Fandom Pulse previously covered DEI commissar Katy Jo Wright, Head of ‘Gaming for Everyone & Sustainability’ at Microsoft’s Xbox, and her interview at GDC24, where she discussed the development of the Product Inclusion Framework, aimed at forcing game developers to integrate diversity and inclusion principles into game development. This toolkit, although framed as being voluntary, shows what Microsoft and Xbox will expect from game developers in the future. Xbox Games Studios’ affiliation with Sweet Baby Inc. also raised skepticism among gamers about how “voluntary” this toolkit will be in the future. The “voluntary” nature of this toolkit is highly questionable in light of how and which projects will receive ESG funding. The question is, will games like Stellar Blade eventually be banned?
The latest from US tech juggernaut Microsoft and its gaming division, Xbox, suggests they’ve taken a nosedive into oversensitivity, cautioning against the use of curvaceous female characters in video games. In a move purportedly tied to its inclusivity initiative, the company has rolled out updated guidelines, urging developers to scrutinize their creations for any hint of negative gender stereotypes.
RELATED: SHIFT UP Gives Gamers EXACTLY What They Want In Stellar Blade!
Dubbed ‘Product Inclusion Action: Help Customers Feel Seen,’ the guide dishes out a laundry list of no-nos, as decreed by Microsoft. Among them are eschewing gender barriers and ensuring female characters match their male counterparts in skill, ability, and attire. “Do they have exaggerated body proportions?” the guideline inquires as if the mere suggestion of a shapely avatar is sexism.
Yet, female characters have long been pivotal figures in gaming lore, capturing the hearts of fans worldwide. From the intrepid Lara Croft to the bewitching Bayonetta and the enigmatic Ada Wong, they’ve etched their names into the annals of gaming history. And let’s not forget Stellar Blade, where a Korean model serves as the blueprint for its controversial protagonist. But in the eyes of Microsoft, it seems such creations border on the sacrilegious, an affront to their newfound crusade for gender neutrality. But Microsoft and Xbox are intent on stripping them of their curves in the name of political correctness.
The list includes a number of questions that would directly impact games like Stellar Blade:
“Are you reinforcing any negative gender stereotypes?
Are you unnecessarily introducing gender & gender barriers into your code or design?
Are you creating playable female characters that are equal in skill and ability to their male peers. Are your female characters equipped with clothing and armor that fits their tasks? Do they have exaggerated body proportions?
When the story allows, do you show male characters who display a full range of emotions, including joy, sadness, and vulnerability?
What % of screen time (on screen presence, speaking lines, heroes) is held by different gender/racial identities?
Do you have a process to review key decisions with the lens of Helping Customers Feel Seen?”
RELATED: Microsoft To Shut Down Distribution Team Of All Physical Media For Xbox
To add fuel to the fire, and in a major marketing faux pas, the head of global marketing for Microsoft’s Xbox, Kelly Lombardi let the mask slip, basically confirming Microsoft and Xbox is waging a war on white male gamers when she posted on X: “Raise your hand if youre not a white man and buy video games (No hate to white dudes, it’s just another day in the gaming industry that minorities have to fight to prove they exist)”
As Savvy|Artist pointed out, the largest gamer demographic is Asian males, so against whom exactly is this “fight” supposed to be? As to be expected from these DEI commissars with institutionalized power behind them, Kelly Lombardi attacked white males, then “went dark,” hiding her X account.
What do you think of Microsoft and Stellar Blade? Leave a comment and let us know.
Hey Microsoft and Xbox, if any of your stooges are reading this, I’m not buying an Xbox or subscribing to GamePass again until you purge every single one of these far left nutjobs and policies from your company.
I’m sure I’m not alone on this either.
Go burn in Hell Microshaft and Soyny, the Japanese are done with PS and the Playstation 5 ain’t doing hot. PC all the way.
Boycott Microsoft and Xbox.
Stop buying Xbox ….there is plenty of alternatives!!
Gaming is supposed to be fun, a release from the everyday grind of work and life. It’s art, and creation. I stopped when my viking in assassin’s creed slept with another dude. That was the last straw. There is nothing wrong with how the females and males are portrayed in games. It’s fantasy. It’s not broke so don’t fix it. The people you think you’re reaching with this dei nonsense is minuscule. You’re going to loose a ton a players and money from this. Buy