Melanin Gamers, a diverse group of gamers dedicated to improving diversity and inclusion in the video game community, has launched a campaign to help get racism out of gaming.

As spotlighted in a powerful short video on Youtube, The Watch is a rallying cry for all gamers everywhere to stand in solidarity, be an ally, and join the movement to end racism in gaming.  The gaming community of Black, indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC) promoting diversity and inclusion in the video game industry is also calling on major video game developers, like Activision Blizzard (the developer of the video game phenomenon, Call of Duty) to create real accountability in-game for players. It is urging game developers to improve the reporting mechanism for the racist and toxic behaviour, which it says “has gone unchecked for far too long”.

By showcasing snippets of the discriminatory lived experiences that gamers endure while gaming, The Watch aims to raise awareness of the racism that takes place in multiplayer online games for lasting change. Along with the streamers they’ve partnered with on Twitch, The Watch is asking viewers on the live streaming platform to use the built-in clip function to capture videos of racist language they hear in the background of a stream; and send it to The Watch on Twitter @HelpKeepWatch. 

COMBATTING RACISM IN GAMING

The campaign hopes to show game developers in the industry “just how widespread racism is in games like Call of Duty”, and “encourage them to take real action to address the problem for good”. “We created Melanin Gamers with the belief that video games are for everyone to enjoy. Unfortunately, problematic gamers hurl endless verbal abuse towards people of colour, like myself and my brothers,” shared Annabel Ashalley-Anthony, Founder of Melanin Gamers. “The goal of The Watch is to raise awareness about the racism that occurs in online multiplayer games and call on our allies to help make meaningful change for generations of gamers to come.”

The movement was inspired by personal and collective experiences as victims or bystanders to racial injustice in gaming. “I experienced my first instance of racism in-game when I was 14 or 15 years old while playing Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare,” revealed  Alan Ashalley-Anthony, Chief Researcher at Melanin Gamers. “There are millions of Black players across hundreds of video games, yet somehow harassment towards Black and BIPOC communities is so widespread.”

ANTI-RACISM CHECKLIST

Melanin Gamers has also developed a checklist for game developers to work towards anti-racism in-game, including:

1. Meet with Melanin Gamers to discuss the rampant racism in some games discuss solutions for real change.
2. Restore faith in the reporting system by providing transparent updates for each user report.
3. Enforce appropriate punishments for racist in-game abuse.
4. Engage with the BIPOC gamer community regularly to identify emerging issues and work together towards effective solutions.
5. Increase accountability for game developers and create an obligation to share tangible goals, targets, and a roadmap to combat in-game racism.

Unfortunately, racism is just one type of injustice that is common in gaming. The Watch is mindful of the intersectionality and various forms of toxic discrimination and abuse that all types of players endure; including sexism, xenophobia, homophobia, etc. That is why wants to provide a safe gaming experience for all players. For more information, or to join The Watch, visit the Twitter page here.

Twenty-eight leading brands have signed the Mitigate Racial Bias in Retail Charter to stop racism in retail. Click here to read more.

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