Joseph Saulter: 'Why should I have to be a white man?'
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Mar 8th 2007 at 5:23PM }
Joseph Saulter, chairman of game design and development at American Intercontinental University, has been a vocal advocate about the role of minorities within the industry.Speaking about Microsoft's Blacks in Gaming gathering last night he says, "It's great to see that things are happening and we are getting toward the vision, but it's still not the reality." He says the potential influence that diversity would bring to the industry isn't being recognized. Explaining he's spent his life as a black man, he half-jokingly says when he looks around the game industry he feels himself asking the question, "Why should I have to be a white man? ... Meaning I bring a unique characteristic in my African-American culture. It would be nice to bring my cultural expertice into an arena. We go into this white business -- and it's not that the business is white. It's that the culture in the business is white. I'd like to see people create what I am in games and be accepted for what I do."
Saulter says the industry is like a "horse with blinders" on when it comes to issues of diversity. It's not that they are outright ignoring minorities, it's just that the focus is so straight ahead and narrow, companies don't take the time to reach out. He says there are programs like the Urban Video Game Academy based in Atlanta, Maryland and Washington D.C., which attempt to get kids into game design and should be looked at as an opportunity by developers to find potential talent. He compared getting a job in the industry like riding a horse. He believes that minorities don't care if they get knocked off the horse, that's only fair -- but they'd still like a chance to ride.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Jarvis Slacks @ Mar 8th 2007 5:38PM
Total agreement. Video game companies should make more of an effort. I think they will, once everyone gets tired of the same old ideas being reinvented by the old-school mind set.
Crono @ Mar 8th 2007 5:36PM
Now this is the kind of stuff that pisses me off. Is white culture not good enough or something. I mean, we've had "white culture" in america for a long time. The civil rights movement used to be about minorities being treated the same as "white people" within the "white culture".
There shouldn't be a "white culture" and a "black culture". We can talk about history, and our roots, and past transgressions all we want, but what matters is the here and now, and the future. The business world is built upon "white culture", even in countries where there aren't many "white" people.
Shouldn't the goal be that it doesn't matter what color our skin is, since we're all human. Shouldn't we be worried about the "human culture" in games?
We'll never get beyond racism if we keep bringing up race in every subject.
Finalboss @ Mar 8th 2007 5:37PM
http://www.joystiq.com/2007/02/17/criticism-of-racial-stereotyping-in-games/
Game development is ignoring a wealth of culutral influences that could potentially improve the overall quality of the experience and flesh out the "narrowness" of which he speaks. Hopefully western developers have grasped his idea.
airpolgas @ Mar 8th 2007 7:34PM
It's a money game, first and foremost. No one is preventing them from creating a game aimed at minorities (not necessarily blacks), but in the end, if it does not make money, it will be abandoned.
I was watching a show on Discovery HD regarding drifting, and they had Tyrese there saying matter of factly that there are no "brothers" on the scene. I'm sure there are some brothers who are into drifting, but can't because of the amount of money you'll throw buying tires, etc. No one prevented Tyrese from drifting is there? He has the money to spend on it, then so be it.
The game is about money, not race, religion, or whatever you think it is.
Silent Xenocide @ Mar 8th 2007 5:38PM
I don't really want to play as a black Link in the next Zelda game or something.
JohnQAnonymous @ Mar 8th 2007 5:42PM
"Saulter says the industry is like a "horse with blinders" on when it comes to issues of diversity. It's not that they are outright ignoring minorities, it's just that the focus is so straight ahead and narrow, companies don't take the time to reach out."
Sorry, Saulter, your conjecture falls flat. There is no agenda, or a failure to reach out to MINORITIES. It's a failure to reach out to ANYONE.
It's not just a failure for minorities, or women, or any on particular group, unless the group you're talking about is "people who have no experience in the industry."
Look at every good job posting you can find, aside from Marketing, Accounting, and QA positions, every job in the game industry comes with the these three big red "N00BS DO NOT APPLY!" flags:
1) Must have shipped X titles
2) Must have X years of experience
3) Must have experience with X Consoles.
Whether or not you're Black, Asian, White, Hispanic, Inuit or Native American, no industry experience means you don't get considered for that job.
This is why people like John Romero constantly get recycled back into the industry, it's why people like American McGee still have jobs. Even though they have bad titles under their belt, they still have TITLES under their belt.
If game companies would just look for NEW talent, I'm pretty sure that Saulner would start seeing minoirities get hired. I would hate to see an entirely different where the only new blood being brought in is brought it's the current public minority champion du jour, and the developers just shrug their shoulders and say, "What do you want from us? We did what you asked, we totally hired 5 Black programmers, and 3 Black artists."
Crono @ Mar 8th 2007 5:42PM
Additionally, there might be more "ethnic" content in games if larger portions of said "ethnicities" actually showed an interest in making games.
I dunno about where you folks live, but the cultural demographic of computer science and game development classes is dominated by white dudes.
If you want games with black characters that isn't a stereotype, get into the industry and make one. White nerds aren't going to be able to connect with that culture, typically.
Miniboss @ Mar 8th 2007 5:43PM
Minorities and women...
They like to talk a lot about not having games for them, but then they expect people who AREN'T FROM THEIR "CULTURE" to do it for them.
If you really want to change things, get your own "culture" interested in games. Maybe the reason why "white developers" don't make "black games" is because that's not their "culture".
Apparently, "write what you know" works for novelists, but "design what you know" doesn't work for game developers.
I hate activists.
Rubang B @ Mar 8th 2007 5:47PM
@Crono, you're missing the point about diversity. It's better to have several cultures that mix and match in interesting ways than to forget about all of them except for one. To desire assimilation perpetuates racism against all minorities, because it wants their cultures to disappear and become part of the "white culture" you mentioned. The best way to describe it is to call white America the BORG, and all the minorities are defenseless aliens.
Right now there ARE black characters, but they're all thugs, rappers, and boxers. It's ridiculous. What we really need to see is some fucking black elves. EVERYBODY wants to be an elf. Elves are the new hotness. When a fantasy game lets you be an elf of any color, then we'll be getting somewhere. And no, boxing/rapping elves don't count.
j.lee @ Mar 8th 2007 5:49PM
Shh...hear that? It's the world's smallest violin playing for all the poor disenfranchised white people who are sick of hearing about all the "problems" of "these minorities."
Elatis @ Mar 8th 2007 5:52PM
Well said Crono I can't add anything to that.
There is no problem with race "in game" because almost every game today lets you pick a character.
So you can pick any race creed color tint or hue you please.
hegemonyhog @ Mar 8th 2007 5:52PM
"Additionally, there might be more "ethnic" content in games if larger portions of said "ethnicities" actually showed an interest in making games.
I dunno about where you folks live, but the cultural demographic of computer science and game development classes is dominated by white dudes."
Which in no small part is due to the fact that gaining the relevant skills requires regular and consistent access to a computer.
Having a computer requires money. Poverty disproportionately affects minorities. Do the math.
"Minorities and women...
They like to talk a lot about not having games for them, but then they expect people who AREN'T FROM THEIR "CULTURE" to do it for them.
If you really want to change things, get your own "culture" interested in games. Maybe the reason why "white developers" don't make "black games" is because that's not their "culture".
Apparently, "write what you know" works for novelists, but "design what you know" doesn't work for game developers.
I hate activists."
I'm sure minorities and women are sorry for offending you by existing.
Did you read the post? Saulter is asking for more products for said culture through hiring more people from said culture. In other words, the exact solution to the pointless rant you just laid out.
FinalBoss @ Mar 8th 2007 5:52PM
Yes, "Miniboss", but the unfortunate reality is that teams of all white developers have made games depicting one-dimensional stereotypes. 25 to Life ring a bell? How about 187 Ride or Die? Need I mention GTA? We they greenlighted these games they opened up this can of worms. If they didn't exist we wouldn't have to talk about them.
Rubang B @ Mar 8th 2007 5:53PM
San Andreas was a game based on white America's obsession with early 90's black culture, and I'm willing to bet it was programmed by a bunch of white nerds.
FinalBoss @ Mar 8th 2007 5:53PM
that should say "when they greenlighted"
Jb @ Mar 8th 2007 5:54PM
All the NFL and NBA games have black people. And thats all black people play. He wants to generalize us ill generalize him. If you look at most games and most new characters there is such a mild skin tone color used you cant tell what race they are.
Every single minority wants to be equal until they are and then they want special treatment.
Mat @ Mar 8th 2007 5:55PM
Crackdown doesn't let you play as a white person :P
Leggo @ Mar 8th 2007 5:55PM
As a fat pimply gamer that still lives at home with his mom and masturbates three times per day, I feel I'm not being represented by these Herculean examples of manhood in videogames like Kratos or Sam Fisher. I demand game makers make games starring people like me!
And since people like me outnumber black gamers, I feel we should be placated first.
Frowelishnu @ Mar 8th 2007 5:59PM
@j.lee
Thank you for saying exactly what I feel, I'm so tired of the "persecuted" majorities out there.
also, I like that the default char in Crackdown was a black male (you could even be Moari - sp?)
Breserk @ Mar 8th 2007 5:57PM
Eli Vance?
Crono @ Mar 8th 2007 5:57PM
"It's better to have several cultures that mix and match in interesting ways than to forget about all of them except for one."
Have there been any studies to back that up? Because all I ever have seen coming from "diversity" is a disproportionate number of black folks living in the ghetto and the thug lifestyle, ending up in prison or worse. Sure, they've got their culture, but no future. I work with several black folks in engineering. Guess what, them being black brings nothing relevant to the table. They are there because they know their jobs and they do them well, just like all the white folks.
It is the push for diversity, and every race is different, and we all have something else to bring to the table that fuels racism. Racism would have gone away by now if not for the push for diversity, because we would have all stopped talking about race a long time ago.
copa @ Mar 8th 2007 6:01PM
Please take ten seconds to read the post before commenting on it. Mr. Saulter's remarks have nothing to do with being able to play as a dark-skinned character within a gaming environment.
deaftly @ Mar 8th 2007 6:04PM
its bill cosby with dredlocks
Jose @ Mar 8th 2007 6:10PM
Um... Crono, the reason that disproportionate numbers of blacks live in the ghettos and are in jail is because when White America ended the breeding program known as slavery, and took the shackles from their feet and hands, they told them they were free, turned their backs on them, and kept the money they had worked so hard for.
After that, they weren't allowed to attend the same schools whites were, and you know what, because of districting, they still don't.
Your ignorance shines even in this thread of comments.
dsub @ Mar 8th 2007 6:09PM
this is ridiculous. I just don't understand the logic behind this. Why is it that minorities (most often blacks) feel the need to create these "councils" or "focus groups" to raise awareness for the fact that the majority of Game Developers are White. Seriously?
Why? White people don't have councils or focus groups to raise awareness for the fact that there aren't enough White basketball players or rap artists. Civil Rights is about equal rights. Not entitlement. It has gotten to the point now that these groups create the mentality of entitlement. It's as if they feel that Blacks (or whatever the minority may be) are ENTITLED to a job because of the fact that it is a career field dominated by whites. That's bullshit. No matter what your skin color is, you are going to get a job based on your qualifications and skills. It pains me to see that Blacks regard something like "not enough black game developers" as an issue of Race. Could it not be that it's an issue of a lack of qualified minority applicants in the first place? Perhaps the issue that you need to focus on is improving high school graduation rates in urban areas and minority presences in higher education institutions.
In this industry, especially one that is so liberal, race is not an issue. Talent is. Is this guy trying to say that Black game developers aren't being recognized because they are Black? Is he seriously dwelling on that? Give me a break. Find a real cause that actually makes sense and is worthwhile. If minorities want a job in the game industry they are just as capable as whites are. It all just comes down to who is the most dedicated applicant. Skin color is not an issue here. Like I said before. This is stemming from a sense of entitlement that seemingly has plagued some certain minorities. I'm not trying to sound racist, but let the race card go man, seriously. If you want to make a game that is heavily influenced by Black culture than go for it. No one is stopping you.
Besides, there's no point is blaming the white man for this one, this industry is run by the Japanese.
HenryJonesJr @ Mar 8th 2007 6:12PM
"...companies don't take the time to reach out." Huh??? White people aren't in the games business because companies reached out to them...they busted their ass in school and started knocking on doors. The sense of entitlement displayed here is disgusting. Nobody owes you anything. If you want something, work for it, don't expect Capcom to come knocking on your door with a job.
"He believes that minorities don't care if they get knocked off the horse, that's only fair -- but they'd still like a chance to ride." Statements like that really get to me. Last time I checked, the United States of America was a free country. Last time I checked, slavery and 'separate but equal' were things of the past. EVERYONE has "a chance to ride". If you haven't achieved what you wanted in life, I guarantee you it was the choices you made along the way that caused that to happen...not the white man. How about we start taking responsibility for ourselves and stop waiting for someone else to make things happen.
hegemonyhog @ Mar 8th 2007 6:17PM
"No matter what your skin color is, you are going to get a job based on your qualifications and skills."
Sure thing: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/09/29/national/main575685.shtml
Ironhide @ Mar 8th 2007 6:17PM
As was commented above, you look at a typical 3d animation/modelling class and you see either asians or caucasians. When I went to school for had drawn animation in the late 90s, you would see a few blacks, but again mostly the same mix as before. It's not discrimination of any sort, it's more a lack of interest from some minorities.
I'm seriously hoping they don't start pulling the old 'only hiring minorities and women' spiel a lot of the government and educational departments are often doing. I want talent working with me, above me and under me. If said person that gets the position is black, hispanic, indian or (insert race/colour/sex/creed), it doesn't matter as long as they know the hell what they are doing!
If you are talented, you will get hired by someone. Race/creed/sex/sexial orientation simply does not matter.
Jose @ Mar 8th 2007 6:22PM
You can't raise a bird in a cage then drop it from an airplane and wonder why it can't fly. Nothing has been done to right the wrongs of the past. Just because you stopped doing them doesn't mean that you're even. If I'm punching you in the face and I stop that doesn't stop the bleeding, and I'm not absolved of responsibility for causing said injury. This country owes blacks and other minorities much more than what it's given.
hegemonyhog @ Mar 8th 2007 6:21PM
"Last time I checked, slavery and 'separate but equal' were things of the past. EVERYONE has "a chance to ride"."
I'm going to punch you in the face for the next ten minutes.
Five minutes after that, we're going to have a beauty pageant.
Your face may be bruised, swollen and bloody, but nobody's punching you in the face anymore. Stop whining and take your equal place on that stage along with everyone else.
Jose @ Mar 8th 2007 6:24PM
Holy shit hedge! That's fucking uncanny, almost frightening even.
Jon-Angelo @ Mar 8th 2007 6:25PM
I think Saulter is hitting on some deeper social and cultural issues than he realizes. I'm an engineer student and I'd like to see more black people in my classes (Filipino by the way), but that really has nothing to do with Boeing, IBM, or Ford investing on minorities getting into engineering but more with schools not focusing more on science and math. And yes, I realize there are some schools that can't afford to invest in such classes, but that's a State and Federal issue and that's another topic all together.
If you want to see more minorities in a certain field, then try to get the government interested (good luck with that) so they can invest more in the essential classes like science and math that crossover into so many different fields.
J @ Mar 8th 2007 6:24PM
Wow thats funny. I never saw any of my black friends sit back and say "THis video game feels a little too white for me". I think there should always be equal opportunity if people go for it. That being said the above comment is right. It should be about human culture or especially for us American Culture. Black Culture IS American culture. Thats how it is and truly people need to get past race. I personally can say that there isn't one race without at least one hot chick that I would do. I want to unite the world..........with my penis.
Vegan @ Mar 8th 2007 6:25PM
What's weird is that even Japanese-made games seem to mostly star white males. You'd think that almost every Japanese game would be full of Japanese people. And while their certainly are games with Asian characters, you'd think it would be more widespread over there.
Patel @ Mar 8th 2007 6:28PM
"Um... Crono, the reason that disproportionate numbers of blacks live in the ghettos and are in jail is because when White America ended the breeding program known as slavery, and took the shackles from their feet and hands, they told them they were free, turned their backs on them, and kept the money they had worked so hard for.
After that, they weren't allowed to attend the same schools whites were, and you know what, because of districting, they still don't.
Your ignorance shines even in this thread of comments."
Oh bullshit Jose.
The reason 50% Blacks are in jail is that they are lazy. They don't want to work for their money.
Unlike the Chinese, Vietnamese, Mexicans, Cubans or and other of a number of people who are both non-white AND don't speak the language. Those same people who built business, get jobs, have nice homes.
YOU put the shackles on the African-American, not white Folks.
White folks is just an excuse for your own worthlessness.
mitilidie @ Mar 8th 2007 6:28PM
Number 23
REUYL @ Mar 8th 2007 6:29PM
I'm sorry, but this is just stupid.
hegemonyhog @ Mar 8th 2007 6:31PM
"Unlike the Chinese, Vietnamese, Mexicans, Cubans or and other of a number of people who are both non-white AND don't speak the language. Those same people who built business, get jobs, have nice homes."
U and ur fam Plz work on my plantation fr the next 200 yrs.
Kthxbye,
PlantationPwnr
Striderhayasa @ Mar 8th 2007 6:32PM
@henryJones
Your post is funny. I like it keep up the good work!
--------------------------------------------
now, for the rest of us...I see where he's coming from. In my old school district, growing up, there was a great art program. it's one of the reasons I'm able to work as a designer today and have done so for years. But when it comes to games or interactive media...animation...programming or any criteria a kid would need to prepare for a career in game design...you can forget it. Even art in general is taken for granted as a serious curriculum in this era. As a black designer, I can't blame "white america" for this, I blame the train wreck that is the Philadelphia school district. It's just bad decision after bad decision, not by "white" idiots, but by idiots in general.
Is there a color issue...of course it is, and there will be for a long time to come, but that's nothing new. This country was built on racial prejudice and hatred. But the opportunity for ANYONE to be a game designer is there and has been for a long time. It's not easy but then again, anything worth anything is almost never easy. It just takes some dedication, skill and luck. Most people I know that want to design usually have one out of the 3 and it ain't skill, that's for sure.
But, like I said...I see where Mr. Saulter is coming from.
Jose @ Mar 8th 2007 6:33PM
Wrong Patel,
Mexicans (my parents being some), Vietnamese, Chinese, and all the other non-whites came here of their own volition. They were not sold and brought here like cattle. They were not bread for the same characteristics one would rather have in an ox than a teacher.
J @ Mar 8th 2007 6:32PM
^^ Its not the responsibility of those living today to right the wrongs of European slave owners. I'm sorry but a large majority of what is considered the lumped group called whites never owned or promoted slaves. I'm part Creek Native American and even I realize that people have to move on to make it right. Sitting around pointing the finger at people who have no choice to what race they were born into is a little ridiculous. No one living today can change the fact that whites mistreated many others. But that be like me telling the Jews to be mad at Egyptians ect. Its a little ridiculous at this point. MLK's dream speech was righteous. Not b/c it promoted anti-white sentiments. It was righteous b/c it promoted unity. When that happens I think America will be all its supposed to be. This means people need to get over it and get along. I am sure almost every race and ethnicity can cite wrong doing by some other nation. Should Germans sit around being mad at Italians b/c of the roman empire. No they shouldn't. Its Nuts to try and pull the race card every time something is wrong. There are plenty of racist douche bags out there but its out of ignorance and foolish intolerance that they still exist. If people keep pointing fingers and blaming each other then we will go no where. Take it from me, my (partial) race was almost extinct. There are few Native Americans left in this world. Sitting around and being bitter does nothing for anyone. You have to get off your lazy ass and make things right. Using hate against the innocent (especially those born after 1980) is never gonna make anything right.
Josh* @ Mar 8th 2007 6:34PM
No one going to hell in here!!
Cam.ron @ Mar 8th 2007 6:34PM
Ethnic diversity should obviously be welcomed with open arms in the gaming industry, but a major factor that's missing from that article and this discussion is the monopoly of Japanese game designers. I grew up during the time when Japanese designers dominated the software catalogs for Nintendo and Sega consoles, while the American designers mainly stuck with PC games. The Japanese designers still have a monopoly. One can argue that the gaming industry culture is white AND Asian. It's only been in recent years that the yankee designers are getting more respect in the console gaming world (partly thanks to the Xbox). In regards to the issue of stereotypes in games, how about the fact that many video game characters are based on Japanese stereotypes of Westerners?
hegemonyhog @ Mar 8th 2007 6:35PM
"You have to get off your lazy ass and make things right. Using hate against the innocent (especially those born after 1980) is never gonna make anything right."
Seriously, did I just fall into a Ward Connerly symposium here?
I haven't seen this many strawmen slayed since I went through the first hour of Twilight Princess.
Evan @ Mar 8th 2007 6:34PM
If we are going to talk about ethnic stereotypes in game, what about Mario? Why aren't Italians up in arms about being portrayed as a short plumbers! There's only one solution: all game characters should be blue hedgehogs. That eliminates ethnic background from games.
As for the serious topic at hand: Having black programmers isn't the issue, because the programmers have very little creative control over the game. It's the writers and directors that have ultimate control over whether a game reflects true ethnic culture or just stereotypes. Hollywood studios hire the writers and director that they feel are appropriate for the movie, but game publishers don't seem to recognize the importance of creative talent the way Hollywood does.
Gitten @ Mar 8th 2007 6:41PM
Well said Jose!
Mythor @ Mar 8th 2007 6:36PM
Asians, particularly Japs and Koreans, have a huge presence when it comes to game development, and yet this idiot still thinks he can complain about "the white man putting him down"?
Give me a frigging break.
The worst bit is, this bozo is a chairman for game related "stuff" at a University. God only knows how many of the game students there are black and getting an overblown sense of entitlement from this clown.
The only thing gamers care about is whether or not a game is fun to play. And publishers know that's what gamers care about, and they're the ones footing the bills for development. If blacks can make a game that's fun to play, we'll buy it and play it in droves, just like we do all the other fun games.
ZodiacKiller29 @ Mar 8th 2007 6:43PM
easy way to explain the white culture in games.
Most people that buy games,are the parents of kids, that have expendable income. who has expendable income? The average white household, becasue most of them are 2 parent homes, and both parents work. And since most average white american homes are afraid of black culture. All companys that want to make a profit, gear products towards white america. Sorry folks, but the average midwest farmer cant relate to 50 cent, allen iverson, mike tyson. etc.
they want to see people or images they can realate to. Most of america does not live in an urban area.
LordMinogue @ Mar 8th 2007 6:46PM
"Why should I have to be a white man?"
Because you didn't develop the game, stupid. That statement makes this guy look raciest against whites (or non-blacks). Many RPGs and Multi-player games have minority faces, but in single player you are a GUEST in someone else's universe. If the Master Chief turns out to be Vietnamese, does it matter? Games are about story and game play, not about the skin texture mapped on the player object.
OhJustSomeRandomGuy @ Mar 8th 2007 6:50PM
That's not right, Zodiac.
I don't play a game to play someone I relate to. I don't have super powers, and I don't walk around in chain mail. I can't snipe, and I can't dunk. (any more...)
The vast majority of games you honeslty don't care about the main character, and what the main guy is talking about is NOTHING related to what you're talking about. he doesn't want a game targeting Black folks, he wants them in the industry.
I disagree with him, but I don't understand why there's this general failure to read before commenting for this particular article.