Representation In Gaming; It Matters To Us
The video game industry is on its way to making $180.1 Billion worldwide by 2021. A largely white male majority, which has fostered unequal and sexist rhetoric, dominates the US market. This has primarily shaped the majority of games available, further segregating women and people of color from the overall community.
It’s challenging to find a game that you like and even more challenging to find one where you’re able to play a character with which you can form a connection. I am incredibly selective about the games I play. My preference is to select the perspective of a female main character but this is easier said than done. Only 5% of the video games released in 2019 featured a female hero. The major standout character of 2019 being Kait Diaz from the Gears of War Franchise. For Latinx gamers, the industry is starting to recognize the buying power of our community and giving us what we ask for: Representation.
Pax South, a premiere gaming convention, just announced its first-ever Latinx representation initiatives. The convention will take place in San Antonio, TX, in January 2020 from the 17th to the 19th. Pax South will feature Latinx In Gaming to host the ‘Latinx Lounge.’
The lounge will be fully inclusive and set for the duration of the convention. There will be LX game developers, networking, and tournaments geared toward featuring the amazing Hispanic people in the industry. Reps from Microsoft and BioWare will hold conversations with other heavy-hitting game companies on culture and topics that are central to the community. Some of the most highly anticipated panels are:
- Accurate Cultural Representation in Latinx Culture Games
- Latinx Games Community Panel
- LatinXP: How I Leveled Up My Career in Games
I am ready to see the LatinX turnout at Pax South 2020 and am hopeful that it will make an impact on the gaming industry as we collectively move forward.
