"But just like every video game, there is always a lack of diversity when it comes to positive representations of Black and Brown people."
--emiliano estrada
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege is a first person shooter video game that is based on strategy, teamwork, and communication. Rainbow is a game that has many different operators to choose from, with different features and abilities. An operator named Jaeger, actually has autism, and uses his creativity to invent anti-explosive devices that aid his team. Half of the operators in the game are females, and are actually the best characters to choose from. But just like every video game, there is always a lack of diversity when it comes to positive representations of Black and Brown people.
The lack of diversity, however, isn’t just in Rainbow Six Siege. All video games either have a problem with having more black and brown characters, and/or give those characters negative attributes. This affects all players from every race, whether they are people of color who feel underrepresented, or white people who see this and believe it reflects real life. Two of the operators from Rainbow are afro-latinos from a Brazilian task force. It should be brought into consideration that because the two Brazilian operators are not the best operators to choose from in the game, Rainbow players are less likely to play these characters, and decreases the likelihood of black and brown diversity in a match. There is also a Black operator named Castle whom is arguably the worst operator in the game. This also contributes to less gameplay with operators of color.
However, Rainbow is always growing and changing, and in the winter Ubisoft is going to add two new operators from Morocco. This is really game changing, because the last time they added any new black or brown operators was two years ago. Ever since then, it has been only asian and white characters being included into the game. Although the Rainbow Six Siege community has no information on their abilities and backstories, what we do know is that there has been a repeated pattern in powerful and solid characters being added to the game, and hopefully the Moroccan operators are one of those who are good enough to be picked oftenly and are the step stone to adding more racial diversity to the game.
This issue is important to me because when I go to play a video game, I shouldn’t have to worry about whether or not I feel included in it, and welcomed to the game. By playing video games, its a way from escaping life and school, and a way to relax and alleviate stress. The game should be able to reflect a world where everyone is included and welcomed, in every manner. When it comes to different genders, sexualities, mental health, body shape, and especially race; Rainbow Six Siege needs to be a diverse game to accommodate everyone’s needs.
The lack of diversity, however, isn’t just in Rainbow Six Siege. All video games either have a problem with having more black and brown characters, and/or give those characters negative attributes. This affects all players from every race, whether they are people of color who feel underrepresented, or white people who see this and believe it reflects real life. Two of the operators from Rainbow are afro-latinos from a Brazilian task force. It should be brought into consideration that because the two Brazilian operators are not the best operators to choose from in the game, Rainbow players are less likely to play these characters, and decreases the likelihood of black and brown diversity in a match. There is also a Black operator named Castle whom is arguably the worst operator in the game. This also contributes to less gameplay with operators of color.
However, Rainbow is always growing and changing, and in the winter Ubisoft is going to add two new operators from Morocco. This is really game changing, because the last time they added any new black or brown operators was two years ago. Ever since then, it has been only asian and white characters being included into the game. Although the Rainbow Six Siege community has no information on their abilities and backstories, what we do know is that there has been a repeated pattern in powerful and solid characters being added to the game, and hopefully the Moroccan operators are one of those who are good enough to be picked oftenly and are the step stone to adding more racial diversity to the game.
This issue is important to me because when I go to play a video game, I shouldn’t have to worry about whether or not I feel included in it, and welcomed to the game. By playing video games, its a way from escaping life and school, and a way to relax and alleviate stress. The game should be able to reflect a world where everyone is included and welcomed, in every manner. When it comes to different genders, sexualities, mental health, body shape, and especially race; Rainbow Six Siege needs to be a diverse game to accommodate everyone’s needs.
