Why we need diverse games like 'Watch Dogs 2' more than ever

As we're finally beginning to see video games take diverse representation seriously, it's almost poetic that Americans just elected a race-baiting misogynist as their next leader. It's as if the resentment built up over calls for more diversity in media (which also reared its ugly head with the Gamergate crowd) reached a point where a significant portion of the country was ready to be charmed by a demagogue who promised to stop those pesky Social Justice Warriors. Pop culture, be it games, film or novels, can't help but reflect the society in which it was created. And that couldn't be more true for Watch Dogs 2, a sprawling open world game that's notable for placing you in the sneakers of Marcus Holloway, a black activist hacker. Instead of centering on a generic angsty white dude, like the first Watch Dogs, the new game fully commits to exploring the role of race and identity in the Bay Area and Silicon Valley today -- ostensibly progressive environments that still have trouble finding a place for people of color.