Guild Wars 2

Let this be prefaced with the acknowledgment that Elona is indeed, a fantasy area in a fantasy game. That GW2 and Arena Net has created one of the few games that are so hugely diverse and inclusive that it’s mind blowing for all they’ve done and accomplished with dynamic and varied characters in the world.

That being said with underlining, there is some concern about the nobles all being fairer skinned. Both mounted and on foot, the entirety of the new map of Amnoon was searched and while citizens, refugees, workers, miners, merchants and even the council came in a variety of tones, the ‘Nobles’ did not. These Nobles were indoors, outdoors, relaxing, chatting, a few even sunning themselves on the small beach available. It is deeply hoped that this is merely a case of being a beta demonstration and not a theme which will run widely throughout the expansion.

At any point, will this be adjusted to reflect a broader variety of nobles? Certainly, this is a beta but even in GW1, nobles came in a range of hues from fair to deepest. In GW2, while the darker nobles were mostly males, they still existed. It might seem like a small thing to inquire about but given how pleased much of the player base was to finally make a character that reflected their features, hair and skin tones….this feels like a small step back.

Here’s to having crossed fingers.

I concur with this sentiment. ArenaNet has done an extraordinary job of creating an inclusive and socially conscious setting. I’d love to see that extended to this detail as well. It may seem like something small, but the symbolic importance of it is big. Here’s hoping we’ll see more variety in the ruling class of Elona.

I’ll totes need to put on my lore cap for this, but this is a bit silly. The first thing is: Amnoon and Elona are not the same place. Amnoon residents appear to have more Arabic/Mediterranean features, whereas Elonian refugees carry darker skin and African features.

It’s heavily implied that the Elonian nobility resides in the south and the east with Palawa Joko, as allies of the Awakened. It’s not that they don’t exist, it’s just that they aren’t in Amnoon as they have no reason to be there, aside from one or two.

I am curious of why it’s deemed silly to note something of concern. There are clearly refugees and merchants of varied skin tones, and one of the nobles comments of losing their home. Why wouldn’t nobles from other places also be in Amnoon for a similar reason?

I agree with colanah. While it’s wonderful to see Elona, or to be fair a far northern extent of it, a major feature of the narrative is the refugees. And I will simply finish that point with screenshots.
Vabbi, Kourna and Istan in that order.

It’s been a few days since the beta and this topic seems to have fallen beneath the radar. Perhaps attributed as an unjustified complaint or a non issue. Below are a few additions in another attempt to bring a fuller explanation of the initial post.

Why does the skin color of the Amnoon nobles cause concern? There are many reasons but the main ones will attempt to be addressed.

• There are no other characters with darker skin tones who are repeatedly shown as the heroes of Guild Wars 2 current iteration. This is first and foremost a thing that troubles and has always troubled while playing the game. Certainly PoF might alter the landscape for this scenario but for the core game and first xpac, such was not the case. We have different races, certainly in both the old and new Destiny’s Edge but very similar nationalities.

“But there’s Jennah.” Certainly, she’s olive-skinned and so her heritage is nicely ambiguous but again, she is not dark skinned. “But there’s Braham!” Certainly, and his father having dark skin was a hotly contested point on these forums and other sites which continuously attempted to hold up the standard which is still repeated, that Norn cannot/should not be dark skinned. Over the years, this has been continually seen in the game world among players, especially with the resurgence of Viking popularity in media.

While playing through the Living Stories, season after season, the hope to see the repeat appearance of an NPC aiding Destiny’s edge who was close to a chocolate hue, kept me logging in. Magister Ela Makkay was as close an answer as could be hoped for. Especially after the disappointment of making an Elonian character and seeing her supposed sister.

• There is only one human noble NPC female and male model with dark skin in the game. Even the child NPCs don’t have dark skin. Not in Ossan, not in Lion’s Arch. Not anywhere that has been seen. The named nobles of Claypool, Beetletun, Queensdale forest, etc, are olive toned at darkest. The Thackary stable NPC cycles between all available male noble models it seems. That aside, the lack was observed over the years of hunting for roleplay spots which often means sitting in places for hours just watching the NPCs. In all these years, only two NPC models were ever found with deeper skin tones among the nobility.

Why is this a problem? Because this continues to support a mindset that deeper skin is less noble or less able to be a noble. That to be noble, one must be ‘fairer skinned’. A personal character which has been played since getting this game has had her noble status challenged to her face because of how dark she is. Challenges which often moved into tells requiring defense of a skin tone choice. We as players, use the visual cues of the gaming world as a standard by which our characters can be modeled after in behavior and outlook. A lack of representation suggests such things cannot be and the question becomes then, why not? This is not an isolated personal incident.

• Nightfall was marvelous and it shouldn’t be the last time in Guild Wars, one can find a deep skinned noble. Truly, Guild Wars as a franchise has sought to break many barriers and boundaries. Offering sexual equality in roles and positions. Representing that love sees only people, not gender and that those with physical difficulties can find ways to not merely keep up but to excel. With all of that said and done, to enter the continent of Elona and again come face to face with what felt like a tired and hurtful trope, was dismaying. Where were the deep skinned princes of Vabbi? Their blood? Those like them who looked like so many players of this game? Those skin tones are still clearly in the nation, yet somehow didn’t climb the ranks? Council members but never nobility? A glass ceiling of a kind but hopefully one which will not remain.

• It’s a bit off-putting. This is a great game. It’s an amazingly written, designed and handled game on many levels. At the time of its release, it was one of the lone games picked up where a character of color could be made with realistic skin tones. That was a delight and a joy.

But over the years of playing, a pattern emerged. One of having people whisper that it was unusual to see a PC with such dark skin. That they couldn’t be brave enough to play, let alone roleplay a character with dark skin. That somehow the act of logging in with a character with dark skin was amazing to them but not something they would ever feel comfortable doing…then yes. There is a problem here which should not be glossed over. That should not be glanced at with a roll of the eyes. A thing which could be changed in hopefully, a meaningful way without a great deal of effort.

• Again, this is not a personal, isolated occurrence. But one which has been remarked on by others who play deeper skinned characters. So much so that a player asked to survey other players of Elonian characters for a college paper. When a question like “Do you feel safe playing this character?” is asked, does that not seem strange?

ln conclusion, the addition of more ethnic faces and hair after years of requests was a great start to what many might say should have existed from the beginning given the lineage of Nightfall. But better late than never, as with some other games. Still, it would be wonderful to log in and see more NPCs who look like friends and family. To see the daring do and heroes who return to fight again beside us, not simply as one-shot cameos, look like people who are on this side of the screen. To see a deeper skinned hero on the screen which the player doesn’t have to make for themselves in order to view.

Because in the end, the NPCs tell us that we the players can not only be whatever we want, but also that we should never feel uncomfortable or as if the characters we make, don’t belong in that world.