Gamers weren't kidding: study confirms agenda's impact on video game sales

Discussions about diversity, equity, and inclusion in video games (DEI) have been going on for several years now. A dedicated market of consulting firms has even formed around this topic, including the well-known Sweet Baby Inc., which helps studios incorporate such elements into major projects. Now, an academic study has made it possible to assess how these decisions affect commercial performance.

Economists Haomiao Wang and Bohui Zhang analyzed more than 9,000 games released on Steam between 2015 and 2024. Using an AI model, they evaluated the amount of DEI content in the projects and found a notable pattern. Games with a high amount of such elements sold, on average, over 5% worse, and their revenue dropped by nearly 8%. The authors attribute this primarily to backlash from part of the audience and boycotts.

This trend is particularly evident in regions with conservative views, including the massive Chinese market. Projects that fail to resonate with local players lose a significant share of potential profits. The researchers cite the success of Black Myth: Wukong as an example of a game that managed to win over its audience.

The controversies surrounding Dragon Age: The Veilguard and the character Yasuke in Assassin's Creed Shadows have also demonstrated just how vocally players can express dissatisfaction online and influence commercial performance.