Videogames: Introduction - Women in videogames

 Part 1: Medium article - Is Female Representation in Video Games Finally Changing?

Read this Medium feature on whether female representation in videogames is finally changing. Answer the following questions:

1) How have women traditionally been represented in videogames?

as "damsels in distress"

2) What percentage of the video game audience is female?

42%

3) What recent games have signalled a change in the industry and what qualities do the female protagonists offer?

tomb Raider, Horizon: Zero Dawn, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, The Last of Us, Dragon Age: Inquisition, and The Walking Dead series

4) Do you agree with the idea that audiences reject media products if they feel they are misrepresented within them?

yes because if you see yourself reflected in a text, you are more likely to be attracted to it. Therefore most if not all variations of sexuality, race and any other physical/mental attribute should be included.

5) What does the writer suggest has changed regarding recent versions of Lara Croft and who does she credit for this development?

they hired Rhianna Pratchett as the lead writer, a woman who “had a long history of working on games with complex female protagonists, such as Heavenly Sword and Mirror’s Edge”

Part 2: Tropes vs Women in Video Games – further analysis

Visit Anita Sarkeesian’s ‘Tropes vs Women in Video Games Series 2’ YouTube playlist and watch ONE other video in the series (your choice - and feel free to choose a video from season 1 if you prefer). Write a 100 word summary of the video you watch:

Title of video: All the slender ladies

100 word summary: 

Overwatch introduced a variety of male characters with different body types but when it came to the females, they included only the slender body types. In fact, all females in video games don't represent a different body type. The diversity in body size simply doesn't exist, a slender body with prominent breasts make for a typical female depiction. It's sexually appealing to the straight male player. It plays into deep cultural issues with male desire for slender, fit body types. Usually, types that aren't slender are subject to ridicule such as a fat princess. The fact that fat women aren't featured in games cements the view that they have less 'valuable' body types.


Part 3: Anita Sarkeesian Gamespot interview

Finally, read this Gamespot interview with Anita Sarkeesian of Feminist Frequency and answer the following questions:

1) What reaction did Anita Sarkeesian receive when she published her videos on women in videogames? You can find more information on this on Sarkeesian’s Kickstarter fundraising page.

"While I always expect some level of harassment when discussing gender issues online, this time it's a more extreme and sustained torrent of sexism, hate, and threats. All the horrible backlash has just made me even more determined and committed to creating this video series. I'm also happy that all the backers and supporters of the project have been and continue to be a source of encouragement and inspiration."

- She felt that her duty to inform and educate people about the gender imbalance in gaming was mocked and that she was an extreme radical feminist

2) How does Sarkeesian summarise feminism?

Feminism is the radical notion that women are human beings.

3) Why do stories matter?

It might help an individual to relate and speak up about their experiences

4) How does Sarkeesian view Samus Aran and Lara Croft (the two protagonists from our upcoming CSPs)?

She said:

I was excited to discover that Metroid's Samus Aran was a woman. But as the years passed, I realized that in many ways, Samus is handled problematically. The quicker you complete the game, the more of her suit she takes off at the end; her femaleness is presented as a reward, something for players to ogle. 

Although the protagonist was female, the end goal still sexualised the body of Samus.

"Lara Croft appeals to me and to some other women I know because she's independent and very capable, but at the same time, there's no denying that she has often been presented as a sex object."

5) How has the videogame landscape changed with regards to the representation of women?

With the recent addition of 'choose your gender' character creation, representing females as varied and different, a step from the norm of typical slender body types.

6) Why are Mirror’s Edge and Portal held up as examples of more progressive representations of women?

They were women of colour and they weren't sexualised at all, they played an important role in the game, not just a side role

7) What are the qualities that Sarkeesian lists for developers to work on creating more positive female characters?

gender issues - to make sure that women and men are equal in the game

race - make sure that woemn of colour are also included

8) What is the impact of the videogames industry being male-dominated?

The image of females in gaming becomes minuscule. By hiring more females to create the game, ypu already add another layer of feminine quality to that game.

9) What did Sarkeesian hope to achieve through her ‘Tropes vs Women in Video Games’ series?

To highlight and to provide a detailed overview of each trope while highlighting why that particular convention is a problematic representation of female characters.

10) What media debates did Sarkeesian hope to spark with her video series?

She wants to criticise institutional sexism and how it had become so normalised in the indutrsy that it has now become the norm.