EA: People want inclusive games with friendlier communities

For all the online backlash publishers face for including inclusive features in their games, it's a relatively small portion of the audience making all the noise, according to a recent research study conducted by Electronic Arts.
In a post on EA's official Medium account this month, Jenny Shi of EA's Global Consumer Insights team wrote about the results of an online survey of 2,252 US gamers between the ages of 13 and 54 last May. She identified four main takeaways from the survey results, first and foremost being that most players want to see inclusion in their games.
As examples of what inclusion looks like, the survey suggested character customization options for a variety of skin colors and body sizes, narratives featuring culturally diverse characters, features for people with special needs, and healthy and friendly in-game chat experiences.

"While backlash against efforts to be inclusive in gaming can seem loud at times, it comes from a minority of players"

When asked how important it was to make games more inclusive, 56% said it was important, 31% were neutral on the topic, and 13% said it was not important. The numbers shifted a little when the survey asked how such features affected players' decisions, with 45% saying it made them more likely to play a game, 48% saying it had no impact, and just 7% saying it made them less likely to play a game.

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