Why “Political Correctness” in Games Annoys Players: Do We Really Need Diversity?
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Recently, “diversity (DEI / Diversity, Equity & Inclusion)” has become a major theme in the game industry.
The term “political correctness” (often abbreviated as “PC”) has also become widely known. It refers to efforts to avoid using “discriminatory expressions” based on characteristics like race, nationality, disability, and religion. Instead, people should use “neutral expressions” that are not discriminatory.
Many people who like games have probably heard terms like “political correctness” and “DEI” at least once.
Efforts towards “diversity” may sound like a good thing.
However, more and more people are saying that games become boring when there is too much diversity. For example, a Black protagonist in a game set in Japan’s Sengoku period, a character who was originally beautiful but then made unattractive, or an unexpected depiction of homosexuality in the second half of a game.
On social media like X (formerly Twitter), comments such as “PC is annoying” and “games don’t need diversity” have become more common.
So, this time, we will explain why “diversity (DEI)” and “political correctness” are unnecessary in games, and the factors that make games boring due to “diversity (DEI)” and “political correctness”.
Do Games Need Diversity? When Did PC Start?
In recent years, the video game industry has made big changes to support “diversity (DEI / Diversity, Equity & Inclusion)“.
Before, there weren’t many characters or stories that “reflected the diverse backgrounds and cultures of players”. Many stories focused on “specific races or genders”.
For example, in battle games, many of the main characters were male, and the female heroines were often white and attractive. The characters and stories in the industry were all a little bit biased.
However, from the late 2010s to the 2020s, “political correctness” started to appear in Western games. “Political correctness” is a way of avoiding “discriminatory expressions” based on race, nationality, disability, and religion. Instead, it uses “neutral expressions”.
Examples of Games Incorporating Diversity
Here are some examples of games that include “Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI)” and the ideas of “Political Correctness“.
Even when a game is described as “diversity-focused“, the way diversity is integrated differs from one game to another.
| Game Title | Release Year | Characteristics of Diversity Incorporated |
| Life is Strange | 2015 | Features a story with themes of social issues and individual identity, designed with diversity in mind. |
| Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey | 2018 | Offers gender selection and romance options, including same-sex relationships. |
| The Last of Us Part II | 2020 | LGBTQ+ characters play major roles, with their individual stories deeply explored. |
| Overwatch2 | 2022 | Features characters of different races, genders, and abilities, with backstories that support diversity. |
| Horizon Forbidden West | 2022 | Faced backlash over the protagonist Aloy’s appearance not being “cute,” and again when a same-sex kiss scene between Aloy and a new female character in a DLC was introduced. |
| Assassin’s Creed Shadows | 2025 | Set in Japan’s Azuchi-Momoyama period, it caused controversy by featuring a Black man, Yasuke, as a protagonist and being promoted as a “historically accurate game”. |
While some games that prioritize diversity or political correctness face backlash, others, like Overwatch 2, are highly praised by many streamers as shooting games.
In the end, people don’t think that diversity is unnecessary in games. Instead, people are criticizing games that focus too much on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and political correctness. These games add things that are not needed, like unnatural visuals and storylines. This makes the games less appealing.
Reasons Why Diversity is Considered Unnecessary
People mainly think diversity is unnecessary in games because of problems with “game design” and “player experience”.
There are two main reasons:
Reason 1: It affects “gameplay”
People say that adding the ideas of “diversity (DEI)” and “political correctness” can make a game more appealing to more people.
But “excessive consideration” can also potentially harm a “game’s story” and “character individuality”.
For example, when “modern values” are forced onto a game that is all about “historical context”, it can make the game less realistic and less fun.
Players just want to have fun and be entertained.
Some people are worried that if political correctness is prioritized too much, the “essential enjoyment of the game” might be sacrificed.
Reason 2: Loss of Story “Consistency”
Another point often raised as a reason why diversity is considered unnecessary in games is the “loss of story consistency”.
Many games that have been criticized in the past for being “too politically correct” often include “diversity elements” that are not directly related to the main story. This made players feel unnatural and suddenly pulled them out of the game’s world. This led to a lot of dissatisfaction and criticism.
Players connect with characters that feel like real people and have interesting stories.
But now, “shallow expressions” are popping up all of a sudden. They’re being used to be diverse and politically correct. But players are pushing back. They’re saying, “We don’t need those elements”.
Focus on Diversity and the Future Direction of the Game Industry
As you can see, people have different opinions about how “diversity (DEI)” and “political correctness” are included in games.
In the past, some users felt that character designs and story developments were unnatural or boring. They thought that these elements were overly focused on political correctness. Now, these users say that games don’t need diversity or political correctness. People are starting to wonder how these ideas will interact in the future.
Many people criticize “diversity (DEI)” and “political correctness“, but few people openly condemn the concepts or efforts themselves. The truth is that most people are against adding too many changes that can ruin a game’s fun or its ability to feel like a different world.
Game developers will likely have a hard time incorporating elements of diversity and political correctness.
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