Players can manipulate the toggle switch to find the perfect relationship between all three. The triangle includes skinny, fat, and strong. For instance, within the “build” category, one finds a triangle shape in which the player can manipulate the body type of their avatar. Theoretically this should prove helpful in offering more diversity but I found it comical how little control I had. In Saint’s Row, each broad category has a list of subtle sub-categories. Considering this, it’s interesting to see what types of avatars can be created coming from such a structure.

Ludica explains that the power structure from which the video games are created consists mostly of white Asian men. Some categories include sex, race, build, skin, body mask, age sex appeal. We find categories with sub-categories that really let the player delve deep into structural and physical nuances of their avatar. In designing a character for Saints row, there are a number of options for customization. While my game offered me the option to chose very specific details of the structure of my character’s face, voice, body, adornments, and even personality, I did not find the opportunity to chose my sexual identity or matters of character for that matter. For instance, the amount of coverage the gay options in the game Bully received seem to indicate a bit of controversy amongst audiences. This dual motivation has fueled the recent upsurge in more diverse representation of different types of characters. Shaw paints a picture of a video game industry that wants to both (sometimes) be sensitive to a genuine need for diversity and increase sales. Because this demo version focuses on design rather than winning, I chose to evaluate Ludica’s paper on hegemony and Shaw’s paper on representation whilst explaining how I experienced this demo. Typically, themes like violence and competition are the main emphasis in most popular video games. I chose to play this game because the newest demo version is devoted to allowing the player to design their character. I chose to play Saint’s Row IV Inauguration Station Character Creation for my final analysis.

Saints row 4 character creation