Video games are electronic games that people play via computers or television screens, and mostly rely on the speed of the users. The development of technology came with these video games and they have revolutionized entertainment as a whole. Despite the fact that people enjoy the video games, there has always been a big debate whether video games are racist or not. As some support the debate that video games are racist, the others oppose this assertion, as they believe that these games are fair. Racism is the partiality or favoring of a certain race but it also applies to gender. The notable bias in the video games is the denial of the black races the superior roles in the plot of the game.
This paper analyzes the debate on whether video games are racist or not. The paper discuses both the proponents’ and opponents’ points of view regarding this issue and the papers final stand.
Video games are not racist
Firstly, video games are not racist, since the give roles to the characters depending on their capability. Normally, people argue that videos only depict the whites playing senior and complicated roles, while the blacks take only the inferior roles. According to Embrick, Wright & Lukács (2012), this is fair, since the roles in the video games depend on the real life reality. Notably, most of the whites’ countries are more developed as compared to blacks’ countries, making the whites to be more knowledgeable with the technology. Regarding that, it would not be real to impose a complicated role on a black African man in the video games as other people argue that should be. This would make the video game appear weird, and most people would criticize the video.
Secondly, video games are not racist since the roles of women in the video games are lesser compared to those of men. Arguably, most people say that video games give women less roles to play in favor of men. Notably, in most video games, male roles are many and introduction of women is impossible, because in some plots they simply do not fit. Additionally, in relation to the above argument, women in real life like the power of playing some complicated roles common in video games. Concerning that, video games have to use more men characters to perform the roles, since they are the ones, who fit there better. This does not make video games racist.
Video games are racist
According to the proponents’ point of view, video games are racist and they need review. The proponents argue that video games undermine some races. As discussed below, they come up with different opinions.
Firstly, the proponents claim that video games are racist, since they undermine the potentiality of certain races to do some things. Normally, in the video games the whites acquire superior roles, while the black heroes play inferior roles. Notably, some of the inferior roles that the black play are witchcraft, devilish roles and magic. Most communities have low opinion about these roles and association with them is not accepted. Additionally, there is no single video game that has had the whites playing such roles, and this is the reason, why people assume that it is discrimination. In the video games, the whites play only superior roles that are technology related. In line with that, most people propose that the roles in the video games need equality among all the races that are involved in the video games. In case a video game has the superior and the inferior roles, all the races involved in the video game need incorporation on both the superior and inferior roles.
Secondly, video games are racist, since they involve fewer women in their plots. The video games mostly have fewer women incorporated in the games. However, despite the fact that the women are at times incorporated in the video, the play the minor roles and they are submissive to the male characters. Sayre & King (2010) assert that the submissive nature exhibited in the video games is the one that clearly depicts racism in the video games. Furthermore, few or no video games have the women characters that play senior roles that depict them as independent from the male characters. In the video games, women mostly submit to male characters, which play the major roles in the scenes. To stop the racism in the video games, they need to come up with female characters that are also superior and independent. There has to be women characters, who determine the continuity of the video games.
In my personal opinion, video games are racist. There are several issues depicting the racism embodied in video games. Firstly, the video games represent other communities and races, as the inferior ones. Most video games portray the blacks as being inferior and lacking the knowledge about technology. As the whites play the cherished and admired roles of technology and other issues, the blacks play magic and satanic roles in the video games. This is racism, since they undermine the blacks in the video games. Despite the fact that they argue that they are trying to portray the real lifestyle, this is not real, since there are some blacks, who are even more knowledgeable than the whites are. Additionally, the development in the African or the black’s nations cannot be the reason to undermine them. In order to do away with the racism in the video games, they need to place blacks and other discriminated communities too in the superior roles. A video game that has the blacks and the whites exchanging both the superior and inferior roles would be fair.
Furthermore, another notable issue of racism in the games is the denial of the women to play senior and independent roles. The women have the capability to handle most of the roles that the men represent in the video games. However, video games normally make them to be submissive to the male characters. Women usually lack the chance to represent themselves in the video games. Apart from superiority, the women play small percentage of representation in the video play. They play small parts, when there are other notable parts assigned to men, where women would have fit. These are among the main reasons why video games are racist.
In conclusion, there is an enormous debate whether video games are racist or not. As some claim that they are racist, others argue that video games are fair. Notably, video games are not racist, since the give roles to the characters depending on their capability. Normally, people argue that the videos only depict the whites playing senior and complicated roles, while the blacks appear on inferior roles. This is fair, since the roles in the video games depend on the real life reality. On the contrary, video games are racist, since they undermine the potential of certain races to do some things. Normally, in the video games the whites acquire superior roles, while the black characters play inferior roles. Notably, some of the inferior roles that the black play are witchcraft, devilish roles, and magic.