. If I don’t want to watch a LGB kind of movie that’s no problem because I’m not LGBT but when it comes to games I’m homophobic for not wanting to participate.

      The problem is the industry thinks the fans owes it to them to play their shitty based game. We don’t have to play if we don’t want to. And it doesn’t make us non inclusive for not.

      • DarkThoughts@fedia.io
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        4 months ago

        but when it comes to games I’m homophobic for not wanting to participate.

        No, you’re a bigot for publicly crying about it on end instead of just not buying it. No one would give a shit about you for you not buying a game. It’s when you go to the forums and start crying woke.

        • Snowflake@sh.itjust.works
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          4 months ago

          I have not cried woke. In fact nobody cries about the wokeness or whatever bullshit they dislike in games. It’s actually quite the opposite. Where posts like this cry about people for not wanting to participate. It’s fine for me to have and even state my opinion that I’m not gay so I don’t want to play a game advertised as being a gay kind of game lmao. Especially on a post like this. If you truly didn’t give a shit then… You wouldn’t give a shit. Why respond here?

          • DarkThoughts@fedia.io
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            4 months ago

            In fact nobody cries about the wokeness or whatever bullshit they dislike in games. It’s actually quite the opposite.

            lol

            If you truly didn’t give a shit then… You wouldn’t give a shit. Why respond here?

            Oh no… Are you offended that I’m not tolerating your intolerance? I’m so not sorry.

      • Katana314@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        This same person will claim that Dead Rising, a series that’s had hot twin sisters battle you with katanas, is not sexualized.

        • Snowflake@sh.itjust.works
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          4 months ago

          That has to be copium. If I don’t want to play the game then I don’t have to lmao be mad. Idc if hot twin sisters battle me with katanas if you do then… Don’t play?

                • Snowflake@sh.itjust.works
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                  4 months ago

                  So explain how? Otherwise it’s just ad hominem. I mean if two twin Butler shirtless 6 pack men or woman attacked me in some game with katanas that’s sexualized? I’m sorry but how horny are you? I don’t think that’s sexualizing I think thats time for me to play the game and defeat them like???