I noticed how gaming culture changed how aspects of it are viewed have changed as well. Japanese culture and gaming culture (well, specifically console gaming) were almost synonymous in the 90s and a bit into the 00s. The past decade has witnessed several trends.
1. Westward domination of console gaming in regards to market scale and major developers.
2. PC gamings return to prominence
3. Creation of the mobile gaming sector
4. Japanese going towards handheld/mobile
5. Rise of new blue ocean markets of casuals
6. FPS becomes the dominant genre on consoles
Many people who have entered the culture in this era or embraced the change in culture view the 90s in a negative light. The idea of game first mentality and desire for outrageous and sometimes silly character design is seen as outdated by many. Within console gaming their is often a desire to seek approval from film as a legitimate medium of story telling and putting western ideals on various social issues within games.
Bayonetta for example, feels like a 90s game cranked up with modern technology. It can be hard, demands skill and has an odd story with colorful characters (some good or bad based on taste). This is viewed as juvenile through a current western lens. Make the characters more grounded and human, consider sexual and racial components to character designs they demand.
Grand Theft Auto series has embraced many aspects of this new culture. The games are far less silly from PS1/PS2 days as they try to emulate "Once Upon a Time in America" or "Goodfellows". The games are brutal, often nasty in their portrayal of their world and characters. Personally, big part of why I fell out with the series, but reviewers sing its praises and they sell millions so I don't blame them.
We struggle often to make allowances for other cultures demanding them to conform to our norms. We understand a western game that is satire and uses western humor and references, but a Japanese game is often derided as "weird" for using references that to us come across as non sequitors.
I don't think it is racist, but it is a bit close minded to expect other cultures to simply adopt your norms of story telling, characterization and in gaming's case, design.
