The DEI levels
Dear gamer,
I’m Kabrutus, the creator and originator of the DEIDetected list. I want to talk to you about the new level system and why it had to be changed. Please read the following information in its entirety. Thanks in advance.
The first DEIDetected games list had one simple criterion: a game was either DEI or not. While it has (and still does) enjoy massive success in raising consumer awareness among gamers, it became clear that this way of listing games wasn’t sufficient if I REALLY wanted to be fair and accurate in this regard.
My first attempt to fix this problem was to split the DEIDetected list into several smaller ones, such as “Localization Issues” and “Censorship.” However, this approach ended up overcomplicating things and causing confusion. Visitors expected to see the “Kabrutus list” but were instead presented with one large list made up of several smaller ones. As a result, many people treated every game on the list as if they were the same, assuming they all featured the same level of DEI — which wasn’t accurate and certainly wasn’t fair to the games. It also became clear that a game listed under “Localization Issues” doesn’t come close to having the same level of DEI as one on the DEIDetected list, but the previous ranking system failed to make that distinction clear.
That’s when I realized that since all of these smaller lists ultimately dealt with DEI-related issues, why not combine all the games into a single list—but this time with a twist: highlighting their different DEI levels.
This results in a much clearer and more streamlined approach that allows me to be fairer and more accurate in listing the games. For example, a game like Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is by no means anywhere near the same level of DEI as Dustborn. I want this message to be clear.
Below are the levels and what each one represents. Please bear in mind that I intend to update and expand the criteria they involve over time.
DEI-FREE
Self-explanatory. These are the games I’ve played and personally verified to be 100% DEI-FREE. This list is more personal, as it reflects my own recommendations based on direct experience — which is why it takes much longer to add a game to this level than to any other.
DEI Level 1
These are games that are not necessarily focused on DEI but contain one or more small, simple DEI-oriented design choices that could be interpreted as political statements by some.
It is important to note that many of these games were not originally designed with DEI in mind but had to incorporate certain DEI elements due to legal requirements in specific countries or demands from publishers.
They may include one or more of the following:
- Mild censorship during localization
- Gender-neutral language and pronouns
- Body types instead of traditional male/female
- Altered character appearances to align with DEI guidelines
- Narrative changes to comply with politically correct standards, particularly in remasters/remakes
DEI Level 2
These games usually feature many of the DEI Level 1 elements, plus some subtle political statements in their stories, along with more daring DEI-related design choices.
They may include one or more of the following:
- DEI consultancy
- Forced diversity
- Reversal of traditional gender roles
- Social commentary disguised as narrative
- Gender or race swaps of legacy or existing characters
- Partial or complete removal of game features/modes to adhere to political correctness
- Intentional “uglification” of female characters, especially when they are portrayed by attractive real-life models
DEI Level 3
All games in this level are DEI-heavy and typically incorporate many elements from the previous levels.
They don’t shy away from being extremely daring with their political messaging, openly attempting to indoctrinate players by pushing specific narratives designed to influence opinions and perceptions — especially harmful to kids. The brainwashing code is real in these ones.
They may include one or more of the following:
- Forced ideological conformity in-game
- Explicit and aggressive progressive messaging
- Heavy incorporation of contemporary left-wing politics
- Historical revisionism often influenced by DEI principles
- Inversion of traditional moral or heroic archetypes to reflect ideological messaging
- Narrative arcs that prioritize left-wing political agendas over character depth and quality writing
September 19, 2025