Inclusivity and Diversity In Volition games, other games, and some science! Elizabeth Zelle @kohizeri Who am I? Associate User Researcher At Volition since 2008 GUR since 2012 Premises:
FACT: Video games characters tend to not be very diverse
FACT: This does not reflect the diversity of our playerbase
FACT: Inclusive characters can make some players feel good
FACT: Inclusive characters may also increase motivation to play Premises:
There is a ‘Player Need’ to see elements of themselves reflected in games that they play
THIS DOES NOT MEAN:
That all players are equally motivated by this need
That all games must address this need Representation
What is “inclusivity”? noun An intention or policy of including people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized
How are people feeling excluded in games?
Players who do not see their own gender, ethnicity, sexuality, and/or body types represented frequently in the medium may
feel excluded
attackofthekitten.tumblr.com/post/127518626167 http:// 2012
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2015 Williams, D., et al (2009). The virtual census: representations of gender, race and age in video games. Williams, D., et al (2009). The virtual census: representations of gender, race and age in video games. Representation
Why is representation socially important? Social Identity Theory Presence of portrayals of a group serve as an indicator of that group’s weight in society Absence of portrayals can lead to feelings of relative unimportance and powerlessness Why is representation important in games?
Players that see aspects of their self in a game character can form faster, deeper emotional connections These players can then have an increased
motivation to play the title
theharlotofferelden.tumblr.com/post/128725859283 http:// The Virtual Self
Actual Self vs. Ideal Self Virtual Self
Self Discrepancy Theory
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http://barbwire.wpengine.netdna http://www.chickensmoothie.com/ The Virtual Self
Allows exploration “Video games are intrinsically motivating in part because they provide a context (albeit a virtual one) in which players can explore different aspects of their selves and “try on” ideal characteristics.” – Przybylski et al.
Can improve mental well-being “Users realize some aspects of their “ideal selves” through the avatar, which may have positive implications for those with low self-esteem” – Ducheneaut et al.
More impactful to female, older, and (possibly) POC users art.tumblr.com/post/108980283059
- “Female users are more likely to create avatars that are idealized versions of themselves compared to male users. […] Older users broadly prefer creating an avatar that looks
like an idealized version of themselves.” – Ducheneaut et al.
keelahsomethigh http:// Other Science
In-Group Favoritism • A pattern of favoring members of one’s own group • NOT the same as out-group negativity
Presence • “A psychological state in which virtual objects are experienced as actual objects in either sensory or nonsensory ways.“ – Lombard • Some players have a “need for presence,”
or tendency to enjoy feeling “there” in http://tempertampon.tumblr.com/post/129199083470 game environments - Skalski et al. Remember!
Players value characters in a variety of ways: Utility Personal Investment Identity and Self-Expression Enjoyment New-Experience Memory and Sentimental Aesthetic and Creative Sociability
Social Communication
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Your game doesn’t need to meet all of them! chirun http:// http://jakface.tumblr.com/post/80702487090 And now, Saints Row…
How have we approached diversity? Character Customization Diverse NPCs Gender-neutral scripts Gender-neutral romances Gender-neutral clothing Learning from our mistakes Not singling out specific groups with our
humor
thefreshprinceofstilwater.tumblr.com/post/1101025562 http:// Saints Row – A History
Saints Row Saints Row 2 Limited Customization Went ALL IN on customization
Diverse cast, but leaning on stereotypes Became more satirical
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZsBYfKSEwg http://www.chickensmoothie.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRtzfzRujHU Saints Row – A History
Saints Row the Third Saints Row IV Streamlined our player customization Added romances
Became full-on satire Introduced multiple new POC NPCs
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http://saintsrow.wikia.com/wiki/Romance http://www.gamesradar.com/top Saints Row IV
Inclusive Protagonist: We allow total customization of the Boss Are totally gender and ethnicity-neutral in how we handle that character
Diverse Supporting Cast: The ‘main cast’ of SRIV was less than 50% White Dudes Women: Shaundi (x2), Asha, Kinzie POC: Keith Davis, Ben King, Johnny Gat, Pierce, Asha
Have well-rounded characters:
Tried to avoid stereotypes and tokenism http://hyperbali.tumblr.com/post/55726831810 Saints Row IV Data
Initial Player Customization Usage During SRIV Playtests (n=81)
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0% Male Female White AA Hispanic Asian Saints Row IV Data
Initial Player Customization Usage During SRIV Playtests (n=81)
• Nearly 85% engaged in at least some form of customization
• Women and POC were very likely to recreate core elements of their own
identity in their Boss http://nihilnovisubsole.tumblr.com/post/70073430234 Saints Row IV Data
Initial Player Customization Usage During SRIV Playtests (n=81)
• White Males were more likely to create ‘wacky’ Bosses
• Customization options used most frequently were ones that make large scale changes most immediately visible and recognizable • Gender, body type, skin color, hair
color, hair style, voice http://sanjefe.tumblr.com/post/102882814796 Saints Row IV Data
Conclusion: Saints Row IV playtesters use customization to create a diverse array of Bosses, frequently reflecting core aspects of their actual selves
Hypotheses:
• Players underrepresented in games often take this opportunity to see themselves • Players who do see themselves represented in games use customization to experiment more with gender and skin color, and also create more ‘wacky’ Bosses
Supporting Data:
• “Female user more likely to create avatars that are idealized version of themselves [...] male users tend to favor avatars that stand out more.” – Ducheneaut et al. Saints Row IV Data
Players spent an average of roughly 5 minutes in initial customization.
This is what you can accomplish: Volition and Diversity
• We use gender-inclusive options on surveys
• Conduct an annual Fan Census to stay aware of the makeup of our fanbase
• Focus our social media on sharing and supporting how fans interact with our
games http://kingsiha.tumblr.com/post/105590006272 Volition and Diversity
Studies support that increased emotional attachment to characters, and the ability to see oneself present in those characters, increases likelihood of continued play of a title in some players.
By providing diverse NPCs and a customizable Boss, we offer a wider array of players a character to form an attachment
to. http://antivanbrandy.tumblr.com/post/99506464807
How Do Other Titles Handle This?
There are many ways to handle diversity and inclusivity
• No Main Character • Cast-of-Character Selection • Hidden Main Character • Authored Character • Character Customization • MP-Only Customization No Main Character
Some very successful titles do not have a protagonist
• Ex: Candy Crush • Ex: Tetris
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Tetris
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http://i.ytimg.com/vi/yHOpuQfoUK4/maxresdefault.jpg http://images.eurogamer.net/2014/usgamer/Game No Main Character
Some very successful titles do not have a protagonist
PROS: CONS: • Accessible to everyone • Nothing for players to identify with Hidden Main Character
Some games obscure the main character
• Ex: Journey • Ex: Metroid
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Tetris
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http://images.eurogamer.net/2014/usgamer/Game http://thatgamecompany.com/ Hidden Main Character
Some games obscure the main character
PROS: CONS: • Accessible to everyone • More constrained storytelling • Less for players to identify with Character Customization
Some games allow character looks to be customized
• Ex: Dragon Age • Ex: Fallout
http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Ales2ugEMOw/maxresdefault.jpg http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LY0I2outHMQ/maxresdefault.jpg Character Customization
Some games allow character looks to be customized
PROS: CONS: • Accessible to everyone • More constrained storytelling (within bounds of the system) • Resource intensive Cast-of-Character Selection
The player is allowed to select their choice from a cast
• Ex: Overwatch • Ex: Borderlands
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overwatch.blizzplanet.com static
http:// http:// Cast-of-Character Selection
The player is allowed to select their choice from a cast
PROS: CONS: • Able to develop authored • Not possible to represent experiences all players • Provide a variety of characters for • Story telling resources players to identify with divided Authored Character
Some games deliver a strong, authored protagonist(s)
• Ex: GTA V • Ex: Tomb Raider
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www.rockstargames.com/ http://edge.alluremedia.com.au/m/k/2013/03/m_tombraider_03.jpg Authored Character
Some games deliver a strong, authored protagonist(s)
PROS: CONS: • Story is focused on one • Very limited representation character, allowing more depth • Players can be discomforted • Player can be forced into by some experiences experiences outside of their comfort zone • MP-Only Customization
Some games only allow customization in their multiplayer
• Ex: GTA V Online • Ex: Call of Duty
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http://callofduty.wikia.com/wiki/Call_of_Duty:_Advanced_Warfare http://cdn3 What Can You Do?
The Industry has a lot of momentum • We’re heavily cis, straight, white dudes • Diversity can be seen as “risky”
Example of our stuck-in-a-rut-ness: • When Naughty Dog hired a firm to do focus testing on The Last of Us, women were by default being excluded from
testing groups http://kakumei.tumblr.com/image/129616783767 What Can You Do?
Be Aware • You are not representative of your entire player base • Just being actively aware of this can reduce your biases
Ask Questions • “Why is this character white? Is that a crucial part of their backstory?”
• “Why are all of the enemies male?” http://orokay.tumblr.com/post/129095401387 What Can You Do?
Be aware of Stereotypes and Tokenism • Stereotypes are easy shortcuts to rely on, but can be harmful • Token characters can add diversity, but feel pandering or cheap
Do your research • If you’re including a character outside your own life experiences, be sensitive • Read, listen, and invite people to share their experiences with you
Increase diversity on your team http://marnaeileen.tumblr.com/post/129192447070 • Let people tell their own stories What Can You Do?
Be awesome!
• Mistakes happen – just be willing to learn from them • Take critique well • Even one voice in a company can make a difference • You don’t have to be perfect, just don’t be an asshole
Make awesome games! And on a fun final note…
Most of the illustrations in this presentation are Saints Row fanart.
Shout out to all our fans who draw, write, mod, and otherwise are just really cool. Recommended Reading:
Ducheneaut N, Wen MH, Yee N, Wadley G. (2009) Body and Mind: A Study of Avatar Personalization in Three Virtual Worlds. CHI 2009, 1151-1160. doi: 10.1145/1518701.1518877 Livingston IJ, Gutwin C, Mandryk RL, Birk M. (2014). How Players Value their Characters in World of Warcraft. CSCW’14. doi: 10.1145/2531602.2531661 Przybylski AK, Weinstein N, Murayama K, Lynch MF, & Ryan RM. (2012). The Ideal Self at Play: The Appeal of Video Games That Let You Be All You Can Be. Psychological Science, 23, 69–76. doi: 10.1177/0956797611418676 Skalski P, Dalisay F, Kushin M, Liu Y. (2012) Need for Presence and Other Motivations for Video Game Play across Genres. ISPR 2012, Williams D, Martins N, Consalvo M, & Ivory JD. (2009). The Virtual Census: Representations of Gender, Race and Age in Video Games. New Media & Society, 11, 815-834. doi: 10.1177/1461444809105354 Questions?