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“Do I Look Like A Gamer?”: Bringing Genuine Diversity to Video Game Narratives

As part of the "Do I Look Like A Gamer?" representation campaign, we will explore the current state of storytelling in video games and the importance of bringing genuine diversity to narrative design.

The roundtable will be moderated by mayamada co-founder Nigel Twumasi, who will lead a conversation with players and makers to discuss examples of diversity across video game storytelling, and how to distinguish between tokenism and authentic representation.

The panellists will emphasise the importance of creating genuine diversity in narrative design, not just for the sake of representation, but to improve storytelling in the medium going forward. This means the need for game makers to incorporate a diverse cast of characters that add depth and complexity to stories, making them more engaging and resonant with players.

We will help game developers to understand why creating genuine diversity in narrative design matters, and how to spot when tokenism is happening where there should be sincere efforts to involve diverse voices in the creative process.

Ultimately, our industry benefits from better games, and there is much we can learn from diversity done well in video game storytelling which includes authentic and nuanced representations of characters from different backgrounds, experiences, and identities.

We value open, honest dialogue so the session will end by welcoming questions from the audience as we encourage further discussion on the topic of diversity in video game storytelling.

Session Takeaway

• Why creating genuine diversity in narrative design makes your game more engaging and resonant with players.
• How to go beyond surface-level representation and tokenism to create diverse storylines.
• How to involve diverse voices in the creative process and conduct research to ensure accurate and authentic representation.
• What we can learn from positive examples of diversity in video game storytelling.

Session speakers