Sony has released a free Black Lives Matter theme for PlayStation 4 as a sign of solidarity with the ongoing efforts for racial justice around the world. The theme is available to download right now, and doesn't cost a thing.
While the drive behind downloading and displaying this theme is of course to show your own support for the movement, it's a striking and beautifully put together design. Such a theme always needed to be simple and effective, and this delivers, with nothing more than a black background and three yellow lines along the bottom. Each line contains a single word, spelling out "Black Lives Matter". The Black Power fist also rises up in front of the three lines to complete the theme.
Take a look for yourself below.
Any time a company gets involved with something like this it can - and should - be met with raised eyebrows. It's always hard to tell whether or not a corporation actually cares or if it's just getting involved to look good. Either way, at this stage, anything that helps raise awareness and get people talking is objectively a good thing.
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If nothing else, I guarantee this free theme will weed out people you probably don't want to know, because if you're actively complaining about a free PS4 cosmetic designed to spark conversation around the systemic subjugation of black people? You're very probably racist. You might also want to reconsider calling people snowflakes if you're the ones getting upset about an optional aesthetic for a console home screen. Just a thought.
Of course at the end of the day, when all the themes and hashtags and statements are out of the way, what we really need to see from companies like Sony is an active commitment to fighting inequality in its communities, workplaces, and products. Let's hope this single free theme is the first step in something much larger.
Featured Image Credit: SonyTopics: PlayStation 4