While the number of games that include diverse representation are on the rise, there is still only a small amount that feature characters from the LGBTQ+ community or include people of color on the main cast. Ikenfell has shown itself strong in this area, and many online are hailing the game, saying that it has helped set a new bar for queer media. Game Rant was able to sit down with Joanna Blackhart, a writer for the game, and talk about how Ikenfell was able to capture such an authentic picture of queer characters throughout the story.
When Blackhart was brought onto the Ikenfell dev team, they were originally tasked with going through the game's script to ensure the game's representation is respectful. A small team was formed of queer creators and creators of color to critique the game, but they decided that more work could be done. By the end of the project, the team had effectively rewritten and rescripted the game, even adding requests for the content warnings in Ikenfell.
What came from this collaboration of efforts is a complex story with relatable characters, and many players have expressed their enjoyment for the queerness of the Ikenfell cast. Blackhart especially was excited to include so many characters across the LGBTQ+ spectrum, and the positive fan response validated their hard work on the game. One of the reasons Blackhart said that these player responses mattered so much to them and the rest of their team is because they were all writing from their real-life experiences. Blackhart went on to say:
"We were writing from stuff we lived through — these relationships are things that we ourselves have had to cope with and had to struggle through. So to see so many players responding so positively saying, 'This is so realistic, this is so great, this is so queer, and I love the characters of color, representation.' These are all things that are a part of our daily lives, and seeing such positive responses is something that I really hope that other game devs — not just Indie devs, but I would love to see AAA devs also take note of that sort of thing."
Drawing from the lived experiences of queer people and people of color shows more realistic portrayals of these characters in video games. Looking to these groups for insight on characters they share characteristics with may help avoid controversial narratives like what Lev faces in The Last of Us 2, while creating more inclusive environments within a game.
Blackhart said that the Ikenfell team is continuing to improve the game, correcting errors in characterization that slipped through the cracks before the game was released, including a part of the script where the character Rook is revealed to be non-binary. With so many characters reflecting underrepresented communities, it's important to portray them by the joy of their identities, not the hardships these communities can face in society.
Blackhart recommended that developers who want to include queer characters and people of color in their games should also employ these people in the creation process. The Ikenfell writer told Game Rant,
"It's not hard to put good representation in your game. Just put people in the writing room that actually have some lived experience. It's that simple."
By including people from diverse communities and cultures when making new games, new improvements can come out of this collaboration. Ikenfell is an Indie game that creates vibrant and diverse characters, and is accessible to communities that previously may not have been comfortable playing through other video games. Hopefully, other game developers will see the positive impact that this new game is having and attempt to emulate this approach as well.
Ikenfell is available now on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.