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racism

Abstract image evoking bird silhouette

March 31st

…just a dress | Medium Emma Vossen examines the recent unmitigated disaster that was the “Gamer Dress” and situates the ordeal in broader institutions of misogyny, harassment, and gatekeeping.

“They are opening the gate to their walled city but changing nothing about the culture there. They are not doing anything about the rampant racism, sexism, ableism, transphobia, homophobia, and sexual harassment. This tweet is saying “sorry our toxic pit is so toxic! Here is a dress for you to wear while you swim in the toxic pit: also it shows off your tits and ass!””

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August 18th

…of overwhelming privilege and gamer toxicity that allows the myth of the apolitical in games to endure.

“The yearning for the separation of art and politics is one held by those for whom the status quo is their foundation. To be reminded that alternative perspectives not only exist, but are forced to exist by virtue of an individual’s identity threads holes in the comfort the yearners drape over themselves; a comfort that is not long enough by virtue of colonialism, bigotry, racism, sexism, transphobia and capitalism to extend to those of us who are not straight cis…

October 27th

…class. Sexism and racism don’t meaningfully exist even though race does; many of the people you meet across classes are black and brown. Race and gender go essentially unacknowledged from the game’s core narrative to its tongue-in-cheek riffs on PR buzzwords, which was frustrating in a game so deeply embroiled in power dynamics.”

Critical Chaser

I wanna quit the gym.

  • Micro-Review: Moons of Madness’ Crappy Space-Gym | Fanbyte Danielle Riendeau demonstrates why a bad gym was the real cosmic horror all along.

“Unlike the sleek and modern facilities onboard the station in…

This Year in Videogame Blogging: 2019

…captured into another form of work.

Everything old is new is old is new again; capitalism will always find a way to incorporate its criticisms into itself as decoration. Writing for Deorbital, Matthew Koester looked back on Crazy Taxi Tycoon and the recapitulation of progressive, pro-labor messaging to reinforce the same gig economy it critiques.

Sexism, Racism, and Abuse

Content Warning for This Section: Everything it says on the tin, as well as rape, online harassment, That Hashtag, and suicide.

We could hardly have a year in games without talking about endemic inequality in the industry….

April 19th

…Zero’s Anxious Approach to Hope | Sidequest Madison Butler probes at the liminal tensions left unresolved at KRZ‘s conclusion.

  • Get Equipped With Righteous Violence in Treachery in Beatdown City – Paste Dia Lacina breaks down a brawler that reworks retro beat-em-up violence as an explicit counterpoint to the systemic violence experienced by marginalized communities, identities, people (content notifications for racism/bigotry-motivated violence, abuse).

    • “Treachery in Beatdown City isn’t concerned with the questions of prudence. It doesn’t care about “civility” or want its players to worry about the millions of considerations they have to do when confronted with…

    April 2020

    …status quo capitalism and structural racism with the aid of a “fascist” run-through of Disco Elysium. (Manual captions) [Content warning: contains numerous videos and images of, and references to, real-world instances of police violence, including killings of unarmed civilians. Also contains fictional depictions of suicide. Also a moderate spoiler warning for Disco Elysium]

  • Final Fantasy VII – A Literary Analysis – Games As Literature (1:32:33)

    The Game Professor presents a deep, deep dive into Final Fantasy VII (the main title only, he stresses – not the remake, not the spin-offs), looking at its complex thematic explorations of overt

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    • June 7th

    Welcome back, readers.

    I spent time last week and this week trying to think through how to draw a thread between critical games discourse and the now-worldwide protests against anti-Black police violence/brutality/murder–of George Floyd, of many, many other victims of the systemic racism rooted in the very core of western civilization, be it in the United States, my own Canada, or elsewhere. Trying to figure out how to rhetorically justify expressing my disgust on this games crit platform for militarized and state-sanctioned police power being brought lethally to bear on black and brown bodies time and again.

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    June 14th

    …police as purely altruistic, not reflecting any of the bitter reality of prejudice and violence. Those that might not have understood that before are now starting to get it, and that might be a problem for future video games.”

    Industry Currents

    Three authors this week look at bigger-picture movements, trends, discourses, and causes in both the games industry and games academia.

    • Itch.io’s Anti-Racism Bundle Gave Me Space To Reflect, Rather Than Look Away | Kotaku Shonté Murray-Daniels approaches the itch.io bundle as a reality-confronting counterpoint to the recently-renewed public interest in games-as-escapism.
    • In Celebration…

    July 19th

    …Epps talks to FGC members fighting for a better, more just, more inclusive scene.

  • What Killing Eve Can Teach Video Games About Writing Complex Queer Characters – Gayming Magazine Celia Lewis examines the ways in which queer narratives in games are still playing catch-up to other storytelling media.
  • The Gaming Community Still Isn’t Ready to Talk About Race – Gayming Magazine David André Jarrett takes stock of the state of systemic anti-Black racism in gaming along all its axes.

    • “Why did it take this particular tragic event for the world to finally stand up and…

    June 2020

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    In the wake of George Floyd’s murder, Kahlief Adams chats with a panel of content creators about their experiences of systemic racism in America, and the importance of finding solace in community. (Autocaptions)

  • Black AF Roundtable of TTRPG Creators – Tanya DePass (58:05)

    Omega Jones hosts a roundtable to discuss blackness and inclusiveness – or lackthereof – in tabletop roleplaying games, streams and communities. (Autocaptions)

    • Ugly Beauty

    Two videos looked at the intermingling of aesthetics with game tone.

    • The Surreal Beauty of The Evil Within – Eurothug400 (21:33)

      eurothug4000 ponders the

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