Gaming racial landscape unacceptable, says report

Kotaku has picked up on a report from the USC Annenberg School for Communication, that suggests the gaming landscape is failing to represent the US racial landscape.

150 of the 'top games in a year across nine platforms and all rating levels' were surveyed to quantify the racial appearance of the main characters, which found that less than 3 per cent were 'recognisably Hispanic'.

This particular statistic has been selected for headlining since the report also claims that more Hispanic children play games than white children.

"For identity formation, that's a problem. And for generating interest in technology, it may place under represented groups behind the curve," says social psychologist and assistant professor at USC Dmitri Williams, the study leader. "Ironically, they may even be less likely to become game makers themselves, helping to perpetuate the cycle."

The report goes on to suggest that women, native Americans and the elderly weren't fairly represented either, and while a reasonable number of characters are black, they mostly serve to reinforce stereotypes by appearing in sports games and gang-related games.