Naughty Dog artist says devs ‘don’t have an excuse’ to ignore authentic Black hair in games
Video game developers have long been criticized for their lack of representation of Black characters in games. This lack of representation has been especially evident in the depiction of Black hair. For years, developers have been accused of using inaccurate and overly simplified hairstyles for Black characters, which has led to a lack of diversity in the gaming industry. However, one artist from Naughty Dog, the developer behind the popular video game franchise The Last of Us, is now speaking out and saying that developers “don’t have an excuse” to ignore authentic Black hair in games.
The artist in question is John Sweeney, a senior character artist at Naughty Dog. Sweeney recently posted a series of tweets discussing the importance of accurately representing Black hair in video games. In one tweet, he wrote, “It’s important to accurately and authentically represent black hair in video games. There’s no excuse for developers to ignore this.”
Sweeney went on to explain that he believes it is important for developers to “respect the culture” of different communities by accurately depicting their hair. He also argued that developers should not be afraid to take risks when it comes to representing Black hair, as this could lead to more interesting and diverse characters.
Sweeney’s tweets have sparked a discussion about the importance of accurately representing Black hair in video games. Many people have praised Sweeney for speaking out and encouraging developers to do better when it comes to representing Black characters. Others have pointed out that while Sweeney’s words are important, they are only the first step in a long journey towards more diverse and accurate depictions of Black characters in video games.
The issue of accurately representing Black hair in video games is particularly relevant in Spain. Spain has a long history of Black people living in the country, with the first recorded African presence in Spain dating back to the 16th century. However, despite this, Black characters in video games are often portrayed with inaccurate and overly simplified hairstyles. This lack of representation is especially evident in the Spanish gaming industry, where there are few Black characters with accurate hairstyles.
In recent years, there have been some attempts to address this issue. For example, in 2019, Spanish game developer Estudio de Juegos launched a game called “Una Mujer Negra” (A Black Woman). The game featured a female Black protagonist with an accurate and detailed hairstyle. This was a step in the right direction, but more needs to be done in order to accurately represent Black hair in video games.
Sweeney’s comments are a reminder that developers need to do more when it comes to accurately representing Black hair in video games. It is important for developers to respect the culture of different communities and to take risks when it comes to representing Black hair. This could lead to more diverse and interesting characters in video games, which could help to make video games more inclusive and enjoyable for everyone.
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