London Knowledge Lab

Problematizing Cultural Appropriation

Cultural appropriation in game design represents an unavoidable ethical challenge that requires designers to balance pedagogical objectives with the preservation of cultural authenticity.

• Designers must shift from attempting to eliminate cultural reinterpretation to adopting a more informed and sensitive design practice, as cultural appropriation is an inherent byproduct of cross-cultural interaction.
• Children aged nine to eleven do not passively consume cultural frameworks but actively synthesize them with their own existing tropes, such as religious fatalism, violence, and social status.
• Meaning in games is a hybrid product formed by the designer’s intent and the player’s personal, media-influenced background.