Characters without barriers | Personajes sin barreras
The representation of people with disabilities in videogames | La representación de las personas con discapacidad en los videojuegos
Abstract
This article examines the representation of disability in three contemporary video games: The Last of Us Part II, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice and Life is Strange. It highlights how each game uniquely and empathetically addresses disability themes. Through a qualitative and narrative analysis, the narratives, characters, and gameplay mechanics were evaluated concerning their portrayal of disability. The findings were validated through interviews with disability experts as well as players with and without disabilities, providing a comprehensive perspective on the authenticity and impact of these representations.
The results indicate that all three games offer nuanced and deeply empathetic portrayals of disability, promoting inclusion and accessibility within the industry. The discussion emphasizes the importance of involving disability communities in the video game development process and the need to diversify disability representations in media. This study concludes that video games have significant potential to influence social attitudes towards disability, fostering greater understanding and acceptance.
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