The Spectrums for Engaging Race in Games, or SERG, framework is a collection of 8 spectrums informed by three essential concepts about race: The Four I’s of Oppression &Liberation, Critical Race Theory, and Designing for BIPOC Flourishing.
These spectrums are intended to be used as a starting point for designers when beginning their conversations surrounding how race is portrayed in their game and the implications of those choices.
From pre-production, to playtesting and iteration, to quality assurance testing and more, these spectrums are meant to help tease apart the nuance of racial representation and spark a generative conversation around race and culture within the design process. There are often no right or wrong answers in regards to placement along these spectrums as representation and race is nuanced.
No framework for addressing race is perfect nor can be entirely comprehensive. Here are a few key limitations to be aware of:
1. You will not find nearly any easy “right” or “wrong” answers or “correct solutions” that can appease all stakeholders when it comes to engaging with race. Our knowledge around reckoning with race is constantly evolving and each audiences’ desires are different.
2. This framework will not tell you how to “correctly” represent specific races, cultures, ethnicities, etc. That is the creative work of a game designer and writer. Instead the framework points out what to pay attention to, where in the game to consider where race lives, to reflect on the racial gamic logic you produce, and where and how accountability matters.
3. This framework intentionally dives deep into race, specifically in the U.S. context. You must do the work to consider other aspects of identity (e.g., gender, disability, body, etc.) as well as relevant but distinct concepts to race (e.g., ethnicity, nationality, caste, etc.).