Culture isn’t a bonus level: How workplace inclusion powers better stories, stronger teams, and lasting impact

What do dragons, superheroes, and tactical goblins have in common? Besides starring in some of our favorite games, they’re all shaped by the people who create them. And just like characters need backstories, game studios (and companies in general) need to think about the culture they want to foster.

In recent years, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have (finally) become more than just buzzwords in the games industry. But while many discussions focus on representation in characters and storylines, there’s a powerful, often overlooked connection: inclusive studio culture directly impacts the inclusivity of what ends up on screen. And as DEI initiatives face increasing pushback or get quietly deprioritized in places like the US, it’s more important than ever to spotlight where it’s working as well as why it matters.. 

Why studio culture is the real (game) engine

No matter how groundbreaking your mechanics are, culture is the engine under the hood. If a studio’s environment fosters safety, creativity and belonging, devs are more likely to take bold narrative risks, explore nuanced identities, and challenge stereotypes. But if the environment is exclusionary or toxic, chances are the stories it produces will reflect that.

Let’s look at some studios making waves ,and good games, by centering DEI from the inside out.

(Larian Studios)

Larian Studios: Empowered teams, expansive worlds

When Baldur’s Gate 3 launched, the internet lit up (romanceable bears aside) with praise for its richly diverse characters and complex moral choices. But Larian’s commitment to inclusion didn’t start with the character creator.

From decentralized creative input to a flat management structure, Larian empowers its teams across international offices to bring in their lived experiences. That shows up in everything from how NPCs speak to how queerness, neurodivergence, and trauma are portrayed in-game. The studio also took extra care to consult with disability advocates during accessibility reviews, leading to features that make a real difference for players.

The result? A game that feels like it was made by a group of people who felt safe bringing their whole selves to work as well as to the world they were building.

(Insomniac Games)

Insomniac Games: Walking the Walk

Known for Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Insomniac Games has long prioritized DEI efforts. Not as a checklist, but as a core value. The studio’s Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), mentorship programs, and transparent leadership practices foster an environment where diverse talent can thrive.

Internally, they’ve worked to ensure not just diversity of hiring, but equity in promotion and retention. Externally, this ethos shines in Miles Morales himself: a biracial teen hero navigating cultural identity, community, and responsibility. It’s not accidental; it’s cultural alignment from dev floor to digital skyline.

Insomniac shows that true inclusion is felt in the values and practices you nurture. Proving it isn’t something you can fix with just more inclusive hiring. 

Behind the curtain: Marketing vs. Reality

While some studios shine both internally and externally, it’s important to remember that slick marketing doesn’t always reflect studio reality. Positive press, cinematic trailers, or diversity-packed key art can mask toxic work environments or systemic issues.

Take the case of Ubisoft, for example. Once praised for global representation in its franchises, the studio has faced ongoing criticism and internal investigations over workplace harassment and abuse. Despite public-facing efforts to spotlight diverse characters and DEI commitments, many employees reported that internal culture lagged far behind the PR. This disconnect reminds us that real inclusion is so much more than marketable assets and funky colors. Inclusion is a daily practice and the most important stories are often the ones told behind closed doors.

If we want truly inclusive games, we have to care about the people making them and listen when they speak.

Why this Matters Beyond the Studio Walls

When players see authentic representation, they feel seen. But authenticity can’t be copy-pasted, it has to come from the source. That’s why a studio’s internal culture is so vital. Inclusive hiring is a great start, but inclusive decision-making, storytelling, and leadership are what truly reshape what we see on screen.

And let’s be real: players are paying attention. Games with tokenism or flat characters stick out more than ever. Studio efforts have shown that committing to equity across the board builds better games as well as better futures for those involved. Now that is something worth supporting.

TL;DR (Too Long; Developed Respectfully)

• Culture shapes content. Always.

• Studios like Larian, Insomniac, and Guerrilla prove that inclusive environments lead to richer, more resonant stories.

• DEI isn’t just HR policy, it is the company's creative engine.

• Inclusive dev teams lead to inclusive games, which lead to more inclusive fandoms and industries.

• But beware the gap between marketing and reality: true change is internal, ongoing, and people-powered.

• Culture isn’t just a game dev concern, it’s the core of every industry that wants to innovate and thrive, from studios to circuits and everything in between.

There’s no cheat code for equity. But when studios get it right behind the scenes, the ripple effects go all the way to the final boss.