Despite the importance of economic aspects, nowadays, the game design industry appears to be a very determined cultural strength. Therefore, inclusion and diversity have become more important in the game industry, and inclusive game design is more welcomed than before by the game communities. Following this, game designers face new challenges to create more inclusive games. However, this demand is not the only reason behind the necessity of inclusion consideration. Furthermore, the essential requirement of developing an inclusive game opens new doors to creative orientation in the game industry environment.
This blog post aims to dive into the importance of inclusion and diversity in the gaming industry and the new possibilities that it puts on the table properly. Also, this article, hopefully, explores new ways that drive game design to more diversity with a glimpse into the future.
Importance of Representation in Gaming
Inclusion and diversity in game design are reflected in the “ game for everyone” brilliant phrase, but it is not as simple as how it appears in the first encounter. Despite the cultural and ethical aspects of diversity in game design, it also enhances gaming industry development in several ways:
Reaching more various range of audiences
I suppose each game developer has a sweet dream regarding an expanded target audience every night. That would be insightful and, at the same time, delightful if they figured out how diversity and inclusion lead them to various ranges of audiences:
- They expand their market
- They strengthen the viability
- They gain more profits
As much as possible, more types of audiences should find themselves in the game’s texture.
Opportunity to get more creativity
Imagine a game that is the result of different game designers from various cultures. You probably face an integrated structure involving various points of view and ideas.
Diversity in game design offers the opportunity to touch more diverse cultures through different storytelling traditions and visual aesthetics. So, diversity and inclusion orientations in game development drive the game design to creativity and innovation.
Touching on the social realities
By meeting inclusion and diversity, game diversity touches many concerns related to races, genders, abilities, and sexual orientations. Representing these realities causes a sense of belonging in audiences and brings a considerable amount of satisfaction and engagement.
Inclusion in Gaming Examples
There are several notable examples of inclusive games that prioritize accessibility, representation, and diverse gameplay experiences. Here are some of the best:
The Last of Us Part II
The Last of Us Part II has been released by Sony Interactive Entertainment since 2020 and narrates two characters’ stories in a post-apocalyptic US. The game designers represent LGBTQ+ by a transgender character. As well, it offers accessibility options, like text-to-speech and customizable controls to make the game more accessible for different players.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla game, which is known in the action-adventure sub-genre, has been designed for a wide range of players through the possibility of choosing the character’s gender option, setting customizable HDU, etc.
Stardew Valley
The Stardew Valley developers promote and support different lifestyles, like same-gender marriage, through a farming simulation game. Furthermore, players can build up a character and play at any speed. These potentials make Stardew Valley more and more inclusive.
Spider-Man: Miles Morales
The game Spider-Man: Miles Morales represents the other marginal voice that is related to different races by designing the black Puerto Rican protagonist. Spider-Man: Miles Morales as same as The Last of Us Part II game is known in the action-adventure sub-genre published by Sony Interactive Entertainment.
The list of best accessible games could be continued by other examples, including Celeste, Grounded, HyperDot, etc, and show how the inclusion concept could be fulfilled in game design.
Inclusive Game Audiences
What type of audience do we mean When we talk about inclusive game design in game design? Some marginal communities have been mentioned above. Reviewing more communities that inclusive games might involve makes inclusion and diversity clearer in the game design case:
Diversity of Abilities
Inclusive game design aims to accommodate players with physical, sensory, and cognitive disabilities. This includes gamers who are blind or visually impaired, deaf or hard of hearing, or have mobility challenges, as well as those with neurodiverse conditions like autism or ADHD.
Cultural Representation
The audience includes people from different cultural, ethnic, and social backgrounds. An inclusive game design seeks to represent this diversity authentically, ensuring that players see themselves in the game’s characters, stories, and environments.
Gender and Sexual Orientation
Different identities in terms of gender, sexuality, and expression are part of the audience that game designers aim to include. This involves not only representation within the game but also consideration of how gender and LGBTQ+ identities are portrayed and treated in the game’s narrative and mechanics.
Age Groups
Inclusive design considers a wide range of age demographics, ensuring that games appeal to both younger and older audiences. This can involve varying levels of complexity and themes that resonate with different age ranges.
Gaming Experience and Preferences
The audience consists of both casual and hardcore gamers, with varying levels of experience and familiarity with gaming mechanics. Inclusive design often incorporates options for varying play styles and skill levels, allowing a broader audience to engage.
Forward to Inclusion in Gaming
After mentioning the value of inclusive games and considering the best inclusive game design examples, it turns to steps that drive game designers to go forward to inclusion in gaming.
Inclusive Game Design
Does your product involve diable players? How can different genders find themselves through playing your games? What about players with various cultural backgrounds? If game designers aim to create a diverse game, they have to answer these questions properly while developing games. There are so many technical and authentic possibilities to reach an inclusive game design, like
- Visual and Auditory Options
- Control Customization
- Difficulty Settings
- Diverse Storylines
- Character Representation
- Accessibility Audit
- Inclusive Design Principles
- Iterative Design
- Ongoing Feedback Loops
The next step might be building a team including so many diverse backgrounds.
Diverse Game Designer Teams
Each team member potentially brings different points of view to a project by themselves, their identity, culture, etc. As well they affect projects in a diverse atmosphere. In the case of game design, various game developers’ backgrounds automatically lead the product to an inclusive game.
Community Engagement
To represent marginal voices, game designers first have to hear these voices through interaction with them in various communities. Without understanding their needs, demands, and desires, developers cannot answer them. Social platforms, specifically game community forums, would be a significant place to hug these voices. Automatically, it drives you to create more inclusive games.
Industry Partnerships
Don’t underestimate NGOs! They always welcome new ideas and collaboration with different experts to enhance their social mission. You can also define these collaborations as part of the CSR studio. In the case of the game design industry, many organizations like AbleGamers smile at your ideas and suggestions to develop inclusive games.
Follow the Future of Inclusive Game Design
The inclusive game design orientation is tied up to the future of the game industry and game tech. Would you like to get deeper into the future of game tech? Please read the article” A Quick Review on The Hexagon That Shapes The Future of Gaming Technology”.
If you aim to follow a futuristic approach, you need to consider inclusive game design as well. Although meeting many Inclusion and diversity goals, there are many gaps yet to be filled out that you can truly think of fulfilling, like
- New technologies
- Cultivation
- Systemic reformation
Go for them, extend your market, guarantee your studio’s sustainability, make more profits, and be part of the future of game study.
Q&A
1. What is the relationship between disability and video games?
The relationship between disability and video games involves accessibility innovations that enable inclusive gaming experiences for individuals with diverse abilities.
2. How can game designers compensate for the lack of diversity in video games?
Game designers can compensate for the lack of diversity by actively incorporating diverse characters, narratives, and cultural perspectives into their games, ensuring representation and inclusivity.
Sources: University of Silicon Valley, Forbes
