I just finished creating my character Dragon dogma 2 thanks to the free character creator demo released prior to the game, and I’m overjoyed at how glorious and convincing old I can participate in this game. I feel very seen and very represented.
I know this might sound a bit rich coming from a bearded, straight white man. But as a member of Generation And as we get older, it sometimes feels like we’re being quietly left out, or at least ignored, by the medium we love. But a 2020 study by the Interactive Software Federation of Europe found that 31% of 45 to 64 year olds play video games; our numbers are growing, and the demographic tsunami of retirement-age gamers is slowly increasing and will likely hit the industry in the next decade.
Video games may no longer be seen as literal child’s play, but are still seen as the pastime of young people. Some innovations in game design have made it easier to keep up – especially the advent of handhelds like the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck, which are so much more compatible with busy family life than a PC or console. However, when it comes to playable characters in games, the representation of elderly people is somewhat limited. In regular action adventures you can be a gray, male silver fox, like Geralt in The Witcher or Joel in The last of us, or you can be hot and young. As far as character creators go, you can be hot and young, or you can be hot and young with bright white hair and wrinkles that look like they’ve been painted on.
Image: Capcom via Polygon
That is not the case with the Dragon dogma 2 character creator; it is a miracle. Look at those deeply wrinkled faces, speaking of decades of adventure and acquired wisdom! Take a look at the range of body types, which includes the usual variations of fit and muscular, but also “slim and fat,” “a little pot-bellied, had too much cake,” and “I’ve seen some things and not in a good way.” Look at the necks, which can be thick, sagging or skinny, and aren’t just triangles of muscle. Look at the revolutionary postural controls, which give yourself the slight stoop and shuffling gait of an exhausted parent. It warms my clams! This are actually older-looking bodies with older-looking skin – not just the wireframes of younger bodies re-skinned with the signs of age.
If I have one comment, it’s about the range of hairstyles, which could feature more receding hairlines, thinning hair and a wider range of more convincing gray tones, as well as more suitable styles for older women. Still, I was very happy that my own style was included: “completely bare on top, but let it grow out a bit, because fuck it.” Usually your only options are bald as a cue ball, justin bieber hair but white, or Ed Harris in it Love lies bleeding.
Image: Capcom via Polygon
I want to be clear that this is not the case just now about representation for older gamers (or middle-aged gamers who are increasingly aware of the relentless march of time). It could also be about your taste in role-playing games. I’ve always been someone who enjoys being an old guy in games. My main one World of Warcraft The character is a bald troll with pure white hair; Their curved gait and gnarled faces with big noses make them look convincingly like older characters. Invariably, I try to make my characters look old, not because I feel old, but because I have a natural urge to distort the stereotypical youthful portrayal of physical heroism in video games into something more weathered or dignified. I also think old people are cool and hard-won experiences are great.
Dragon dogma 2 fulfills my dreams of being the ultimate older character in a video game. Capcom, you have the thanks of my generation of gamers. When our time comes – when we only have free time and nothing to spend our retirement on but video games – we won’t forget this.