In the last decade, video games have gone from being simple entertainment tools to becoming a powerful cultural platform capable of influencing millions of people around the world. However, this evolution has also turned the industry into an ideological battlefield, where the focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) generates debates about its impact on the quality and essence of games.
Is inclusion a tool for cultural enrichment or an imposition that compromises the player experience?
The rise of DEI ideology in video games is no coincidence. According to a report by the Entertainment Software Association, more than 71% of Americans play video games, and half spend more than eight hours a week on this activity. With such a wide audience, video games have become an ideal medium for spreading political and social ideas.
Recent titles such as God of War: Ragnarök have reimagined characters based on Norse mythologies, such as Angrboda, depicting her as a black woman.
While proponents argue that these changes promote inclusivity, detractors criticize the lack of respect for the cultural traditions that inspired the game. In a similar case, Spider-Man 2 received praise for “its relentless promotion of queerness,” which created polarization among gamers.
Hellbound and Down 