Women in videogames

Videogames: Introduction - Women in videogames

Our final in-depth media topic is Videogames.

Our Videogames CSPs are Tomb Raider Anniversary, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes and The Sims FreePlay.

These are in-depth CSPs and need to be studied with reference to all four elements of the Theoretical Framework (Language, Representation, Industries, Audience) and all relevant contexts.

This will be tested in Media Two exam – a 25 mark essay question.

Videogames: an introduction

The videogames industry is a huge media market – bigger than video and music combined. It is worth £3.86bn – more than double its value in 2007. Remarkably, these figures do not include mobile and free games such as Fortnite (which has over 200 million players worldwide).

With FIFA19, Red Dead Redemption 2 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 each selling more than 1m copies, it is important to consider the influence games can have on audiences and society.

Women in videogames

The representation of women in videogames has long been considered sexist. Female characters are rarely playable and usually reinforce traditional gender stereotypes. Games that did feature female characters presented them as damsels in distress or sex objects.

Lara Croft of the Tomb Raider series is one of the most iconic characters in videogame history. But while she is a strong, independent playable character, her appearance and costume turned her into a digital sex object.  

Tropes vs Women in Video Games

Vlogger and gaming expert Anita Sarkeesian has produced two series of YouTube videos documenting the representation of women in videogames.

Vlogging as Feminist Frequency, the series are an important example of digital feminism (and a superb resource for Media students). However, as a result, she has been a target for online abuse and threats – most notably as part of the #gamergate controversy.

Women and videogames: blog tasks

Work through the following blog tasks to complete this introduction to 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?

Women are traditionally more objectified in video games.

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

42% - based on the survey “Distribution of Computer and Video Gamers in the United States from 2006 to 2017 by Gender”

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

ero Dawn, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, The Last of Us, Dragon Age: Inquisition, and The Walking Dead series have female protagonists or important female roles. 

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

More likely to reject media products if they feel that they are misrepresented.

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

Lara Croft was "saved" by Crystal Dynamics because they made some big changes in the way that she was represented in the reboot of Tomb Raider.

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: 

100 word summary: 

In this discusses how certain computer games, intentionally show female characters but as an approach to speak to the male look. We see various models right now, an example Tomb Raider, it is obvious from the models she has appeared, this is attempting to speak to a male look, then again, she does likewise discuss how men are in binary opposition to this, for instance we perceive how games do whatever it takes not to show the guys "butt" and we see Anita attempt her best to show how they use things, for example, capes or long coats to cover them.
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.

Lot of criticism and backlash when she first published her series on women in video games. The type of hate included:online video game forums vowing to "take [her] down",

2) How does Sarkeesian summarise feminism?

"working towards the equal treatment of women socially, culturally, institutionally, and economically."

3) Why do stories matter?

Stories allows there to be narrative which is core for humans.

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

They both are protagonists in their own games.

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

Increase in the number of female characters in video games since the early releases of games such as Metroid, Super Mario Bros. 

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

Uses women as protagonists without overly sexualising or objectifying them and skin of colour womens.

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

Protagonists not being directly tied to their sex appeal, stepping outside of typical conventions, emotional depth and expression in the characters.

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

That women are not given much of a chance to be more equal so they are unable to show the chracters and the games from a womens perspectives.

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

That people should look more critical at some of the games.

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

Contribute to the ongoing conversation and debates regarding the sexist representations of women in video games.