NEWS
by Mark Barley
EA talks equality with video game characters, "LBGT not an issue with investors"
EA and Zynga have recently spoken up for the treatment of LBGT in video games recently, stating that it is a "non issue" and "no need for debate".
In a recent interview with GI.biz, EA talked about the recent issues raised by the Defense of Marriage Act (the bill aims to establish the term "marriage" as a union between a man and a woman - in the United States). Ginger Maseda, EA's head of global diversity and inclusion, recently said;
“There have been no questions, comments or concerns raised from our investors with regards to support for LGBT initiatives in the community or having LGBT characters in our games. Essentially, it’s been a non-issue from an investor perspective.”
Maseda added; “part of inclusion is making everybody feel heard and that they have a voice. As a publicly traded company, I think it’s important to listen to our consumers. Whether we believe it’s right or wrong, it’s all incorporated into what we do.”
Reggie Davis, head of Zynga's general counsel, also spoke on equal inclusion in gaming; “There are 13, 14, 15-year-old boys and girls committing suicide throughout a lot of the country because they can’t come to grips in their community with being who they are.”
“To me, it just takes the whole debate around ‘some people don’t agree with it,’ or ‘you’re a public company; should you not do this because of your full representation to your shareholders?’”
“We’re very vocal about our position, and people ultimately have an option to invest in the company or not. As long as there’s good disclosure around what your commitments are at the company, then people can make informed decisions as to whether they want to invest in you or not.”
If you remember, EA has always backed BioWare with their inclusion of homosexual characters in their games, such as Mass Effect, Dragon Age, and Star Wars: The Old Republic. “To me, it just takes the whole debate around ‘some people don’t agree with it,’ or ‘you’re a public company; should you not do this because of your full representation to your shareholders?’”
“We’re very vocal about our position, and people ultimately have an option to invest in the company or not. As long as there’s good disclosure around what your commitments are at the company, then people can make informed decisions as to whether they want to invest in you or not.”
Do you have an issue with homosexual characters being included in games?