8 Ways The Gaming Industry Can Improve

If you take even a cursory glance at the world around us, you will see people of different shapes, sizes, colors, religions, and mindsets, and yet videogames still do not seem to be reflecting this cultural hotpot we live in when it comes to offering protagonists that are both progressive and diverse.

Now true, we are making steps, we are seeing some publishers deliver something other than straight white men with buzzcuts, angry expressions, and a subscription to the NRA newsletter, but these are still very much in the minority. It speaks to publishers attempting to cater to what they assume to be the biggest demographic, but what it's actually breeding is a homogeneity that makes every title feel the same.

With the likes of Hellblade, Celeste and upcoming titles like Forspoken we're able to see how diverse characters themselves present the opportunity to tell different stories, to hit emotional beats that otherwise simply couldn't be reached, and that's an essential part of actually growing the industry we love so much. I want to be part of a gaming community that feels represented and is able to air challenging issues on race, culture and sexuality.

However, this request for change itself comes with a request of its own, as we the wider gaming public need to be open to experiencing these tales and not say, be an absolute turd who complains that Aloy has hair on the side of her face like any normal person does.

That is an aspect of the gaming community that most definitely can improve.