Melanin Gamers / The Watch: Get Racism Out of Gaming

Melanin Gamers, a community that promotes diversity and inclusion in the video game industry while providing a safe space for all gamers, announced the launch of The Watch, a digital community watch designed to eliminate racism in the gaming community. Melanin Gamers and The Watch are calling on major video game developers, like Activision Blizzard, the developer of the video game phenomenon, Call of Duty (CoD), to create real accountability in-game for players by improving the reporting mechanism for the racist and toxic behaviour that has gone unchecked for far too long. Melanin Gamers welcomes a meeting with Activision Blizzard to discuss the longstanding racism prevalent in games like CoD and discuss how to make a much-needed change. As spotlighted in a powerful 41-second video, The Watch is a rallying cry for all gamers everywhere to stand in solidarity, be an ally, and join the movement to end racism in gaming. By showcasing snippets of the discriminatory lived experiences that gamers endure while gaming, Melanin Gamers and The Watch aim to raise awareness of the racism that takes place in multiplayer online games to create a tide for lasting change. Creative was done by Leo Burnett Toronto, with editing by Married to Giants, music by Vapor, Apex Exchange, Starcom, and Publicis Media on media, and Pomp & Circumstance on PR. Melanin Gamers has a checklist for game developers, like Activision Blizzard, to work towards anti-racism in-game, including:
- Have Activision Blizzard meet with Melanin Gamers to discuss the rampant racism in CoD and discuss solutions for real change.
- Restore faith in the reporting system by providing transparent updates for each user report.
- Enforce appropriate punishments for racist in-game abuse.
- Engage with the BIPOC gamer community regularly to identify emerging issues and work together towards effective solutions.
- Increase accountability for game developers and create an obligation to share tangible goals, targets, and a roadmap to combat in-game racism.
Unfortunately, racism is only one type of injustice seen in gaming. The Watch is mindful of the intersectionality and various forms of toxic discrimination and abuse that all types of players endure, from sexism, xenophobia, homophobia, and more, and is committed to providing a safe gaming experience for all players.