Representation by inclusive game design: An expert explains how that works

Representation in games is important, so much is clear. Players of different sexes, ethnicities, sexual orientation, as well as physical and mental skills want to be able to find themselves in games themselves. The fact that awareness is also increasing in the game industry show jobs like that of Tülay Mcnally.

What inclusion means for games

Tülay McNally works as Director of Inclusive and Various Product Development at EA. Behind this not exactly short name is a no less complex task: inclusion in video games. In the interview with important, she explains what means inclusive design:

In short, inclusive design should reflect the variety available in the real world. It encourages us to think about how sex, age, sexuality, ethnicity, culture and customs, body shapes, religious beliefs and more in our games

It is important to take into account cultural, social and other needs for inclusive design, which could differ from what, as average. In order to achieve that, the focus must be placed on authentic representation, including language and user-friendliness according to McNally.

But it also points out that unconscious prejudices can stand in the way of this goal and it is important to be aware of this:

The perception of diversity and inclusion is often limited to limited understanding or traditional considerations regarding gender, ethnicity or age. [...] Loved experiences are not as isolated - we are all a combination of language, culture and customs, sexual Orientation, beliefs and so on. Games have even more power if they highlight different experiences and address the audience on a personal level, ie are multi-faceted.

The goal is to create an authentic and inclusive gaming experience for everyone. Incidentally, this objective is not about, the demand is available. According to an evaluation of EA itself, 45% of the players would probably play a game when developers are added to developers including functions and content. Important is an authentic presentation without stereotypes.

This is supported by a study by the Game Association of the German Games Industry e. V. Thus, 17% of players identify themselves in Germany as people with disabilities. The same study shows that 48% of the playing female are.

The work starts with the studios

McNally explains that work for you at the development process of studios working with EA. The studios therefore has a so-called inclusion framework available to help you create integral characters and stories. Of course, not only the games themselves are important. Additional products such as mobile apps, platforms, the website of a games or trailer and marketing counts mcnally.

Also diverse within the teams is important to access different perspectives:

Through the inclusion of different perspectives of our players * inside and employees, their voice is heard, and we can represent people in our games even better. This helps us very much to offer our players' inside even more and more authentic stories and worlds

The feedback of the community is therefore important for McNally's work, but it also emphasizes that it must be constructive and well-founded feedback so that the teams could learn from it.

The future of inclusion

McNally looks forward to that inclusion is currently on a good way and developers remove from a one-size-fits-all list, the representation limited only to a very limited number of marginalized groups.

On the question of which characters she wants it more in the future, it emphasizes that there is still room up and you particularly lack a kind of characters:

From representation view [there is] far too few strong, protagonist * inside and side characters with disabilities in games. One of the most important questions is: is our game for so many players * inside as possible playable and strive to our game for players to make contact with disabilities?