Dove and Open Source Afro Hair Library Introduce Code my Crown: Empowering Authentic Representation in Video Game Hairstyles

By DaMarko Webster

Dove, in collaboration with the Open Source Afro Hair Library, has unveiled “Code my Crown,” the world’s first comprehensive and free guide to coding textured hair and protective hairstyles in video games. Developed by Black artists, this instructive guide aims to help coders and developers create more diverse and realistic descriptions of Black 3D hairstyles, promoting greater representation in the virtual gaming realm. The guide is available for free download at Dove.com/CodeMyCrown.

Despite technological advancements in the gaming industry, descriptions of textured hair and protective hairstyles for Black characters remain limited, often relying on stereotypes and failing to capture the diversity and beauty of real-world styles. An alarming 85% of Black gamers feel that video games fall short in portraying textured hair authentically.

“In the real world, there is an astonishing variety of Black hairstyles, yet this diversity is rarely reflected in the gaming space. When games consistently lack accurate representations of Black hair, it sends a message that our stories and culture are not considered significant. Why do we see pervasive portrayals of cornrows, baldness, exaggerated ‘exploding heads,’ and messy dreadlocks, while common styles like gradients or twist-ons are seldom chosen?” explains A.M. Darke, Chief Contributor to Code my Crown and founder of the Open Source Afro Hair Library.

Dove identified that 74% of developers express a desire to contribute to better rendering textured hair in video games and learning how to code such hairstyles. In response, Dove and the Open Source Afro Hair Library, in collaboration with natural hair experts, investigated the misrepresentation of high-quality textured hair in video games.

A team of Black 3D artists, animators, programmers, and academics from around the world was assembled to create 15 original hairstyles, forming the foundation for hundreds of virtual hairstyles. Each hairstyle in the guide comes with step-by-step instructions, a 360-degree image map, and cultural insights, empowering developers worldwide to more accurately model and represent textured hair in the digital realm.

Dove, as a co-founder of the CROWN Alliance, has been advocating for the CROWN Act since 2019 to combat racial hair discrimination. While the CROWN Act primarily addresses workplaces and K-12 public and charter schools, Dove extends its commitment to promoting diverse and respectful virtual representations of natural hair.

Leandro Barreto, Senior Vice President of Dove’s Global Master Brands, emphasizes Dove’s dedication to setting a new standard for diversity and representation in video games. He states, “At Dove, we believe that everyone should see their beauty in the real world – and in the virtual world as well. The importance of accurately and respectfully describing textured hair in video games cannot be overstated, and we’re proud to be doing our part to set a new standard for diversity and representation in video games.”

As part of Dove’s “Virtual Beauty” initiative, the brand will continue to support game developers in creating more inclusive images of girls and women in their games. The “Code my Crown” initiative calls on game developers and industry leaders to join Dove in promoting virtual beauty and ensuring that Black gamers see themselves authentically represented in the games they play.

For those interested in changing the narrative and promoting diverse beauty standards, the free guide is accessible at Dove.com/CodeMyCrown, encouraging collaboration to enhance the representation of textured and protective hairstyles in virtual spaces. Dove invites everyone to join in reshaping the rules of the game and fostering a more representative virtual beauty landscape.