Dragon’s Dogma 2 is a new high for oldie representation in video games
polygon.comI just finished making my character for Dragon’s Dogma 2 thanks to the free character creator demo released ahead of the game, and I’m overjoyed at how gloriously, convincingly old I can be 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 X — I’ll be 50 this year — I belong to, arguably, the first generation to grow up on video games. And as we age, it sometimes feels as though we’re being quietly edged 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 building and will probably hit the industry in the next decade or so.
Video games may no longer be seen as literal child’s play, but they’re still perceived as a young person’s pastime. Some game design innovations have made it easier to keep up — particularly 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, representation of older people has been somewhat limited. In mainstream action adventures, you can be a grizzled, 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.
That’s not the case with the Dragon’s Dogma 2 character creator; it’s a marvel. Look at those deeply wrinkled faces, speaking of decades of adventure and wisdom gained! Look at the range of body types, which contains the usual variations on fit and muscular, but also “rangy and pigeon-chested,” “a bit paunchy, had too much pie,” and “I’ve seen some shit and not in a good way.” Look at
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