Black History Month is a time to celebrate the achievements and contributions of Black people throughout history.  

While there are notable black characters in video games, black protagonists are still vastly underrepresented, excluding games that allow character creation.  

In the early days of gaming, black characters were reduced to one-dimensional stereotypes and race-based caricatures. But progress has been made as video games became more mainstream and widely accepted in the early 2000’s and newer games show a significant growth in black protagonists, who are written with depth and nuance.  

Here are some of the best video games with black protagonists that you can play this Black History Month. 

Marcus Holloway from Watch Dogs 2 is a hacker antihero who was falsely flagged as a criminal by the city’s advanced surveillance system. The character’s background is crucial to his story, as Marcus has experienced social injustice and inequality early in his life, making his motivations clear throughout the game. The developers wanted to ensure Marcus was an authentic character, so they hired African American consultants and actors, actively encouraging them to improvise.  

Lee Everett from The Walking Dead game by Telltale Games is a masterfully crafted character, whose goal is to survive a zombie apocalypse and protect a girl named Clementine. Lee is written to be a complicated character – he is an escaped convict but is remorseful of his past choices that lead to his life-long prison sentence. Lee is proven to be a very realistic and sympathetic character, who has many great qualities and is relatable to players for his believable actions. The developers noted the importance of making Lee a real human and including issues with race within the game, allowing Lee’s experiences with racism to feel real. 

Alan Wake 2 won the Best Narrative award at 2023 Game Awards while featuring a leading black woman character, Saga Anderson. Saga is an FBI agent renowned for her profiling abilities and solving the most difficult cases. She and her partner Casey are sent to investigate murders at Bright Falls, where the local cult has murdered multiple people by ripping their hearts out. Saga’s concept is truly radical in the video gaming world, as she falls under many underrepresented groups: a black middle-aged woman with a husband and a child. 

It’s impossible to finish this list without mentioning Miles Morales from Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. After being trained by Peter Parker, Miles has taken on the role of Spider-man to defend New York City from new threats. The game explores Miles’ journey in becoming a superhero and learning to balance his responsibilities. The developers have done a good job at incorporating elements of Miles’ Afro-Latino heritage, including his relationship with his mother and the use of Spanish in his dialogue. Authentic representation is also explored with Miles’ active role in Harlem, a neighborhood in New York City which has been a focal point of African American culture. 

As developers continue to push boundaries, we can expect even more nuanced and compelling black protagonists. These games not only entertain but also inspire, reminding us that everyone deserves to see themselves portrayed in the stories we tell.