Welcome to Pushing Buttons, the Guardian\u2019s brand new gaming newsletter. If you\u2019d like to receive it in your inbox every week, just pop your email in below \u2013 and check your inbox (and spam) for the confirmation email.<\/strong><\/p>\n This week we\u2019re taking a critical look at one of the most popular games in the world \u2013 one you\u2019ve probably never played.<\/p>\n CNET\u2019s Mark Serrels goes into how the Australian mining industry \u2013 which, for years, funded a lump-of-coal mascot to teach children about crossing the road and brushing their teeth \u2013 is now using video games <\/a>such as Minecraft to ingratiate itself to young Aussies.<\/p>\n Though we are thankfully no longer in the dark days of the 00s, when basically every single game character was either a gruff white dude or a cartoon animal, video games still have a diversity problem. Non-white protagonists are still quite rare, and so Kotaku\u2019s Isaiah Colbert was disappointed to discover that the star of Square-Enix\u2019s forthcoming fantasy game Forspoken appears to be \u201can amalgamation of Black stereotypes\u201d<\/a>. This is an important lesson on why it\u2019s important to have a diverse workforce working on your games\u2019 characters.<\/p>\n Picking family games to play at Christmas really depends on the kind of family you have. If you all get along marvellously and cruise through the festive season in a joyous bubble of harmony and camaraderie, try a game that requires teamwork like It Takes Two, Overcooked or Moving Out.<\/p>\n If, however, you have a normal family, release pent up aggression and resolve decade-old grudges with classic racer Mario Kart or a modern fighter like ARMS. If you want something to suit all the generations, Just Dance requires zero gaming skills (and very little dancing ability, to be honest) so it\u2019s great for getting everyone on their feet, even if Uncle Nigel\u2019s had one too many sherries.<\/p>\n Strange, horny game ads are flooding social media. I accidentally became obsessed<\/a><\/p>\n Ten board games that your teens might actually play with you this Christmas<\/a><\/p>\n Analogue Pocket review \u2013 a heaven-sent gift for Game Boy fans<\/a><\/p>\n
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In the second edition of our gaming newsletter: the vastly popular kids\u2019 game has a more troubling way than usual of making money from its 200m players