What does this mean for Diablo 4? I wonder if they will retroactively bring this into Diablo 2. Though, perhaps they already have.
Activision Blizzard has released a new blog detailing their Diversity Space Tool: a new system for character design developed by King and the MIT Game Lab which translates elements of diversity into character attributes. Working alongside DE&I experts, the Diversity Space Tool is a measurement device used to help identify how diverse a set of character traits are and in turn how diverse an entire cast of characters are, with the intent of helping identify opportunities for more diverse character narratives and to ensure that developers aren’t creating characters that are diverse in appearance only.
Described as a tangible way of avoiding tokenism, stereotypes, and exclusion, the system has already been tested by development teams working on Call of Duty: Vanguard, with plans to release internally across all Activision Blizzard studios and potentially the rest of the video games industry later this year.
I would say possibly to the maybe coming here. The idea of there being a fuller range of truly playable and enjoyable class ranges isn’t a bad idea. Imagine an actually worthwhile enchantress or some other little played class being actually decent. Like the changes to druid so far for summoner line.
The OP is talking about a tool made, mostly by volunteers, at King Games.
It seems to be a bit like those quizzes that pick which char you are most like after answering questions. It can give some insight maybe, but what you do with that is up to you.
It is not a scientific take. Just a way to visualize things the devs might not have thought about.
It is not currently used by Blizzard, although will be made available if they want it later.
We’ve edited this blog post to clarify that this prototype is not being used in active game development
I’m fine with diversity and having a better immersive experience as a result, 100% for that…BUT, the second they start talking about a characters sexuality aka trans, pan, bi, gay, lesb, etc etc, I’m f***ing jumping ship and saying f this company.
What they will never give you, ever, is choice. The freedom to choose what represents you or what you fancy at the moment, without need to explain or justify, without need to include or represent, words they like to use to appear to toe the line. They will never promote, encourage or even fight for, free choice. This is the current western world, starting in the US, and spilling over in Europe, through the UK mainly. In my opinion it is sheer oppression.
Let’s not forget, D2, representing the fight of Heavenly and Demonic forces, based on the Christian religion (in turn based on the Old Testament and maybe scripts like Enoch), takes a wild swipe at cultures and races in its Acts, and its main heroes. Of course the heroes then being less inclusive as they are now in D2R. However the theme need not include Act 2 (Middle East/Iraq/Iran) or Act 3 (India) or Act 5 (Nordics and Central Asia). It would have been fine had it been culture neutral. As long as it included a lot of demons to shoot at.
I think this definitely races a topic of discussion regarding fantasy versus reality and how much reality fantasy games should push. It sounds like we’re getting to the point where heroes that slay demons need to be in wheelchairs.
One of the reasons people play fantasy games is to escape reality. How long until we start seeing political ads in game or something? Not that this isn’t one already.
It is the western corporate world and big game studios are subject to the same pressures as any other conglomerate. Let us not forget that Activision, privately owned, is larger than maybe 80 out of 100 top, listed UK companies (FTSE-100). Their HR department alone must be larger in scope and funding than half the UK top companies. Iconic names, look:
Blizzard is larger than:
BP
Vodafone
HSBC
Almost the same as:
Shell
Unilever
Diageo
Glaxo Smithkline Beecham
Blizzard is 15 times larger than Rolls Royce (aircraft engines, not cars)
Just to get an idea of size, if you are in UK. There are companies 1/15 the size of Blizzard with heavier HR.
I think part of the problem is that, and especially after the recent scandals, there is no voice of dissent within the company. There may be people that understand how insane some of this is, but they are unable to say no to anything. So when these ideas are presented in meetings, there is nobody saying anything that might challenge the idea. This is of course out of fear of losing one’s job.
So it seems to me there is going to be no end to this. It’s going to get pretty comical as the years go by, I anticipate.
There are opposing forces in the world. There is a war in Europe, then there are tensions in China, never mind other countries, with nukes, and population in the billions. We, in the West, are being CNN/Twitter/Netflix/celebrities/liberal pressure groups guided at the moment. There is a narrative and that is what we are being fed. But there might be an end to this, something involving living in underground silos for a few years. Maybe.
I’m fine with it… as long as “diversity” makes sense.
I’m sick of these new age fantasy settings where every country village needs to make a quota for every race, gender, sexual orientation.
I’d rather see some grounded realism in my fantasy. I mean if their world wants to include half the people being gay… go for it. But the straight couples better be pumping out 5 kids each in the world setting. Also if you are going to make a fantasy world without racism, then they need to start establishing how old these empires are. Cause without racism given a few generations everyone is going to be a shade of tan with slightly pointed ears.
Inclusivity should not be an excuse to ignore world building.
Maybe they can create a tool that helps make sure new games are both diverse, and actually good games too.
That would be a very used tool. Next call of duty probably needs it
Well, I know all my D&D handicapped friends want their in game characters to be self inserts… hell, with all the terrain ignoring features they have, I’m just gonna roll all my characters in combat wheelchairs. OMG… there are spikes on the ground… I’ll hover over them… and avoid the lava…
Their intentions sounds like a good thing, but the key word “diversity” and “inclusion” in the context of the main post just means “Exclusions” and “Ideologies” in disguise.
The fact that we’re even discussing this “inclusion” thingee, without concomitant ridicule, means the Overton Window has smashed into these forums, rendering any subsequent discussions as pointless beyond any rational thought.
It’s odd, to me, how corrupting this “inclusion” concept is (and believe me, it has absolutely nothing to do with actually including things, like differing opinions, etc.).
God help us, that is if we’re not already beyond any hope of help…
I’m all for more character customization in these kind of games, but this has a strong smell of empty virtue signaling. I get seriously annoyed when the woke narrative insanity is forced down peoples throats.
i’m gonna take a guess that the majority of you are white heterosexual men, the demographic that most games have been catered to for the past 50 years.
Why is it such a problem that games are starting to include other sexes, races, sexual orientations and just generally other demographics so that other people feel included? Do you feel like you’re somehow losing something?
