Every few months, like clockwork, a new game gets accused of being “too woke.”
It happened with The Last of Us Part II. It happened with Hogwarts Legacy. It happened with Starfield, Baldur’s Gate 3, Forspoken, and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. At this point, it’s predictable—a game introduces a female protagonist, a diverse cast, or a storyline that isn’t just about gruff dudes with guns, and suddenly it’s a “woke agenda being forced down our throats.”
So let’s talk about it.
Is “wokeness” actually ruining video games? Or is this just a loud, reactionary backlash to the fact that gaming isn’t just for one type of player anymore?
What Do People Actually Mean by “Woke” Games?
Here’s the thing—”woke” doesn’t actually mean anything specific when it comes to video games. It’s just a catch-all term for anything that doesn’t fit into a very specific, very traditional gamer fantasy.
When people complain about games being “woke,” they usually mean one of three things:
- The Protagonist Isn’t a White Male Action Hero
- The Last of Us Part II got review-bombed because it had a muscular female lead and a queer relationship.
- Forspoken was attacked before it even launched because it had a Black female protagonist in a fantasy setting.
- Star Wars: Jedi Survivor somehow got hate because Cal Kestis (a white male) had a diverse supporting cast.
- The Game Acknowledges Real-World Issues
- Cyberpunk 2077 has themes of corporate oppression, transhumanism, and identity—and yet, some players still think it should just be about “cool guns and cybernetics.”
- Baldur’s Gate 3 allows for queer romance and diverse character options, leading to bizarre complaints that “D&D is getting too political.”
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 got backlash because a side mission had you helping LGBTQ+ youth in New York.
- Developers Actually Put Effort Into Representation
- More women, LGBTQ+ characters, and people of color appearing in games doesn’t mean gaming is being “ruined”—it means developers are acknowledging that not all players look and think the same way.
- And yet, anytime a character isn’t a straight white guy, there’s outrage about “forced diversity.”
So what people are really saying when they claim a game is “too woke” is this:
“I don’t want gaming to reflect anything beyond what I personally relate to.”
Are “Woke” Games Actually Failing?
No. In fact, most of the so-called “woke” games have been some of the biggest successes in gaming.
- The Last of Us Part II sold over 10 million copies and won more Game of the Year awards than any game in history.
- Baldur’s Gate 3 became one of the highest-rated RPGs ever made and won Game of the Year in 2023.
- Hogwarts Legacy, despite backlash on both sides, was the best-selling game of 2023.
- Spider-Man 2 outsold every PlayStation exclusive at launch.
Meanwhile, the games that pander to reactionary outrage—like Saints Row (2022), which tried to strip its identity down to appeal to everyone—end up failing.
Because what actually makes a game good has nothing to do with “wokeness”—it’s about execution.
If a game has a great story, fun gameplay, and compelling characters, it will succeed. If it leans too hard on surface-level diversity without depth, it’ll flop. Not because it’s “too woke,” but because players want good writing, not corporate box-checking.
Why Are People So Mad About Diversity in Gaming?
At the end of the day, the “woke gaming” debate isn’t about whether a game is good or bad—it’s about who gaming is for.
For decades, gaming was marketed toward young men, and they grew up believing games were made for them. Now, gaming is for everyone, and some people can’t handle that.
The idea that games should only reflect a narrow version of masculinity, heroism, or fantasy is outdated. Gaming is bigger than ever, and that means more perspectives, more representation, and more voices in the industry.
If that ruins gaming for you, maybe the issue isn’t the games.
Maybe it’s you.