Black History Month: A look at how far gaming has come and where it needs to go

Every Black History Month, it’s become tradition for major corporations and organizations in America to step forward and voice their unwavering support for Black people in their ongoing struggles against racism and adversity. In recent years, we’ve seen this extend to the gaming industry as well, with developers, publishers, and media outlets releasing special statements or commemorative videos every February to celebrate BHM. That said, it’s hard to tell when these are just performative acts, or moves to effect real change.

A movement, not marketing

Social tensions reached a boiling point last summer when George Floyd was murdered by Minneapolis police during an arrest. Though Floyd was just the latest in a disturbingly long list of Black lives claimed by police brutality, his story caught fire, sparking nationwide protests. In light of this, we saw countless video game studios and outlets come forward and release statements in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. From pre-game messages in Call of Duty, to an 8:46 moment of silence during a Destiny 2 broadcast, it felt like the gaming industry was coming together to fight injustice. Or, was this simply a marketing move to stay on consumers' good side?

It was only a short handful of years ago that the Black Lives Matter movement exploded in the media following Colin Kaepernick’s decision to kneel during the National Anthem prior to NFL games. At this point, the Black Lives Matter movement was still taboo. Those that spoke up and used their platform to spread the message had far more to lose than they had to gain. Many that kept quiet then, are the loudest now.

Of course, I’m not trying to shame folks for supporting the cause. As a Black man who’s spent his entire life gaming, it means a lot to me to see The Pokemon Company or Xbox make a stand for people that look like me. However, I just want to make sure we’re never letting those in financial power off the hook for a little performative activism.

Be the change you want to see

These companies and corporations that have publicly backed the BLM movement have the actual pull to create some real, lasting change. Last year, we saw EA announce social justice initiatives within the company introduced alongside a $1 million donation to the cause. We need more of this. More companies using the millions and millions of dollars that they generate to fund those fighting for change. Whether that be bailing out protestors, helping to fund programs for the youth in low-income areas, or simply introducing mandatory training to better educate its own employees on how to recognize and eliminate their own racial biases, and be more conscious of the world around them.

Of course, it’s difficult to achieve this when Black people make up such a small share of most major gaming studios. When more companies make it a priority to have a diverse crew on staff, so many of these issues will begin to resolve themselves. It’s tough when your idea of “diversity” is two black employees who are not in a position of power on a team of 20-30 people.

If you’re only speaking up about the racial issues in America during Black History Month, or when another Black person is killed by the police, you may not be the ally you claim to be. Instead, you may just be clearing your own conscience, or making sure you fall on the right side of history. I appreciated the sentiment shared by Xbox in its BHM 2021 post, where it committed to supporting the cause far after the month was over with plans to support and uplift Black voices in perpetuity. If more companies commit to being a voice for change not just when #BlackLivesMatter is trending, we could create a much more inclusive and welcoming gaming industry.

Representation matters

We often hear the phrase “representation matters” when discussing diversity in our entertainment media. While there’s still a long way to go, gaming has made strides in being more representative of diverse backgrounds. When people bring up the need for better representation in games, it’s easy to write it off as insignificant or as unnecessary pandering, but people underestimate just how much our worldview is shaped by the entertainment we consume.

For a long time, the majority of Black characters in video games were thugs, criminals, or athletes, with a small handful of exceptions sprinkled in. Over the last decade, we’ve seen more Black characters rise to the forefront, allowed to shine on their own stage. I think of games like Watch Dogs 2 and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, games that star nerdy Black guys that aren’t stereotypes, yet still feel authentically Black in their behavior and mannerisms. Representation was never something I thought about growing up, and it was surreal to see myself reflected on screen in the games I love.

God, I can’t imagine the impact it would’ve had if I played a game like Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales 10-15 years ago.

That said, there’s still a ways to go. Games in general need more diverse leads. Our world is a melting pot, and that should be constantly reflected in our media. I’d love it if there were more Black leads that just felt like another protagonist - that just happened to be Black - instead of being one of the exclusive handful of Black characters that we highlight and point a finger to.

Work to be done

Black History Month will always be a time for reflection and introspection. We must constantly look around and ask ourselves, “Am I okay with the state of things right now?” And when the answer is no, “What am I doing to make things just a little bit better?” I truly believe that the gaming industry has made significant progress to create a more diverse and inclusive world both on and behind the screen, but there’s still a long way to go.

Donovan Erskine

News Editor

Donovan is a journalist from Maryland. His oldest gaming memory is playing Pajama Sam on his mom's desktop during weekends. Pokémon Emerald, Halo 2, and the original Star Wars Battlefront 2 were some of the most influential titles in awakening his love for video games. After interning for Shacknews throughout college, Donovan graduated from Bowie State University in 2020 with a major in broadcast journalism and joined the team full-time. He is a huge film fanatic and will talk with you about movies and games all day. You can follow him on twitter @Donimals_