IN NEWS THAT likely won’t sit well with Gamergate supporters, Sweden is exploring the possibility of introducing a special label for games that don’t promote gender equality, akin to labels that already exist for violence, language or sexually explicit content.

The option is being explored by Swedish gaming industry trade organisation Dataspelsbranchen and has received approximately €30,000 in support from a government-funded innovation agency.

Dataspelsbranchen will collaborate with video game developers in Sweden to assess how women are portrayed in games produced in the country.

It has yet to be decided whether all games produced in Sweden will be given a label (sexist or not sexist) or whether only games that succeed in promoting gender equality will be awarded with a form of certification.

Either way, it’s the first such measure to be explored in an industry recently blighted by accusations of misogyny and sexism and has been likened to The Bechdel Test.

When asked if such classifications could hinder creativity, project manager Anton Albiin, told The Local:

Of course games can be about fantasy but they can be so much more than this. They can also be a form of cultural expression – reflecting society or the society we are hoping for.

Naturally the Swedish initiative has inspired some fairly scaremongering tweets from GamerGate supporters.

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Ethics in gaming journalism, etc.

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