231 - Disability in Games: Beyond the Token Character

Gaming The System - The Feminist Gaming Podcast

Alex, Jem, and Matt return to disability in games and examine how disabled people are represented (or not) across game worlds, narratives, and mechanics. As always, the conversation is grounded in lived experience, intersectional feminism, and an openness to complexity.

Key Talking Points

• From wheelchairs to invisible conditions—disability is broad, personal, and everywhere, so what counts as disability?
• Disabled protagonists are rare. When they do show up, the game often edits out the reality.
• A cool robot arm doesn’t erase the disability. Prosthetics ≠ cure Games love the tech but skip the truth.
• Hiding disability to “fit in” is real. The pod unpacks shame, stigma, and the pressure to 'pass' is all part of internalised ableism.
• Disfigured Villains, wheelchair using computer wizards, troubled heroes. Stop rolling out these age-old tropes. Time to move on.
• In the 90's we were 'colourblind' now we're able-washing.
• We want to see disabled characters with agency, not pity. Real stories, not checkbox rep.

Takeaways for Game Developers and Audiences

• Disabled characters deserve complete narrative arcs, not just backstories that explain away trauma or tech-fixes.
• Accessibility must go beyond the screen—representation matters not just in gameplay, but in the stories we tell.
• There’s a huge imaginative gap waiting to be filled by more inclusive, better-researched, and emotionally honest game development.

Next Episode Teaser

In Part 2, the team will be exploring a recent game release—To a T—with a focus on its protagonist, who some argue that their T-shaped existence offers a warm-hearted insight into living with disability. We explore this concept and the accessibility of the story and the game mechanics.

#GamingRepresentation #AccessibleGaming #IntersectionalGaming #AbleWashing #DisabledProtagonists #InclusionInGames #IndieGamesMatter #GamingWithDisability #GamingTheSystemPodcast

📢 Support the Podcast!

Let us know on BlueSky (@gamingthesystem.bsky.social), Instagram (@gamingthesystempodcast) or in the comments on YouTube!

If you love Gaming The System, consider supporting us:
🔹 Patreon: patreon.com/gamingthesystem – get exclusive content!
🔹 PayPal Donations: [email protected]
🔹 Subscribe & Review: Share the podcast with fellow gamers!

🎙 Gaming The System releases new episodes every Thursday

Thanks for listening, and remember – there’s always another game to play that isn’t full of nonsense. 🎮✨

#GamingTheSystem #GamingCulture #FeministGaming #feministgamingpodcast​ #feministgamers​ #intersectionalgaming​ #equalityingames​ #GamingRepresentation #AccessibleGaming #IntersectionalGaming #GamingTheSystemPodcast