E is for Everyone? Best Practices for the Socially Inclusive Design of Avatar Creation Interfaces

Abstract

Avatar customization is a feature common to many games, yet a number of character creation interfaces are highly problematic in how they mediate and constrain self-representation. In order to investigate this issue, we present a new analytic framework for the systematic analysis of character creation interfaces in games. To model this framework, we present an analysis of the character creation interfaces of four games in order to illustrate the different, and often problematic ways gender and ethnicity are presented to players. From this analysis, we present a list of best practices to help game designers create socially inclusive games.