A look into opportunities for Asian American-based game narratives

Crafting games that depict the many facets of cultural identity

Coming from immigrant parents from Southeast Asia and being raised in California, my only means of connecting with my parent’s culture was through food and language. And it wasn’t until I moved away for university that I realized that.

And like every other kid, I loved watching movies and TV shows. Reflecting on the shows that I liked as a kid, my favorite shows and films had some sort of Asian-appearing character — Codename: Kids Next Door (Kuki), Phineas and Ferb (I thought Isabella was Asian…), Barbie: Princess Charm School (One of the side characters was Asian), and the list goes on.

I also played a lot of games as a kid, and as I was curating what kind of research article to write, I realized that I don’t see the same recognition in video game narratives. To be fair, I’ve only played games like Minecraft and Stardew Valley which don’t really call for Asian representation, but it still sparked a question — why wasn’t there more exploration of cultural experiences within video game narratives?

With this in mind, I wanted to explore two central ideas:

• Understanding how games can immerse people within personal cultural experiences
• Examine how different games have implemented language learning through narrative

THE LACK OF ASIAN AMERICAN DEPICTIONS IN VIDEO GAMES

With the rise of Asian American media, particularly in movies and television, I was curious to see how video games faired in terms of sharing Asian American narratives.

The thumbnail of the film trailer for “Minari”. Photo by A24.

When researching games that depict an Asian American narrative, I was met with a surprising scarcity of content. I found more articles sharing the same sentiment: an article written by Brian Hendershot shares his disappointment in the industry for the lack of games that accurately explore Asian American identity. Matt Kim highlights in another article that while Asian Americans are enjoying a ‘cultural moment’ in movies and shows, the same phenomenon isn’t being observed in the realm of video games.

So why is that? Is there a lack of Asian American developers?

According to Zippia, Asians are the second-largest ethnic group among game developers, making up 30% of the workforce. Whites are the largest group, at 52.6%.

So there doesn’t seem to be a lack of Asian American developers. What else could it be then?

Kim suggests in his article that video games tend to lean towards more “larger-than-life” themes, such as superheroes, warriors, ninjas, etc. In an interview, the Associate Narrative Director at Ubisoft Montreal also mentioned that this lack of Asian American representation in video games boils down to differences in community and infrastructure — not only are film and games completely different mediums, but the way both industries function are also night and day.

And it’s important to mention that, much like any other cultural identity, is messy. Movies like Minari and Everything Everywhere All at Once, although drastically different films, still showcase the nuances and imperfect experiences of being Asian American. Intergenerational differences, racism, stereotyping, language barriers — there are a growing number of Asian American-centred films that showcase the good, the bad, and the ugly, and that’s the real beauty of it.

And it’s perhaps this nuance that is so hard to replicate into a game. While film can bring in big awards in the film industry, AAA studios don’t have the same motivations to draw inspiration from personal narratives and make them into games. Great directors and producers have a primary goal of telling great stories. AAA game studios, on the other hand, need to make profitability a priority — and that’s not to say that AAA games don’t prioritize good narratives, but when it comes to resource allocation and design decisions, mass appeal and broad engagement often take precedence over deeply personal narratives.

That’s not to say that AAA games don’t prioritize good narratives, but when it comes to resource allocation and design decisions, mass appeal and broad engagement often take precedence over deeply personal narratives.

With that said, indie game developers have more opportunities to showcase their cultural narrative as compared to a bigger game studio because they can afford to take risks and develop games targeting nicer audiences.

This leads me to my next point, what games do try to immerse players in more personal and intimate cultural experiences?

IMMERSING PLAYERS IN PERSONAL CULTURAL EXPERIENCES

I was particularly drawn to exploring previous research and existing games that immerse players in personal cultural experiences. Plenty of games already try to immerse players within a new culture or period in creative ways; Red Dead Redemption, The Witcher, Yakuza, just to name a few.

Although I mentioned a lack of games that walked through personal Asian American narratives, there are definitely a handful of games that do. But what I found fascinating about was their ability to immerse players in their individual experiences.

This screenshot shows what’s prompted after the player answers that you’re from China in the game Yellow Face by Mike Yi Ren. Screenshot by me.

Microaggressions, those subtle yet constant reminders of “otherness,” are a persistent reality for many minorities. While social justice movements have increased awareness, the sting of these experiences remains. Mike Yi Ren’s Yellow Face struck a chord for me, highlighting the evolution of the Asian American experience since the early 2000s.

The game places you at a college party in 2009 as an Asian American navigating conversations with different party-goers. Prepare for questions like “Where are you really from?” and offhand remarks like “Have you seen The Hangover? You look just like that one Chinese guy in it”. Responding authentically leads to exoticization and stereotypes. Attempting to downplay your Asian identity invites suspicion for not looking “American enough.” There’s no winning.

Through insensitive dialogue and a “no-win” mechanic, “Yellow Face” immerses players in the reality of early 2000s microaggressions. As an Asian American myself, the game served as a reminder of progress. This game serves as a powerful example of how games can foster empathy and understanding.

The opening screen of Congee by Becci is a definition of what congee is. Screenshot by me.

Congee by Becci is a narrative game where you play as an Asian living in the UK. You’re sick and bedridden so when you try to find places to deliver congee, a comforting rice porridge staple across many Asian cultures, you’re out of luck. Until your friend comes to your apartment with homemade congee in hand. This is a wholesome story that depicts feelings of longing and missing home that naturally stem from being from an immigrant family or living far from your cultural background. Congee by Becci uses the act of delivering and receiving congee as a metaphor for the importance of connection and the feeling of home that cultural touchstones can provide.

Why do these personal narratives in games matter? A study suggests humans are wired for storytelling. One such study posits that education itself should be reframed as the act of building and rebuilding personal and social narratives, with everyone involved acting as storytellers. This resonates with the power of video games as educational tools. Games naturally lend themselves to narrative exploration, allowing players to experience the world firsthand. If, as the study suggests, education should reflect how we experience the world, then what better medium than interactive games? This approach also highlights the need for more narratives reflecting minority experiences. A wider range of stories fuels richer game development, as games can reference and build upon each other.

IMPLEMENTING LANGUAGE LEARNING THROUGH NARRATIVE

Now that we have an understanding that narrative inquiry is actually beneficial to education, a part of cultural identity, which I think is often overlooked, is language. And I think games have a unique opportunity to not only integrate this part of cultural identity, but also teach players the language.

A lot of Asian American films explore bilingualism, utilizing a mix of English and another language in their scripts. But in addition to the lack of games that depict Asian American narratives, there is also a lack of recognition of Asian American bilingualism in video games, even with characters that are Asian.

While the lack of diverse narratives in video games is a crucial conversation, I want to shift the focus to a specific potential of games: language learning. Traditional language learning often relies on rote memorization, which can feel tedious and ineffective. However, video games offer a unique opportunity to integrate language acquisition into engaging experiences.

This screenshot of the game Learning Zeko by Cathy Moor shows the game’s scaffolded learning approach, gradually introducing new Zeko phrases as you progress. Screenshot by me.

One such example is Learning Zeko by Cathy Moor. In this game, you take on the role of a foreign correspondent in the fictional country of Zekonia. Your mission: uncover a potential alien artifact before a rival journalist. The twist is that your only driver speaks Zeko, the local language. Learning Zeko utilizes a concept called “scaffolded learning,” where the game gradually introduces new vocabulary as you race towards the crash site. By necessity, you learn key Zeko phrases, all through a scaffolded experience.

For future game developments that were to implement bilingualism or language learning in general, I believe that developers can take advantage of this scaffolded learning to utilize in other games, especially those that involve culture and language.

TAKEAWAYS

Asian American narratives are blossoming in film and television, but video games haven’t caught up. While there are plenty of Asian American developers, big studios prioritize broad themes and profitability. Indie games like “Yellow Face” and “Congee” by Becci show the power of personal cultural stories in games. Studies even suggest storytelling is a powerful educational tool.

Games can go beyond representation and teach languages too. Traditional methods are often dull, but games like “Learning Zeko” integrate language learning seamlessly. Asian American films often showcase bilingualism, and games can leverage this to create rich cultural experiences that teach languages while telling captivating stories.

By embracing the full spectrum of Asian American narratives, the gaming industry can become more inclusive and foster empathy through the power of narrative.