Toya is a female-led games studio dedicated to growing girls’ self-esteem and body image. And today it is partnering with Dove to launch a game reflecting its ideals on Roblox.
The Tel Aviv, Israel-based company said Super U Story is the first Roblox game to address unrealistic beauty ideals, especially on social media. It is now in beta and available to play for free with zero in-game purchases.
Designed for girls ages 9 to 16, this is Toya’s 31st game and Dove’s first foray into gaming. Super U Story is a story-driven game that helps players experience the many versions of what today’s beauty can be. Characters within the game represent diverse bodies, skin tones, abilities and conditions and are revered for their uniqueness and “gifts.”
Through gameplay and in-game messages, players are inspired to reflect on their own body confidence and encouraged to reject unrealistic standards, especially those perpetuated in social media.
According to new research from Dove, endorsed by Women in Games and the Centre for Appearance Research (CAR), 60% of female gamers still feel misrepresented and recognize a lack of diversity as a key issue in video games, and 35% of young girls state their self-esteem is negatively impacted after seeing a lack of diversity in characters and avatars, which often continues into adulthood. Super U Story was developed with support from the personal care brand Dove.
“With thousands of games made every year, it’s astounding that none of them address the continuing societal challenges and pressures that young girls face every day, especially in regards to their bodies,” said Toya CEO Anat Shperling, in a statement. “In reality, we all come in different shapes, sizes, colors, abilities and should be reflected and celebrated in the digital content that is consumed every day. Since no one else was doing it, we decided that it was going to be us to create the experience and spark conversations that we hope helps the next generation avoid the pitfalls and self-hatred that so many women struggle with today.”