MTV talks to black professionals in gaming

So uh MTV, next year...Mexican/Latinos in Gaming? Are they gonna talk about Dom Santiago and his love Maria? El Fuerte in SF4? Joshua Ortega whos writing the Gears 2 script? Dishwasher Dead Samurai dev J Silva? I think this is pathetic. Like someone said above me, I dont care what race anybody is in the gaming industry. I just care about THE GAMES!! F@#% MTV!!!

I don't get it.

Say that "Races are all equal", then make a special about black people?

When you think about it, changing the enemy from arabs to aliens makes a game no less racist :)

You are still commiting mass racial genocide.

Burn Halo burn!

Oh God I wish I hadn't clicked on this thread but now that I've exposed my brain to the mind numbing back and forth I'll just go ahead and say my peace.

I appreciate the article and the story. Of course racism is alive and well today. However as a black man I'm over it. If you're not racist thats awesome. Lets do lunch, play some Halo, get drunk, an go clubbing.

If you're racist you're a sad excuse for a human being and deserve to go to hell. I have no time for you and your pathetic way of life.

That being said the gaming community when it comes to black people isn't 100% perfect. However I don't think its absolutely horrible or intentionally trying to insult the black race with characters such as Cole from GoW or games like GTA: San Andreas. And truth be told there are STILL plenty of ignorant black folk who really think its cool to be a "thug" or act mad ghetto at every freaking moment of their lives.

Sorry but that shit is not acceptable. If you want respect then EARN it. When black people as a whole make a conscious decision to stop acting like coons and disown people who participate in coonery then we can actually demand some respect. MLK did a lot for the black race and America as a whole.

Unfortunately some black people are fucking it up for the rest of us. And for that I deeply apologize to Dr. King.

RACISM DOES NOT EXIST. There is NO such thing as racism. Last time I checked Homosapiens were the last and ONLY humanoid species left on Earth.

You can be Ethnist, NOT racist. There is ONLY 1 human race with many different ethnicities.

I wish I could be alive when the day finally comes that everyone on this planet is referred too as Human.

NO Jews, Christians, Muslims, White, Black, Buddist, Hindu etc. etc. JUST HUMAN, that is all any of us ever were, and that is ALL we will ever be.

No groups to spread the separation of humankind. Nothing.

I AM HUMAN, I AM ALIVE.

Well, when blacks have such amazing role models to look up to, like Fitty Cent in games I dont seem to mind there almost non existence presence in the gaming world.

If there is not a white-spaniard-asian profile in gaming they should be sued.

Why can't we just look at professionals in gaming without it being a race/gender issue? We're supposed to be all equal, but damn if the media doesn't love to keep reminding us how we aren't.

I think the conclusion here is that black developers need to take it upon themselves to make those black gaming heros we desire, cos I really can't think of any.

It is up to the black layabout youths to get off thier asses and start helping the rest of us make change instead of sitting around and moaning about discrimination, with thier levels of intelligence, I'm suprised they even know the meaning of 'discrimination', its funny this topic came up.

I used to know this prat at school, he complained there wasn't enough blacks in movies, he complained there wasn't enough blacks in games, but yet, what was he doing? Having sex with every girl and getting them pregnant :S Right...his opinion mattered about as much as a drunk tramp.

Well unfortently you'll be considered "not black" ether maverick by the media. You say it'll take the young blacks to get off the asses and do something...but it's gonna take millions of them to get the mainstream media's attention.

It's sad how online, alot of people are suprised I'm even black at all, because I never spoke that stupid ghetto slang crap. And so much of society is focused on these negative stereotypes that I'm so misrepersented. I'm sure you do too maverick.

We need better dance games, I wanna dance like step up 2 :(

Gah, this is unnecessary. They don't need special attention because they're black or female, just let their work speak for itself.

Why does every article that has the word "black" in has to become a racial argument? These articles are not here to say that black people are better but if there was not an article I would have never had known they existed. These articles help people who normally don't get the spotlight. Why can't we express our difference without being a racist?

And this is significant why?

Hopefully next time they will have an article on Vietnamese in gaming and after that French Canadians.

Valid point, I would want to be treated no differently, just because I'm black doesn't mean I should be put into needy groups, I want to do well for myself and achieve just like everyone else and EARN the job I want, not have it cast upon me like charity.

This is where some industries fail, however, this article is different, its not giving priority to blacks or any form of importance, its just looking at thier viewpoints and opinions on games, just like going over to Japan and asking Japanese developers what they like about games, the only difference is that this reporter is not just looking at any developer, she is looking at the groups in the industry that are small sums, and are depicted in a certain light in the games we play.

I love joystiq race discussions. Squirrel3D always makes me laugh. "I'm not ignorant so people say I'm a sell out or they think I'm not black." Simply put, you seem to think that ignorant and black culture are synonymous. You should know that the average black family is a middle class family. However, you should also know that the average black family only earns about 60% of what the average white family earns (btw the avg. white family is also middle class). There has always been a gap in the incomes of black and white families, mostly due to a combination of racial inequality and inadequate schools (inadequate in terms of finances and the educational experience) in black neighborhoods.

But on topic, I don't see why people find this offensive. Everyone has different opinions, and these opinions are shaped by a variety of things. Race being one of this. Thus, I dont see a problem with getting a black mans take on the gaming industry as it will undoubtedly be a little different from the caucasian and japanese views that we hear all the time. And dont take that as a racist statement. Most game developers are white or japanese and thus we hear from them more often than the developers from other ethnic groups. All in all I cant see why so many people have their panties in a bunch over this. Its just a different persons opinion.

Wait... is Morgan Gray wearing a Flyers sweater?

test

You guys really wear yourselves out with the race thing. The articles were great, gave some good perspectives on the game industry.

N'Gai is one of my favorite game journalists. I love it when he is on 1up yours.

I cried and told people they were just shooting me because I was black in CoD4, and then everybody stopped shooting me. Why are people so afraid of random people thinking they're racist?

So did anyone actually read the article in question or just pile in here to give their 2-cents about race realtions? The article is saying something about perspective, specifically a Black perspective, in reference to the Resident Evil 5 trailer. I think the interivew does shed light one why this industry is still so imature and that's our own constant defense that "it's only a game" until someone points out how racist it looks and then we suddenly try to defend it. Would we be as willing to defend a movie with a white solider looking guy going through an African village and murdering practically everyone in sight? Perhaps the trailer is misleading, you have a black parter or your trying to save a city from the virus or something, or maybe it will try to make a statement about the situations people are currently in in Africa, but to just say that the trailer doesn't have highly, racially inflammatory imagery is just ingorant. Yes, Resident Evil 4 had Spanish zombies being killed, but as is pointed out in the article, it wasn't portrayed in the same way, their wasn't a very recent colonization and occupation of Spain, or terrible famine and disease, or still ongoing war. It might help to expose yourself to another perspective before opening your mouth (or in this case typing).

suggestion:some people here should a job or a real hobby .
idea: these is like a hobby and they kinda take it too serious.

@silkylove -

You wrote: "The article is written by Tracey John; a white woman."

If it matters to you, I am not white/Caucasian. I am an American-born person of Chinese descent with parents born and raised in Mozambique. However, regardless of my own ethnic background, I am someone who supports diversity in all aspects of life, and I thought these interviews would be interesting for discussion. Judging by the comments here, on other sites and on our own blog, there's still a lot to talk about.

Thanks for reading,
Tracey

Wow, people are so easily offended over nothing.

Diversity: The Invisible Hurdle

by Joseph N. Saulter

This was a article from 2004 Hope it helps the conversation

When we look at our financial portfolio, one of the first questions that comes up is, How can one diversify one's finances for maximum returns? We never place all our assets into one financial instrument and pray for good returns, we diversify. While diversification is not the same as diversity, it does share with the latter, the objective of investing in assets diverse enough so that the return on one's investment is maximized.

It can be argued that while diversification deals with financial assets, diversity deals with cultural and human capital assets. Thus the words will be used coterminously, in this article. The issue of diversity is such a pressing one. I view diversity not as a challenge but an opportunity to enhance creativity through people contributing their own unique experiences to humanity's culture. The process of expertly using cultural differences to increase wealth, in the context of worldwide economic integration, is a hot topic for the new millennium. The video game community, with its international appeal and its proven track record as a successful entity in the financial arena, would benefit economically, educationally and ethically if it were to diversify (i.e. be culturally diverse) for maximum returns.

The issue is not why to diversify but how to diversify. Diversity is creating an inclusive environment where a team of professionals creatively uses their differences and appreciates the opportunity to weave a multitude of new ideas into best practices. Creatively speaking, it's like composing a symphony in our organizations that utilizes the spirit of improvisational jazz. Diversity touches the core of our existence because we all have deep rooted cultural awareness. We continue to appreciate the richness of our own cultures, but the pure essence of diversity is to take the best of all cultures, give them a place and a voice, and create an atmosphere of creativity and inclusion.

Increasingly Diverse Society

Demographic changes over the past decade predict that by the year 2050, racial/ethnic groups will make up 48% of the total U.S. population. This percentage speaks volumes. As it is, never before, in the history of our country, have our children been exposed and adapted to the information technology so readily available. They are far more advanced technically than earlier generations. Each generation changes our nation. As the impact of diversity moves through our gaming community we must adapt to the changes.

A culturally diverse initiative on the part of the industry's leaders would create a new environment of creative entertainment. We all have a story to tell and the compelling stories of our diverse communities have not always been told with sensitivity. If the game business community were to explore the diverse community we would find a grand opportunity to engage young minds and experience the rewards of their labor.

There is a whole generation that is changing the style, the music and marketing, as well as the complexion, of our nation. They are the underground artists creating the non-commercial styles, a sound so new and fresh with the spirit of jazz as its essence, an improvisation lyrically waving its new brush of creativity across the canvas of our lives. It is an invisible generation filled with diversity and a new vision. I await the day when the game industry lets them dance across the finger tips of a nation steeped in the all-consuming monitors, TV screens and theaters of consumers, clamoring for more.
Important Roles

One of the most important roles in our industry, is to achieve the goal of diversity in education. "Edutainment" in K-16 schools across the country can change the educational arena. We all know the problems facing our nation in terms of education and that's for all children in our nation.

Let's look at the haves and the have-nots; let's always know there is a better way to adapt our educational expertise than the containment camp mentality. As an educator for many years I find the new statistics for our country alarming, namely that 51% of African American males between the grades of 7-12 are likely to dropout of school or be put in jail. This statistic rises for Latin Americans and people of color from the Caribbean Islands. We have to stop the madness.

A NASA initiative for the Center of Educational Technology is to develop games that would educationally engage the at risk student, giving the student a more compelling educational experience while enhancing the chances of graduation. Let's face it, school is boring to many of our technologically advanced students, and even worse for our challenged students. We need to explore new opportunities in diversity education and see how we can financially support programs that look at alternative, creative ways of educating our students.

Playing games gives the student the rare opportunity to engage in a situational learning environment where choice, adaptation, cognitive awareness and achievement can be assessed. By educating a diverse community one has the opportunity to enhance the bottom line in a culturally dynamic international marketplace. It goes without saying that it could be more engaging for students to create 3D games, models and environments than play in traditional venues.

Alternative Options

How do we get more stories about Latinos in the Game Industry? How can we hire more women and people of color? How do we colorize the list of contacts or stretch our creative opportunities to the south side, the east side, or whatever side of town is not represented in our development environment? How can we include poor people, gays and lesbians, faith communities, and the range of folks who haven't historically measured up to the industry's definition of valued game developers?

This is a tall order for our industry when we include this in our everyday "sleep is for the weak" milieu. In conclusion we are just beginning to explore the opportunities in ways that will enhance our industry's bottom line. Let's continue to investigate the possibilities and realize that collective collaboration is the key.

This conversation is great with all of our challenges . Let's really look at the possibilities. check out the IGDA diversity movement and add your voice.

www.ea-research.com

In Peace,

Professor

just the pure fact that this article has sooo many fuckin comments is bona fide proof that racism is real, the attitudes are real, the sadistic pain and vitimization is real. its interesting that gamers are so willingly engaged in a dialogue about race. and that says what...