Riot Games’ Post

🌟 Celebrating Diversity in Gaming! 🌟 As a member of the video game industry, I'm excited to shine a spotlight on the recent introduction of Clove, the newest character in Valorant. Clove's arrival marks a significant milestone for inclusivity and representation in gaming. In an industry where diversity has often been overlooked, Valorant's decision to include a non-binary character like Clove is a powerful statement. It's a reminder that gaming is for everyone, regardless of gender identity or expression. Clove isn't just another character; they're a symbol of acceptance and visibility for non-binary individuals and the broader LGBTQ+ community. By featuring characters like Clove, games have the potential to foster empathy, understanding, and connection among players from all walks of life. As a community, we must continue to champion diversity and inclusivity in gaming. Whether we're developers, players, or industry professionals, we all have a role to play in creating a more inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome and represented. Congratulations to Riot Games and the team behind Valorant for taking this important step forward. Let's keep pushing boundaries, breaking stereotypes, and celebrating the diverse tapestry of identities that make our gaming community so vibrant and enriching. Together, we can build a future where everyone feels valued and respected in the games we love. 🎮🌟 #DiversityInGaming #Inclusivity #RepresentationMatters #Clove #Valorant

🌈 As Pride month comes to an end, let's remember that Pride and queer inclusivity should be celebrated all year round. Our latest blog post explores the evolving landscape of geek culture and gaming, highlighting the importance of queer representation in role-playing style games. 🎮 Role-playing games (RPGs), whether pencil and paper or video games, offer safe spaces for identity exploration and self-expression, making them especially meaningful for LGBTQIA+ gamers. 🌟 Our blog post delves into the progress and remaining challenges in representation within the gaming industry. We discuss iconic queer protagonists, games that let you create inclusive characters, and tabletop RPGs that provide deep customization for queer narratives. From Baldur’s Gate III to Dungeons & Dragons, discover how these games can help foster a sense of belonging and visibility in the gaming world. 🌐✨ Happy gaming and happy PRIDE! Read it here: https://lnkd.in/enpTEHzw #Pride #LGBTQIA #RepresentationMatters #GamingCommunity #RolePlayingGames #GeekCulture #NewHopeCounseling

Just got back from a big trip, so here are the things I missed: 1. Happy (belated) Trans Day of Visibility! We need to work together as an industry to make it more accessible and inclusive to transgender game developers AND transgender gamers. Also, let's just make everything more inclusive. 🏳️🌈 2. I finally got to taking the ➡ GDC out of my name on LinkedIn. 😂 3. It's April Fools, but # 1 is not a joke. More transgender characters in games. More inclusivity in gaming. Let's do it. #transrights #gamingindustry #gamingcommunity #transgenderdayofvisibility

Live Now! Finishing Mass Effect Andromeda and then who knows what we'll do. https://lnkd.in/dv6PKVjU #MassEffect #Bioware #livenow #twitch #twitchstreamer #VtuberUprisings #vtuber #VTUBERSUPPORTCHAIN #Vtubers #lgbtq #pcgaming #transrightsarehumanrights

Live NOW! First play! Finishing(?) Borderlands 3 base game then we'll figure out what to do from there. GET IN HERE https://lnkd.in/dv6PKVjU #VTuberUprising #VTUBERSUPPORTCHAIN #vtuberswithdisabilities #TwitchStreamers #twitch #LGBTQ #TransRightsAreHumanRights #Vtuber

🏳️🌈 GLAAD's report emphasizes the progress made in the #gaming industry towards queer #diversity and #inclusion, highlighting advancements in world-building, narrative, and characterization. However, it also shows that #LGBTQIAP+ content comprises less than 2% of the total games available on consoles and PC... Interesting read! 🎮 #gamingcommunity #gamingnews #gamingindustry #womeningames #womeningaming #lgbthistorymonth

**PLAYPride: Celebrating Inclusion in Sports for LGBTQIA+ Communities and Allies** The recent kickoff of PLAYPride Season 4 was a resounding success, showcasing the transformative power of inclusion in sports for LGBTQIA+ communities and their allies. This season promises to be the most engaging and cheerful yet, bringing together a growing number of participants eager to enjoy sports in a welcoming and supportive environment. The importance of inclusion in sports for LGBTQIA+ communities cannot be overstated. For many, sports have historically been a source of exclusion and discrimination. PLAYPride is changing that narrative, providing a safe and welcoming space where LGBTQIA+ individuals can feel comfortable participating and celebrating their identities. By bringing together all athletes, allies, and community members, PLAYPride creates a powerful force for change. It challenges stereotypes, promotes understanding, and builds bridges between different groups of people. Through sports, PLAYPride is fostering a more inclusive and equitable society for all. I'm grateful for the opportunity to be a part of PLAYPride, and I'm inspired by the courage and resilience of my fellow participants. Together, we're making a difference in our community, and we're showing the world that sports are for everyone. >Join us in celebrating inclusion in sports for LGBTQIA+ communities and their allies. Spread the word about PLAYPride, and let's continue to work towards a future where everyone has the opportunity to participate in sports and live their lives to the fullest. #PLAYPride #InclusiveSports #RoanokeDiversityCenter #MakingSportsAccessible #BreakingDownBarriers #LGBTQIAInclusion

We've been away from Andromeda for too long and the denizens are feeling safe now. It's time to change that. Live NOW https://lnkd.in/dv6PKVjU PS: Don't support Nijisanji EN #twitch #VtuberUprisings #VTUBERSUPPORTCHAIN #LGBTQ #Transgender #TransRightsAreHumanRights #MassEffectAndromeda

This is the reason why I am so unapologetically open about being gay in my profession because there needs to be more LGBTQ representation in not just advertising but in gaming too. Nearly 1 in 5 active gamers declare themselves as LGBTQ+, however GLAAD's new report find that despite growth in the gaming industry in the past 50 years, it's clear that LGBTQ representation has been notably lacking. The industry has yet to catch up with other media channels in adequately portraying LGBTQ individuals, but despite concerns of alienating certain audiences, we should consider that this could be an innocent oversight where gaming characters can be anyone you want them to be. Positively though, gamers overall are largely accepting of LGBTQ content in games. As the gaming community becomes more diverse, there's a clear call for greater LGBTQ representation in gaming. It's time for the industry to embrace inclusivity and reflect the desires of its audience.

🎮🏳️🌈🙅🏻♂️ Is the video games industry homophobic? Could video games, pixelated reflections of our society, predominantly run by able-bodied cisgender heterosexual white men, suffer from biases from another age , disconnected from the reality of a plural and diverse society? Facts don't lie. A series of recent studies show that homophobia remains a worrying problem in the industry. 👉 A majority of LGBTQ+ male and female gamers regularly report having faced homophobic comments, discrimination or verbal attacks online because of their sexual orientation. 👉 In 2019, the moderators of the Reddit forum dedicated to video games are denouncing misogynistic, homophobic or even racist behaviour by certain users. For 24 hours, it will be impossible to publish on the platform. 👉 In 2023, additional content for the game Horizon Forbidden West was the victim of a wave of negative reviews due to a lesbian kiss between the game's protagonist and a secondary character. Forcing the Metacritic website to take action and speak out on the subject: "Metacritic is a community for all fans, and we need to take online trust and safety very seriously on all our sites. Metacritic is aware of disrespectful and abusive reviews about Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores, and we have a moderation system in place to spot violations of our terms of use." These facts cannot be ignored. As an influential and powerful entertainment medium, the video games studios must take steps to tackle homophobia head on. Video games have immense power to influence perceptions and attitudes, and we cannot underestimate their impact on society. 🫵 It's time for the industry to commit to creating an inclusive environment for all gamers, without exception. This means not only educating gamers on the importance of respect and inclusion, but also rethinking representations of LGBTQ+ characters in games. 😫 As a reminder, it's 2024 and not a single main male character in a single-player AAA game is openly gay. Together, we can help move the video games industry towards a more inclusive future, where everyone feels welcome and respected. Today, I'm training my students in the importance of these issues and in their future responsibilities. What are you doing to combat homophobia? 🏳️🌈 #videogames #inclusion #diversity #representation #representationmatters #lgbtqia