When life-simulation game Paralives was released in early access, Danielle Udogaranya, better known as Ebonix, felt a familiar ache. Crafting custom Black hairstyles in video games is a labor-intensive task, but Udogaranya, a technical artist, has spent over a decade on this task, seeking to diversify the digital world. However, the demand for ‘Killmonger locs’—the stiff, short-dreaded style that became a go-to for many games—remains strong.

The issue of natural Black hairstyles being underrepresented in video games has a long history. Early 8-bit games, like SEGA’s 1976 Heavyweight Champ, relied on minstrel-like stereotypes. During the rise of fighting games in the 1980s and 1990s, Black characters were limited, and when The Sims came out in 2000, natural hairstyle options were virtually nonexistent.

Udogaranya, who has seen the issues persist despite advancements, launched the Loc & Kinky Strand Generator Tool. This tool uses new coding techniques to improve both the look and movement of Black hair in 3D animation, allowing creators to switch from a curl to a coil to a loc in under an hour. The tool is still in beta testing, but Udogaranya hopes it will eventually be made into an independent app and licensable version for various games.

Despite these efforts, the industry’s default settings for Black hair in video games remain stubbornly unchanged, with limited options and poor representation. Udogaranya’s tool is a step forward, but the challenge of making natural hairstyles more accessible and appealing in video games remains.