Code My Crown: Why we need more representation in video games

Thanks to pioneering tools like Dove's Code My Crown, change has come.

This is Texture Talk, our long-running column that delves deep into the dynamic world of curly hair, from crowns of free-flowing curls to hair hidden in protective styles.

The world of video games thrives on, and even needs, forward-thinking innovation and reinvention. However, while the second wave of the natural hair movement (which began in the 2000s and expanded significantly in the 2010s) continues to drive cultural change and demonstrate the importance of appropriate and equal representation of black hair, the gaming industry is lagging behind. .

“Black hair representation has barely evolved in the gaming industry,” says Tallgran Studios CEO and lead contributor to Dove's Code My Crown, a free guide launched last year to help video game designers. says Isaac Olander. He creates accurate digital depictions of natural hair. “Despite the fact that there are millions of black gamers, [contributing to the over $300 billion industry], textured hair and protective styles are still very limited and stereotyped,” says Olander. When creating a character, users often have to choose from caricature-like racist options, such as matte cornrows or messy locs. “This can leave Black players feeling unseen and unwelcome in the gaming world.”

While some may argue that digital representation in fictional spaces is irrelevant, the majority of black video game users disagree. One survey found that 8 out of 10 gamers feel “excluded, discriminated against, or not good enough” due to poor depiction of hair texture. I did. This is especially close to home for celebrity hairstylist Lacey Redway, whose clients include Alicia Keys, Nicki Minaj and Teyana Taylor. “I’m a Black mother raising a Black child who is a gamer,” Redway says. “I've watched him create characters on his gaming platform and realized how difficult it still is to achieve accurate black characteristics.”

That's why when Redway was given the opportunity to partner with EA Games to help develop a modern texture style for The Sims 4 Growing Together expansion pack, it was a no-brainer. One of the main areas Redway focused on was developing accurate depictions of bouncy coils, newborn baby hair, braided buns, and single braids, all of which translated well into the game. I did.

However, this process was not without its own obstacles. “The way the character moves can change the look of the hairstyle,” says Redway. “That's why free-flowing curls and flyaways are some of the most difficult styles to create.” The Sims' graphics team, Maxis, worked with hair experts to help solve these problems. However, small or independent design teams may lack the means to bring textured hair to life on a digital screen. “Resources are limited when it comes to coding natural or textured hair,” he says. “This is due to a lack of knowledge about natural hair behavior and the cultural nuances of the styles themselves, as well as a lack of understanding of how to use digital tools to create more realistic hairstyles. It's also because of that.”

“This is just the beginning of a transformed gaming industry.”

This is where Code My Crown comes into play. Developed in collaboration with a team of Black game developers and celebrity hairstylist Nai'Vasha Grace, this guide provides step-by-step coding instructions to accurately create different textures and his style while also Educate users about the Context and cultural influences of different styles. “Most of the conversations about black hair and how to express hair texture come from real-life experience,” says Redway. “Conversations about Black culture require Black participation.”

But with the gaming world's exclusive history of texture styles and only 2 percent of developers identifying as black, one question remains. Is the field ready for this kind of advancement? According to both Orlander and Redway, the answer is yes. “Game developers have wholeheartedly embraced this initiative,” says Olander. “This is just the beginning of a gaming industry undergoing a transformation that takes into account all players, not just a few groups.”

This article was first published fashion'■April 2024 issue. Learn more about.