Oct 22, 2019
Video games have been around for decades. So many people over the years have enjoyed playing many different games on many different gaming platforms that are available. As a modern female gamer I have the opportunity to play games such as the Mass Effect Trilogy and the Assassin’s Creed games on Xbox One and PC. However recently I noticed that there is a conversation in the gaming industry regarding gender representation happening among gamers and developers. This is what I have found:
Bloggers such as Marlena Skall from Gamasurta.com wrote about how there is a great deal of over sexualization and stereotypical portrayal of female characters in video games like in the 2003 game Tony Hawk’s Underground and the 2012 game Lollipop Chainsaw.
However fellow blogger Michael Huber from Gamasurta.com comments on Skall’s blog that the way characters are presented in game are only part of the problem. A problem that isn’t limited to female gamers. The way female characters are presented is apart of how the games are marketed. Historically the gaming industry has been setup to attempt to cater to a male heterosexual demographic. Researchers Benjamin Paaßen, Thekla Morgenroth and Michelle Stratemeyer in there work “What is a True Gamer?” show that because the way the gaming industry is set up it has lead to the creation of harmful stereotypes of male and female characters and gamers.
Gamers and Bloggers such as Becky Chambers from TheMarySue.com and Kate Harveston from Headstuff.com would argue that if gaming developers attempted to create female characters that were realistic and compelling it would help make a postive change. Game developers such as Ubisoft and Crystal Dynamics have made such an attempt. These companies have developed video games that are meant to appeal to male and female gamers while breaking away from stereotypes about video games and those who are in the industry. Two examples would be the 2018 game Shadow of the Tomb Raider and the 2003 game Beyond Good and Evil with their main characters Lara Croft and Jade.
Based on what I have found I also looked at the statistics regarding the age and gender of most gamers.
From what I have seen there are people who do have concerns about gender representation and there have been games made to address this discussion.
I believe there is an issue with gender representation but it isn’t limited to just female gamers or characters.
References
Fig. 1. Digital image of the cover of the video game case for The Mass Effect Trilogy on X Box 1. 2014. Bioware. TrustedReviews. https://www.trustedreviews.com/news/mass-effect-trilogy-listed-for-xbox-one-and-ps4-by-retailer-2911404 . Accessed: 16 Oct 2019.
Fig. 2. “All Assassins Creed Games.” Digital image of all of the current Assassin’s Creed Games.Ubisoft. Pinterest. https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/838936236814320806/?lp=true. Accessed: 16 Oct 2019.
Fig. 3. “Tony Hawk’s Underground.” Digital image of the cover art for the 2003 video game Tony Hawk’s Underground. Activision. IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0385178/ . Accessed: 16 Oct 2019.
Fig. 4. “Lollipop Chainsaw.” Digital image of the cover of the video games Lillipop Chainsaw on PS3. 2012. WarnerBrothers. GameStop. https://www.gamestop.com/video-games/playstation-3/games/products/lollipop-chainsaw/10092942.html . Accessed: 16 Oct 2019.
Fig. 5 “Gurl Gamer.” RandomMan. Digital image of a meme about stereotypical female gamers. KnowYoruMeme.com. https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/gurl-gamer/photos/trending/page/3?gallery_cache_key=. Accessed: 17 Oct 2019.
Fig.6. “The Gamer Sutrat.” Andy Kluthe and Andrew Bridgman. Digitail image of a satirical comic about male gamers. 16 Mar 2013 Dorkly Comic. Geeksaresexy.com. https://www.geeksaresexy.net/2013/03/20/the-gamer-sutra-comic/gamer-sutrat/. Accessed: 17 Oct 2019.
Fig. 7. “Shadow of The Tomb Raider.” Digital image of the 2019 game Shadow of The Tomb Raider for Xbox 1, PS4 and PC. 2018. Crystal Dynamics. TombRaiderHorizons.com. https://tombraiderhorizons.com/2018/04/28/shadow-of-the-tomb-raider-which-edition-should-you-buy/ . Accessed: 17 Oct 2019.
Fig. 8. “Beyond Good and Evil.” Digital image of video game cover for 2003 video game Beyond Good and Evil contributed by Flapco. 30 Jan 2019. Ubisoft. Mobygames.com. https://www.mobygames.com/game/beyond-good-evil/cover-art/gameCoverId,378645/ . Accessed: 17 Oct 2019.
Fig. 9. Digital Image of the statics of gamers of different ages and genders. 2014. ESA. HotHardware.com. https://hothardware.com/news/pwned-by-a-girl-women-gamers-now-out-number-teenage-boys. Accessed: 17 Oct 2019.
Huber, Micheal. Comment on “Representation of Gender Through Video Game Characters Needs To Change, and it Needs To Change Now.” Gamasutra.com. 25 Nov 2016, 5:00 a.m. Gamsutra.com. https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/MarlenaSkall/20161123/286100/Representation_of_Gender_Through_Video_Game_Characters_Needs_ToChange_and_it_Needs_To_Change_Now.php#comments. Accessed: 23 Sept 2019.
Morgenroth, Thekla, et al. “What is a True Gamer? The Male Gamer Stereotype and the Marginalization of Women in Video Game Culture.” Sex Roles. Vol 76, no. 7–8. 10 Sept 2016. p.p. 421–435. Springer US. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-016-0678-y. Accessed: 23 Sept 2019.
Skall, Marlena. “Representation of Gender Through Video Game Characters Needs to Change, and it Needs to Change Now.” Gamasutra.com. 23 Nov 2016. Gamasutra. https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/MarlenaSkall/20161123/286100/Representation_of_Gender_Through_Video_Game_Characters_Needs_ToChange_and_it_Needs_To_Change_Now.php#comments. Accessed: 23 Sept 2019.
Of Gender and Gaming 