Content warnings are becoming more common in games — and that’s great

There’s nothing more frustrating than working your way through a game only to bump up against some barrier — an unbeatable boss, a terrible platforming section, or the sudden appearance of a phobia. Games are getting more advanced in breaking down these barriers. One tool at a developer’s disposal looks simple, but can work well in concert with other options: the content warning.

Although it is straightforward in its purpose, a content warning can be difficult to implement. It’s a brief warning that allows someone to gird themselves before heading into a difficult scene or potentially triggering moment. The basic implementation simply describes the potentially disturbing themes and moments that will be encountered in the game. Content warning systems have become increasingly sophisticated and more imaginative over the years, with many more complicated implementations. Most recent developments Dead SpaceRemake, for instance, displays content warnings prior to relevant scenes and informs players of specific concerns: self inflicted deaths, medical malpractice, graphic death by gunshot.

Dead Space is one of the largest games to have such a system, but it’s not the first. Joanna Blackhart is an accessibility specialist and sensitive expert currently working on Indie titles Frogsong Way to the WoodsThis is his experience. Blackhart contributed to the work. Ikenfell As a reader of sensitive topics. The team soon realized how difficult it was to read the entire script. It involved the player coming across sensitive topics as well as exploring the inner lives and secrets of the magical teenagers at Ikenfell.

Image: Happy Ray Games/Humble Games

“[Chevy Ray Johnston, creator of Ikenfell] created the first iteration in minutes,” says Blackhart in a call with Polygon. “I went through the entire game again, writing up all the places and determining where content warnings were needed.”

This feature was finally solidified after being iterated by other members of the team as well as the community. Similar to the warnings in, these alerts are similar. Dead SpaceDo not interrupt or restrict gameplay. A small text box appears beneath the gameplay that simply explains that the next scene might be triggering, and gives a preview of its content — for example, “Content warning: mention (but no depiction) of blood.”

“Parents were using it to determine scenes they could share with their kids,” says Blackhart. “Other people were using them to open up about the content with viewers on Twitch, or starting conversations. It happened so fast, and so naturally — it was beautiful.”

Similar systems have been used in games like Angry Birds. Doki Doki Literature Club — on which Blackhart consulted with developer Team Salvato. Doki Doki Literature ClubStarts with disturbing imagery and suicide themes. The player has the option to toggle warnings before any scenes.

Image: Greg Lobanov/Finji

Chicory: The Colorful StoryYou can switch on warnings about content. This pops up in front of potentially distressing scenes like the one concerning depression and gives players the opportunity to choose whether or not you want it. There are other options. Psychonauts 2.Opening with a Content Warning, the game contains vomit and tight spaces. It also depicts PTSD. The Stanley Parable: Ultra DeluxePlayers can skip distressing scenes and receive context-sensitive warnings.

But Dead Space stands apart as a large game that contains such comprehensive content warnings, as well as a filter to hide the game’s most graphic and gory moments. Christian Cimon, lead senior experience designer on Dead Space, explained in an email to Polygon that it is “a terrifying game filled with blood and gore, but it also has an incredible story in a unique setting. This is why we decided to introduce a mechanic whereby these players could choose to turn down the most graphic stuff, allowing them to better enjoy the awesome story.”

“The ‘content warning’ and ‘hide disturbing content’ features are two options that have been designed to complement each other, thereby allowing players to control how they view the more graphic moments and, ultimately, have a more positive player experience,” added Morgan Baker, EA’s program lead for game accessibility.

“While it’s true that Dead Space is a horror game where its fundamental gameplay involves dismembering enemies that jump from vents or chase down corridors, some elements within the narrative go beyond what is typical within the horror genre,” Baker writes. “We know that not all players are interested in being exposed to moments like self-harm and self-inflicted deaths. So the team implemented optional settings to add warnings and hide potentially graphic scenes to allow more players to enjoy even the most gruesome of games.”

Image: Motive Studio/Electronic Arts

Certain games can trigger certain scenes or trigger triggering emotions. Dead SpaceThis is so scary from the top that filtering it has proved difficult. “First, we established that we would focus on tagging violence against humans, and then we made a list of all the scenes where this was the case,” writes Cimon. “Finally, we rated those scenes according to a somewhat subjective ‘disturbing’ factor. The scenes judged to be the most graphic, for instance, where there was extreme human brutality, self-harm and psychological violence, were then signposted by the Content Warning and incorporated into the filter functionality.”

In other media, such as film, content warnings are accepted. A movie begins with an age rating, and then highlights the relevant elements. There are many community-made resources, as well as an ESRB icon for video games. Crowdsourced resources like Does the Dog Ever Die? Users can share information and time stamps about the deaths of animals or nuclear blasts. Sites like Can I Play That? Sites like Can I Play That provide detailed breakdowns of accessibility settings and content warning systems for games. This allows players to prepare before they enter a game and eliminates any unpleasant surprises.

It’s still rare to find a content warning in a game, and there’s still room for iteration and improvement. This aspect of accessibility can be removed by developers to make it easier for players to enjoy a wonderful experience.