Because people deserve a cosmopolitan gaming universe
Whether it’s muscular male heroes sporting bandanas and hefting large guns or scantily clothed bikini girls, all video game genres have their stereotypes. Back in the 16-bit days of gaming’s infancy, characters that were immediately recognisable were the safest bet for developers hoping to build a commercially successful franchise. But in today’s multicultural world shouldn’t video game characters evolve to reflect the tastes of the increasing diverse game playing audiences?
Television’s done it, the film industry has done it, heck, even comic book creators have conceded to the fact that people want to see more relatable characters in their entertainment media. So, why can’t game creators buck the stereotypical testosterone-charged male leads and give us what we want already? Although some notable changes have taken place since the days of Duke Nukem and Tomb Raider, many of the same stale personalities are still jemmied into today’s chart-topping releases.
Engrained in the minds of so many of us, thanks to years of storytelling and the socially accepted stereotype of the modern age, is the image of the valiant white male. Broad shouldered, with close-cropped hair and a physique that defines the meaning of male dominance. This image is one that video games have always been quick to capitalise on, with Gears of War’s Marcus Fenix and Resident Evil 5’s Chris Redfield being two recent examples.
Of course, these iron-pumping action stars are only one side of a much worn out dice. And where would these heroes be without their femme co-stars? From rescuing Princess Peach to unearthing ancient relics as Lara Croft, the feisty females of the gaming world have made their fair share of advancements over the years too. Whether or not gamemakers have crafted characters with enough personality to appeal to the female sex is another matter. Although, the obvious pandering to male tastes in Soulcalibur IV and Dead or Alive do nothing to reach beyond the traditional game playing market.
I for one would love to see greater variety in the protagonists and personalities game creators design. For example, taking inspiration from traditional matinee serials and pulp magazines, Naughty Dog’s Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, played host to some of the most believable characters yet seen in a video game. Sure, Drake was another good-looking rough-and-ready everyman, but it was has wisecrack nature and honest misconceptions that really shone through. When faced with near impossible odds, Drake didn’t shout macho taunts at his attackers, but rather cursed his bad luck before running for cover. And fellow adventurer, Elena Fisher, did her fair share of rescuing Drake too.
The characters in Uncharted were a welcome change, but one example isn’t enough to captivate all of gaming’s numerous audiences. If games are to truly be embraced on an artistic level as much as films then female protagonists and ethnic minorities will have to be given greater focus in the stories of tomorrow.
It’s not that developers haven’t tried already – Perfect Dark, Beyond Good & Evil, Heavenly Sword, Dreamfall: The Longest Journey, Portal and Mirror’s Edge all feature female heroines. However, sequels are rarely green lit for these games, so their adventures are almost always reduced to self-contained escapades that hint at deeper character exploration but never prove themselves fully. One instance of this that springs to mind is SCE Studio Cambridge’s 2003 demon-fest, Primal. Despite terrific performances from Hudson Leick and Andreas Katsulas as playable characters, Jen and Scree, not to mention a half decent plot, this original IP failed to make way for a returning franchise. Are female heroines doomed to forever be stuck in the bargain bin limbo of one-hit-wonders?
Now, when I think about the ethnic diversity of video games we’re looking at an even bigger problem. And of course, it doesn’t help that when ethnic minorities do show up in video games they’re often poorly developed, two-dimensional stereotypes in themselves. Rico Velasquez (Killzone) and Cole Train (Gears of War) are two such cases that irritate me to no end. Loudmouthed brawlers, swearing every five seconds and presenting all the likability of today’s most grotesque hip hop personas. And black women? Well, I can’t even remember the last time I was treated to video game narrative solely from a black female’s perspective. Outside of Shadow Man, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and a handful of others there aren’t many titles I can think of that feature a non-white lead character – very disappointing really.
Judging by the evidence, gaming has a very long road to travel before it can be justified as a cultural touchstone for everybody. This post has already been long enough without so much as a mention to JRPG’s overused representations and predictable relationships, but before I waffle on any further I’ll rein myself in here. Developers, if you’re listening, please stop rehashing these cookie-cut allegorical characters and give us some real personalities. In the meantime I’m going to make some of my own in LittleBigPlanet. Cheerio.
Aaron Lee
[Originally published on Monday, 9 March 2009]
Tags: culture, representation, stereotype
