Game Designers: 3 Recommendations to Improve Diversity & Inclusion Through LGBTQ+ Representation

            For game designers, creating narratives that appeal to the diversifying audience of gamers is crucial to building and maintaining a strong audience.  As a Northwestern student specializing in journalism and marketing for digital media (and a lover of video games for nearly my whole life), I have found 2 articles on LGBTQ+ representation in particular which will interest you.

            Nielsen conducted a study in 2015 analyzing how marginalized communities perceive and evaluate the representation of their identities in games.  According to their article, "How Diverse are Video Gamers - and the Characters They Play?," which published data on the study, 65% of LGBTQ+ gamers disagree with the statement that “all sexual orientations have ample representation in games.”  Furthermore, despite their dissatisfaction with representation, the article also states that 65% of LGBTQ+ consumers play video games, edging out heterosexual consumers (63%).  Finally, the article suggests that “considering all demographics when creating video game characters, as well as in marketing efforts, may help the gaming industry reach their audience in more meaningful and personal ways.” 

            

A still from the LGBTQ+-friendly game NIght in the Woods. 
(source:   https://medium.com/anomalyblog/night-in-the-woods-generational-divide-and-queerness-55b89269891f )

            The second article, “Why I’m afraid video games will continue to ‘bury its gays,’” was published more recently – August 2017 – on Polygon.  Here, the author Khee Hoon Chan analyzes several tropes found in using queer characters in video games.  She examines queerbaiting, the tactic of pairing off same-gender characters as a “potential” couple to satisfy LGBTQ+ audiences, and “burying your gays,” or killing off LGBTQ+ characters at an unbalanced rate compared to straight characters.  She ends the article by urging for more “hopeful and uplifting” narratives for LGBTQ+ characters.  

            Based on my review of the two articles and my studies at NU on audience development in marketing, I have created 3 recommendations to use when you are thinking of how to better serve the LGBTQ+ community in your games.

1.     Know Your Audience – the LGBTQ+ gaming community is strong (and getting stronger by the day) - It’s time more triple-A games reflected that representation.

2.     Hire Diverse Designers – Who better to design authentic LGBTQ+ narratives than members of the community itself?

3.     Emulate Indie Talent – Plenty of massively successful indie games (Gone Home, Undertale, Night in the Woods) center LGBTQ+ characters; recognize good talent and take notes!

            As a game designer use these recommendations next time you’re thinking of inclusion and diversity in your games!

Jayden Zvonar is a graduating senior at Northwestern studying Journalism with a certificate in Integrated Marketing Communications.  He also specializes in sociology & gender and sexuality studies.  Please feel free to reach out to him on Twitter or LinkedIn!