Today's episode extensively explores body shaming in various outlets of video game representation, character creation, and geek culture. Games and comics have come far, but are developers doing enough to represent all types or is the consumer to blame for the types of characters we see and how they are portrayed?
The first topic up explores the representation of larger, plus-size, and/or overweight charafcters in video games. Is it dastardly of games to maliciously represent certain characters in certain ways in the current era of games? Are video game developers and publishers doing well to represent all types of people or is that even necessary? How much of the good representation can be chocked up to escapeism and how much of the negative can be blamed with demonization of certain archetypes?
Debate covers where the balance is between escapeism and representation in video games. It also covers what games might strive for or whether representing all sides is the best approach. That includes developers reliance on trope characters and archetypes. Is is lazy for developers to lean into those tropes or is it on the player for paying money that supports those tropes as they are without challengint the designers to do more?
The show also discusses body shaming in cosplay. As cosplay becomes more and more popular in gaming, tv, and other creative media communities, so does the negative influence of people acting as gatekeepers to cosplay. Can the cosplay community simply shut out the negative elements and cosplay who they want to cosplay? How does the community combat toxicity and body shaming in favor of supporting all body types in whatever character they choose to represent?
The discussion covers support of people who would cosplay whoever they like while also tackling the subject of representation in cosplay. Is there a line in race, gender, or lifestyle? The panel discusses where these lines are, how flexible they are, and how to eliminate the feel of self-insecurity in choosing to cosplay or not.
Finally the topic turns towards character creators in video games. These avatar creators have often allowed players to pursue the ideal form they want to represent them in video game worlds, but sometimes a character creator just doesn't do players justice. Discussion covers how developers consider the big question of what to put in a character creator versus how it translates to the active game. Panelists also discuss their favorite character creators and why they felt drawn to the particular elements of their favorites.
The show has wrapped for today, but you can find the full video above.
