A narrative designer currently employed by Electronic Arts (EA) subsidiary Cliffhanger Games has sparked controversy after admitting to discriminatory hiring practices on a previous project. Dani Lalonders, who is working on the upcoming Marvel’s Black Panther game at the EA studio, revealed during the 2021 Game Devs of Color Expo that she intentionally avoided hiring white individuals for her indie visual novel ValiDate out of a stated desire to create a “safe environment.”
“We have no white people on our team. I did that because I wanted to create a safe environment, and I know the best way for an environment to be safe is to be around people who are just like me,” Lalonders told attendees.
The shocking admission highlights an alarming case of blatant racial discrimination under the guise of promoting diversity and inclusion. Lalonders defended the decision, stating, “Sometimes it is hard to work with white people because they think that something may be okay, but it was really a microaggression.”
ValiDate, dubbed a “video game developed by Tumblr,” is a dating sim that explores different relationship dynamics through a cast of diverse stereotypical characters. Despite its progressive themes, the 21-member development team featured no white individuals by Lalonders’ own admission.
The controversial developer has shown no signs of walking back her discriminatory views. In a recent online exchange, Lalonders dismissed criticism around potential racism towards white people, stating, “I just stopped taking y’all seriously when y’all start running around saying white people can experience racism.”
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Lalonders’ unrepentant stance has raised concerns within the gaming community and industry about promoting truly inclusive environments without resorting to divisive and legally dubious practices that only breed further discrimination.
As an EA subsidiary, Cliffhanger Games has so far declined to comment on the controversy surrounding one of its narrative designers. With Marvel’s Black Panther still in early development, it remains unclear how much influence Lalonders will have on the high-profile project’s narrative direction. EA is certainly couplable, as well as Cliffhanger, for allowing a blatant racist to work for them, and there is no doubt her vile opinions shaped the structure of the company.
The incident has reignited a broader discussion around diversity efforts in gaming and how to constructively address representation issues without alienating or discriminating against other groups based on characteristics like race.
What are your thoughts on EA and Cliffhanger Games using racist hires? Let us know in the comments!
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