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Video Games: E3 - so was it a white guy-fest again? - The Guardian
Member Since: 3/15/2013
Posts: 7,225
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E3 - so was it a white guy-fest again? - The Guardian
Excerpt:
Quote:
Ask five people who follow the video games industry what to expect from an E3 press conference and they’ll all paint you a similar picture. Bright lights on a big stage, lengthy cinematic trailers for shooters starring gravelly-voiced stubble-faced white men, interspersed with awkward patter from white men in suits (or, depending on the publisher, suit jackets and T-shirts and trainers), cheered and whooped at by a largely white male audience. This industry is often unwelcoming to women and underrepresented minorities, and these widely watched events do little to counter that.
Of course, some conferences do better than others. This year, we’ve judged EA, Bethesda, Microsoft, Ubisoft, and Sony for the diversity of their speakers and of the games and characters on show. How do they compare?
EA
The event: EA is known for its shooting and its sports, which this year included Madden NFL 17 and FIFA 17 sandwiched between Titanfall 2 and the irritatingly-named Battlefield 1, with a brief mention of new Star Wars: Battlefront content for good measure.
More interesting were the brief glimpses at Mass Effect: Andromeda and Amy Hennig’s untitled Star Wars game, though both had little enough to show that any in-game footage was padded with concept art and clips of developers looking busy.
Player character diversity: This year EA lacked many games with identifiable protagonists, but with FIFA 17’s new story mode starring a black Manchester United hopeful called Alex Hunter and the teaser for Mass Effect: Andromeda ending with the default female version of protagonist [your chosen first name here] Ryder, there was nary an identifiable white guy to be seen.
Speaker diversity: Of the dozen or so speakers on the stage, it was the actor playing fictional footballer Hunter who had the best stage presence. The conference may have only featured one female speaker, but EA is lucky to be able to call on former Ubisoft producer and Assassin’s Creed creator Jade Raymond.
Bechdel test: With only one woman speaking on stage, EA couldn’t hope to pass the Bechdel test. Here’s hoping next year features Jade Raymond chatting to Amy Hennig over footage from her upcoming untitled Star Wars game.
Other positives: Though their speakers were largely white and male, EA did express a commitment to diversity with its Play to Give programme, through which it will donate $1m to organisations such as HeForShe, Code.org, and SpecialEffect.
Conclusion: While even one woman on stage is more than some others manage, a company as large as EA has no excuse for being so limited. The Play to Give programme suggests an interest in diversity, but it would have been nice to see that represented on stage. Still, with a game as hotly anticipated as Mass Effect: Andromeda it was nice to meet the female Ryder first.
Diversity rating: 2/5
Bethesda
The event: Bethesda had no hope of topping its debut conference last year, in which it announced Fallout 4 with a release date that same year, and even its new announcements this year were unsurprising. Quake Champions is a predictable follow-up to the recently released Doom, after all, though the CGI trailer suggests it hasn’t been under proper development for long.
Player character diversity: Bethesda is known for its RPGs that offer diversity in character creation, but as far as identifiable protagonists go, we saw a man called Morgan Yu looking in the mirror in Prey, and a grown-up Emily Kaldwin partnering with her old man Corvo in Dishonored 2.
Speaker diversity: Bethesda’s relatively short conference only had five speakers, but they were all men.
Bechdel test: You can forget women talking to each other when you don’t even allow any women on stage.
Other positives: Bethesda’s was the first conference to acknowledge, albeit silently, the recent mass shooting in a gay club in Orlando, with speakers wearing rainbow pins.
Conclusion: The only identifiable woman in Bethesda’s press conference was Emily Kaldwin, and while she made a strong showing it’s unfortunate she has to share the limelight with her ageing father.
Diversity rating: 1/5
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Full Article
Thoughts? Do you think there should at least be more diversity in the speakers that these companies have at E3?
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Member Since: 5/27/2016
Posts: 3,578
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DON'T THE CREATORS SPEAK FOR THE GAMES?
if that's the case then... if the creators are white and male how is it their issue?
it'd be upsetting if a female made a game a game and then she made a white man go and present it for her
but that's not the case
now if we are talking about the people doing the interviews... they legit had an Asian guy and a female...
so...
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Member Since: 8/17/2013
Posts: 13,869
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Ubisoft stays slaying they deserved higher than 3/5 for diversity imo. Their conferences have been so great and fun ever since Aisha's addition
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Member Since: 8/4/2012
Posts: 2,758
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Quote:
Originally posted by Bayonsay
Ubisoft stays slaying Their conferences have been so great and fun ever since Aisha's addition
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its just a shame about the games they release
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Member Since: 2/5/2014
Posts: 1,057
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No shade, but I have the feeling videogames and the IT/Developing world is pretty much ruled by men. I guess those things are just less popular amongst women.
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Member Since: 9/3/2011
Posts: 22,014
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Quote:
Originally posted by C SLAYCLAIR
DON'T THE CREATORS SPEAK FOR THE GAMES?
if that's the case then... if the creators are white and male how is it their issue?
it'd be upsetting if a female made a game a game and then she made a white man go and present it for her
but that's not the case
now if we are talking about the people doing the interviews... they legit had an Asian guy and a female...
so...
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Yeah, the gaming industry is like 99% white guys so I don't understand this
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ATRL Contributor
Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 59,202
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Microsoft slaying with 3/5
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Member Since: 8/17/2013
Posts: 13,869
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Quote:
Originally posted by artpop
its just a shame about the games they release
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I enjoy their games. The Far Cry, Rayman and Trials franchises are great.
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Member Since: 5/27/2016
Posts: 4,241
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Gaming is notorious for this. Anyone remember gamergate? Such a hostile place for women/minorities.
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Member Since: 1/4/2014
Posts: 8,187
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so because its made by white men, it devalues the company and games itself?
you people are pathetic
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Member Since: 5/27/2016
Posts: 1,840
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I don't think they should force diversity just for the sake of diversity, they should pick whoever is best to speak about the games and if that happens to be 10 black woman or 10 white men then so be it.
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Member Since: 1/4/2014
Posts: 8,187
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Quote:
Originally posted by EtherealCat
I don't think they should force diversity just for the sake of diversity, they should pick whoever is best to speak about the games and if that happens to be 10 black woman or 10 white men then so be it.
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!!
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Member Since: 5/27/2016
Posts: 4,241
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Quote:
Originally posted by EtherealCat
I don't think they should force diversity just for the sake of diversity, they should pick whoever is best to speak about the games and if that happens to be 10 black woman or 10 white men then so be it.
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the problem is, if minorities and women already have a hard time getting into the gaming industry, they can never get to the point of being the best person to speak about the games which is why they need affirmative action
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Member Since: 3/14/2013
Posts: 19,483
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Quote:
Originally posted by Haus
Yeah, the gaming industry is like 99% white guys so I don't understand this
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Pretty much. It's dominated by mostly men in gaming related fields, not for the lack of trying however.
So the fact they're trying to make this a misogynistic and racist issue is ridiculous.
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Member Since: 2/9/2012
Posts: 10,283
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Who wrote this? Go back to tumblr.
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Member Since: 5/17/2009
Posts: 18,731
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This makes my head hurt. They are like woman and minorities don't have a choice.
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Member Since: 8/18/2013
Posts: 40,566
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I don't understand this. What is E3?
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Member Since: 1/4/2014
Posts: 8,187
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Quote:
Originally posted by B'Day
I don't understand this. What is E3?
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showcase for computer, video and mobile games and related products. every company involved in gaming and technology showcase new products games etc
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Member Since: 11/12/2009
Posts: 14,298
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Quote:
Originally posted by Brite Lites ☆
Who wrote this? Go back to tumblr.
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This
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Member Since: 1/19/2012
Posts: 13,768
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So Playstation gamers are racist?
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