According to new diversity research, nearly 80% of video game characters are male

According to a new survey by the gaming website Diamond Lobby, nearly 80% of video game characters are male.

We surveyed more than 100 games from 2017 to 2021, including the 10 highest-selling games in the corresponding years. The remaining games being studied include all other major releases from major publishing companies such as Activision, EA, Nintendo, and Ubisoft.A game that allows players to customize their characters-just like in a game New world and animal Crossing-Removed, leaving a total of 93 games.

In terms of gender diversity, the study found that 79.2% of the protagonists in the game are men; 54.2% of the protagonists in the game are white, and only 8.3% of the protagonists are non-white women.

In addition, 63.3% of games have both playable male and female characters; 31.7% of games have only male characters; 5% of games have only female characters, which means that there are more games with only male characters than games with only female characters.

In the diversity part of the study, 9.5% of games have only one playable white character, which means that there are no other race representatives. 5.3% of games have no playable white characters at all.

The most diverse game studied is Apex Legend, 50% of playable characters in Apex Legends are women. The other half of the game’s characters include seven males and one non-binary character. Six of the 17 characters in the game are openly gay or bisexual, and 50% of the characters are black, Asian or other races.

The issue of diversity is a hot discussion that has come and gone in recent years. Rashad Redic, co-founder and chief creative officer of Brass Lion Entertainment, said that high-quality products should always be at the forefront, regardless of race.

“Telling these stories is not as niche as people think,” Redick told Tech Crunch in 2020. [the Marvel movie] PantherThe content is defined by whether it is interesting or not, the period. “

Gaming industry reporter Gita Jackson described to Tech Church the backlash she faced when she talked about diversity and gaming.

“I think it is good to have more video game characters for women of color, but these should not be controversial statements,” Jackson said. “I’m just talking about something I appreciate, something related to me. However, some readers reacted as if I suggested that all gamers should have their little toes amputated.”