#bendingtheknee

[heymanshoot]

BLOG 02

The Role of Video Games in Social Commentary.

Taking a knee, made famous by Colin Kaepernick in 2016, has evolved into a potent symbol in the battle against racial injustice and police brutality. A common moment of silent protest and solidarity across professional sports leagues around the world. Kneeling before games is the image of those of the athletes pledging to put a spotlight on systemic racism. The act is significant in these leagues, and the demographics of these leagues reinforce that. For example, according to the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES), in the NFL 70 per cent of players are Black. According to the English Premier League, over 43% of its players were Black in the 2020-2021 season. The statistics point to the protest emerging most commonly from the very people affected by a certain issue.

But there’s a huge divide between this real-world activism and the world of sports sims. Take, for example, the FIFA series of football simulation games—dominant in the scene, and developed by EA Sports—the way they notably leave without permission from depicting anti-racism initiatives, which have the potential to reach a massive audience of all stripes.

Racial injustice and sporting injustice, it’s a subjects that are so woven into our global fabric that even a popular West-based global sport like FIFA has an enormous impact, which is why the fact that very little is done with these games is a massive missed opportunity of both a social commentary and an educational tool. For comparison, behavioural demographic data of the FIFA player base is neither public nor readily available, but just as football is global, their Player Base is likely just as diverse as their actual sport. So, that’s why there is a lack of anti-racism actions inside the game.

A frequently proffered argument is that video games were supposed to be an escape from reality. But this view neglects the fact that sports come with society. At both the physical and virtual levels, issues, including those of the real world, certainly percolate through the sporting arena. Games like FIFA omit these important social conversations, trading them for experiences that are unrealistic and sanitized — these aren't progressions as games; they aren't progressions as FIFA; and I doubt they're progressions as sports.

If anti-racism actions were part of video games they would not only be a symbolic move, they would also be incredibly educational. It would contribute to normalizing discussions surrounding race and discrimination and communicate a powerful message to a broad audience: In sports and society, racism is not OK.

EA Sports has shown a commitment to diversity in other areas itself, from growth in representation of women's football in FIFA to highlighting how far the beloved publisher still has to go. The gender equality focus coupled with ignoring the plight of racial justice is raising questions about the very selective nature of their social engagement.

Video game developers ought to be aware that they have the ability to effect positive social change. The world of sports on the virtual side can be a platform for fighting for equality. As such, games like FIFA need to take up their social responsibilities and reflect, in real-time, what is happening in the game, like the ongoing battle against racism. A similar commitment to anti-racism should be demonstrated in the virtual realm, with the on-field presence of the bent knee in real-world stadiums. If the power of the virtual world is ever going to sing the riff for social justice, we first need to examine the industry's practices critically to make sure that is what it's doing.

While there will obviously be challenges to implementing this into the game, we need to recognize that real-world players are still taking the knee and FIFA needs to take the necessary steps to make it happen.

SOURCES

https://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/mcnair_journal/vol9/iss1/14/ (ACCESSED 01 DEC 2024)

https://www.pcgamer.com/has-the-games-industry-lived-up-to-its-black-lives-matter-promises/ (ACCESSED 01 DEC 2024)

https://www.tatlerasia.com/lifestyle/entertainment/video-games-positive-messages-social-good (ACCESSED 01 DEC 2024)

https://vgartsite.wordpress.com/2020/06/03/video-games-about-racial-issue-and-against-racism/ (ACCESSED 01 DEC 2024)

[oneangrygamer]

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[thats-on-point]

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[oneangrygamer]

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