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PrimePlus assesses the current state of black characters
PrimePlus has a fairly interesting piece about the current state of black characters in video games. The editorial maintains a very moderate approach to the charged subject, covering the differences between Western and Eastern development, along with how black characters have been portrayed over the years.The piece mostly focuses on upcoming titles and games from the last decade, like Mass Effect, Half-Life 2, Gears of War and GTA: San Andreas. Without getting "politically correct" or preachy, the editorial notes that representation isn't an "exclusive concern to the population of black individuals." It points out that "more socially imaginative avenues of inspiration" would be welcome, which is something we can agree about.[Via Edge]
MTV talks to black professionals in gaming
Much like what she did last year with women in games, MTV Multiplayer's Tracey John is in the middle of a week-long series that looks at black professionals in the video game industry. So far she's talked to Newsweek's N'Gai Croal, Crystal Dynamic's Morgan Gray and Nerjyzed Entertainment's Brian Jackson. Tomorrow's entry will be an interview with SCEA producer Felice Standifer.Similar to the last series, topics of discussion include the perception of black people in games, the struggles with diversity in the industry and how it affects the end product (i.e. the game). Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Gears of War's character Cole Train are discussed on multiple occasions. Concluding his interview, Croal threw out an idea for a Dance Dance Revolution title that would actually teach you how to dance, which the rhythmically-deficient folks at Joystiq would love to get our off-time hands on.
