At Game Developers of Color Expo 2021, Kai Little-White, a writer and storyteller, gave an inspiring talk called "Hacking Barriers to Diversity with Visual Novels and Speculative Sci-Fi" in which she talked about how important this medium can be because it is so accessible to young creators. For aspiring game developers, it can be difficult to get necessary funding or find which aspect of development they can slot themselves into, and visual novels - an increasingly diverse genre featuring unique voices in the games spectrum - can provide part of the solution.
One of the most universal ways that humans communicate and connect with each other is through storytelling, and video games are becoming increasingly story-driven, with more players valuing games for their narrative gameplay and deep lore. Visual novels are an excellent example, focused as they are almost exclusively on dialogue and story. Over the years video games have grown to be one of the most immersive ways for people to experience a narrative, regardless of genre, but game development is time-consuming and expensive, and thus presents a significant barrier for many creators. Little-White found visual novels to be an answer to these problems, something she describes as "a loophole in the firewall of AAA gaming." These types of games can be a revolutionary way of giving marginalized people a voice in an industry that is often one-sided.
Visual novels were once mostly popular in Japan, and at some points even made up a large percentage of PC games released there. But their popularity is growing outside of Asia, as more people are realizing that this medium is more than just romance stories. Aspiring game developers can use programs like Twine, Inkle, or Ren'Py to bring their ideas to life - all without the need of a whole team. Many players have been calling for more diversity in gaming for years, but in the corporate world of AAA gaming, change is made slowly. For players that are looking for tales from outside mainstream gaming, visual novels can be a refreshing perspective.
Diversity In The Wide World Of Visual Novels
Once players are open to the idea of experiencing a visual novel, there are thousands to choose from. A great place to start is finding upcoming games from indie devs like Vivid Foundry and PlotTwist Studios. Games like Solace State, a 3D cyberpunk visual novel about a young hacker who experiences her political awakening, are giving voice to more diverse and potentially controversial opinions. Women of Xal from PlotTwist Studios is a story featuring a cast that's mostly women of color, and brings the player into a political intrigue story with magical elements.
While video games are ultimately about having fun, they can be so much more than that. The industry as a whole has expanded beyond the classic action shooter games and is now one of the most memorable ways to tell a story. Players that want more diverse and immersive storytelling can show their support for these alternatives to traditional gaming by wishlisting upcoming games on Steam, or checking out indie devs on itch.io, as well as Kai Little-White's upcoming interactive podcast Storytellers Lime. The world of visual novels is already quite a wide one, and growing by the day, making more room for fascinating stories told by equally fascinating people.