I should preface this by saying I am not a gamer. I am one of those people who forgets that holding the controller and then moving your body to the left does not actually move the character on screen, and saying ‘pew pew’ doesn’t make your character shoot. I also sort of have issues with the idea that killing things on screen is okay, because the victims aren’t real (I’ve never understood why a violent impulse is acceptable as long as it is acted upon in a fictional space. Would it be okay if we had virtual arenas for torturing the elderly, raping women, or abusing children? No, because those things are wrong. So why is virtual killing the exception? Never quite got that).
But my partner is a gamer, and a pretty serious one, so by proxy I have seen a lot of video game action. Far too much in my opinion, but that is a complaint for another time.
One of my biggest qualms with video games is their depiction of women. Although video games have jumped leaps and bounds from their original female roles (think Princess Peach in Mario Bros., or Zelda in the Legend of Zelda- innocent women in dire need of rescuing. From men), to now allowing women to hold guns and such, I have yet to witness a video game where the female characters aren’t buxom and wearing skin tight or little clothing. There are no real women- just stripper-esque eye candy.
Take for example, my partner’s latest video game of choice: Mass Effect 2. One would think that because players can chose to play the main character either as a female or a male (only 18% of players chose to play the lead as a female), this game would show women in a less sexist light. That is not all the case. All of the women in the game are wearing skin tight garb, and there are ass and boob shots …
… aplenty (example). At one point the main character goes to a strip club, and you can have strippers shake their various lady bits in your face on command. As many times as you want. And this isn’t some sort of racy Grand Theft Auto sort of game that would require this kind of atmosphere; it’s a space rescue mission. This sort of game design is common to pretty much every game I’ve seen. Even when they throw female characters some sort of action related plot line, they have the women fight in absurd clothes with perfect hair and make up. As a woman looking at these games, not only do I not relate to ANY of the women in the game, but I’m ashamed to think someone thinks this is what a strong female looks like.
So why aren’t their any good female roles in video games? Escapist Magazine takes a look at the elements of character design, and the roles women play in video games.
You can watch the video here.
The video walks through the various categories composing the female character, and explains how developers might make more interesting and complex female characters in their video games. The video leads through the various gender differences which separate men and women (genetic and societal), and the difference between inherent and related behaviours.
I found the video to be informative, and very well written. The narrator takes care to explain the issue in clear terms, while discussing the issue critically.
As the video states, the next step is for developers to put greater thought into their female characters. There are so many interesting characters and plotlines available to a developer who is willing to explore the parts other than the T&A that make up women. Even though sex may sell to the largely male video game market, the sexuality used in video games is a stale concept (Once you’ve seen a pair of digital tits, you’ve seen them all. This won’t get more interesting in future games). I think gamers would be far more interested in playing out new and interesting character than continuing to ogle the fake breasts shoved down their throats in current video games.
Or at least I’m hoping.
Lara Croft?
[citation needed]
Samus? She may be shown in tight clothes at times, but she’s usually in a big bulky mechanical suit.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samus_Aran
Lara Croft definitely comes to mind. Yes, some of her clothes are skimpy but you can unlock some pretty kick-ass outfits.
If you want less stripper-esque/normal female character there is Mirrors edge.
Then there are a couple Final Fantasy games where there are 3 main female characters, with different outfits and personalities. In pokemon you get to pick genders, both are just as dull =). Still a cute game though.
And of course there are those where you can create what you want to have as your main.
Yes there is a discrepancy, and I wish we had more options to pick between genders but whatever. Most games are pretty good and I do believe there are more male gamers than female ones so it makes sense. Although my little bro is most def pro-female as he loves to pick them as mains.
I <3 games.
Definitely: Lara Croft, Samus, Jill Valentine (Resident Evil)
Chell? Alyx Vance? Cammy? Helena(DoA)? Sarah Kerrigan? The Queen from Fable?
They are mostly unsexualised strong characters.
You see a character as you feel fit. Lara Croft is a strong character, but she just has huge tits. Please rephrase your version of a strong character, and stop making me think about the annoying beggar lady in the first Mass Effect.
Come on, we are getting there, no need to pull out the shitty Mass Effect games to prove a point.
Being a developer with a focus on entertainment I have worked with several writers and artists in the develop games. Also being a gamer ill be the first to tell you that breasts DO NOT sell game copies. I’m so sick of male games being degraded in that manner. At most, MOST breasts will have as much benefit as they do during a football game, but no one claims that cheerleaders are what make football profitable. Also, I don’t know any men who will be playing the new duke nukem and I’m betting that satire will fail.
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Why no strong female leads? As the post states many games tend to have violence as the main solution tool. Writing a female lead to that role plays against current social stereotypes and that adds an extra level of depth necessary to write a believable character. Female leads are judged much more harshly then male leads is this area and having a strong back story that explains why the heroin has chosen violence and why she is able to use it efficiently is pivotal. Kill Bill the focus is on revenge and she was a trained assassin. Samus has a military background and was originally believed to be male. Resident evil? Bio weapon/ military background. Starting to see a trend? Unlike a male character where simple courage/white knight syndrome is enough to build him up. Difficulty is a factor when talking about making money. Companies with safe backing are more likely to attempt to create female leads. You tend to see better developed female characters in games where violence is not the first option or main game play point like Eternal Darkness.
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Although I doubt your gender will matter in diablo 3, blizzard has a fantastically well presented female presence in their promo for the fight against evil.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qis_X2jiXCU
@Bobby. Ur mom’s basement must be 40 stories below ground level.
No longer live with mother. Her basement was not large enough.
Nice post, I liked the video.
I have to admit, it’s really hard for me to take a video game seriously when all I see is skintight clothing on women and realistic clothing on men, regardless of the content of the game itself.
The games I actually enjoy playing don’t seem to have this characteristic (I’m looking at you, fantastic Bethesda games).
“take a video game seriously” ……seriously?
Let us not forget female characters in role playing games (Dragon Age, Final Fantasy, Oblivion, etc). Though they often tend towards skimpy outfits (Final Fantasy especially), they do a whole bunch of butt-kicking too. Just don’t get me started on Bayonetta. *eyeroll*
On a side note, Lara Croft is what got me into gaming. :)
I adore Oblivion. Sometimes I wish not all of the main characters were male, though (I mean honestly, you’re parading about being some bastard child’s lackey).
What’s a gamer?
Ask your mom.
The vast majority of the video game market is men.
Men enjoy playing a game with manly men, and sexy women.
Why is this difficult to understand?
As for the acceptability of pretend violence, there are two schools of thought.
One is that people can’t distinguish between fantasy and reality, and people who kill in video games start to see it as less bad in real life. This is why people usually freak out about violent video games.
The other line of thought is that violence is a fact of life. In an earlier time, violence was a necessary part of life to eat and survive – it’s only recently that we can get our food without killing for it. While we have come to decide that violence against other humans is unacceptable, the impulses are still there. Since repressing them tends not to work, if we can give people a legitimate outlet for their aggression and violent tendencies, they are less likely to get it out in inappropriate situations. Sport has historically provided this release – simulated violence scenarios that allow for competition and release of aggression with minimal negative repercussions. Now video games do the same thing – let you blow off some steam by blowing up some fake people/planets/whathaveyou without any real-life issues because of it.
It is suggested that people may differ in their response, and both these theories may be correct depending on the person, but the latter theory is well-supported by some recent studies. There’s certainly no conclusive answer, but it seems like video games may be for many people an effective way to deal with the violent/aggressive urges that remain in us.
Perhaps if every single game was not marketed solely to men the game market would not just consist of men. I enjoy gaming, but I really only like well-done fantasy rpgs with loads of gamer freedom. I can’t first person shooters; they irritate me. However, there are loads of girls that do play 1st person shooters (like call of duty).
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In fact, the most recent call of duty commercial was the first one I’ve ever seen that was marketed to everyone (hence the girls in the commercial). The market could definitely expand if games weren’t just marketed as a sausage-fest.
I suspect it is somewhat or a cycle – guys are the market, so it is marketed to guys, so guys are the only one who buy it. It could be well worth it to a manufacturer to try to branch out, but it’s hardly rocket science to understand that they’re marketing to a demographic.
You mention that your partner is into video games. My husband is as well (also something I don’t understand). He’s also a big fan of kickboxing.
When work is being obnoxious, he enjoys taking it out on an innocent heavy bag. I support that – it lets the aggression out of the body without hurting people. Great!
When he can’t do something physical, he appreciates video games for giving some similar thrill. He can come home and blow things up for an hour, and feels better – the annoyances that our bodies still tell us to respond with violence to can be sated with simulated violence (often against random spaceships and demons).
Do you not see anything similar in your video gaming partner?
a thought:
If we could invent a video game in which you could simulate raping a child, and IF ‘playing’ that video game could satisfy the urges of a paedophile, enough that he would no longer feel the need to go out and find a child, would you support the existence and use of the video game?
You are some kind of sick fcuk.
Does kiddie porn alleviate the sexual urges that paedophiles feel toward children? I’d argue that it exasperates the problem as opposed to helping it, and that playing a video game would act in a similar way.
Role playing out the scenario (such as is done when watching pornography) encourages the idea that the scenario could be acted out in real life. I would argue the same for violence in video games. That’s why they use them in military training.
Although the existence of an urge in no way means a person would even think of acting on it in real life, encouraging these impulses which are generally accepted as negative constructs seems like a contradiction to me. If it’s wrong, it’s wrong. Endgame.
A common theme in deviant behavior is the elevation of crimes. If the feeling of risk isn’t satisfied, the act isn’t satisfying. That’s why a peeping Tom often goes on to be a stalker, then on to rapist, then on to rape/murder. The progression of risk is equal to the level of excitement and satisfaction. So your scenario is likely to further exacerbate the deviant behavior.
There has also been evidence that physically “getting your anger out”, via violent angry activities like boxing or even video games, are not actually cathartic. Anger breeds anger.
I wouldn’t consider boxing angry. Usually with martial arts it’s the workout and yelling rather than the violent impulses that help.
It’s can’t really be a desire for violence if they are willing to have all those bromantic man hugs after the match.
I think if you were using the boxing or even martial arts to take out your frustrations with someone (imagining their face on the punching bag) then this would apply. It’s only going to make you more angry because you you’re focusing on the anger. Getting a workout and not focusing on any outside issues is probably the best. You would know! Nice pic btw :D
There is a difference between putting a picture of someone on your heavy bag and abusing it for hours, compared to taking the frustration that’s running through you and pouring it into a run, or punching a bag, or blowing up computer-generated images.
Is no-one able to read?
The key is that nice big IF.
I am not suggesting things do work that way – especially sexual urges. I did not try to suggest that such a ‘game’ could actually work.
I was curious as to what people would think IF it could.
IF an obscene simulation could fill in for a real crime, would you consider accepting the obscene simulation. It’s a thought experiment, and I’m still curious.
IF pigs could fly, would you ride one? :P
Only if the air traffic controller were awake.
They don’t look very comfy.
I like the sims <3
THE SIMS ARE AWESOME!!!!!
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Penn & Teller did an excellent ‘Bullshit’ show on the theory of violent video games causing real-life violence…
First off if you’re not a gamer yourself, than do you really think you have enough insight to talk about the video gaming world?
The point that I’d like to make is that video game world’s are highly idealized escapism. Let’s not merely look at the women, but look at the men. Do you see normal guys walking around as tall as Master Chief or with hulking arms and muscles like Marcus Fenix? Nope. It’s just idealized eye candy. I mean honestly, you’re fighting against aliens or employing magical powers 95% of the time, do you really think the situation demands realism?
Of course there are games like Heavy Rain that deal with realistic situations and so the characters look like anyone you might pass on the street.
TL;DR, Video games are just that, GAMES. Fiction demands that characters be fictional.
exasperate is not a synonym for exacerbate.
Silent Hill 3 has a very strong female protagonist. She is rational and capable – in fact, I can’t picture a stronger character.
As for a previous poster’s assertion that men are the target market for games, that is changing. This very recent survey by the Entertainment Software Association gives us enlightening numbers: http://www.themarysue.com/gaming-statistics/
Excuse me, Zelda? Damsel in distress? You’re right, you HAVEN’T played video games, because she’s a very strong character in both Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess. The fact that she’s a princess doesn’t make her sexist: it’s a trope, since Legend of Zelda is a FANTASY game. It’s about swash-buckling knights, royalty, and stopping great evils. If you don’t like that, fine, but don’t call the characters sexist when they’re not.
Oh, and Zelda and Peach aren’t sexualized characters. They’re consistently shown in a very conservative right, yet, you denounce them as sexist stereotypes. It seems inconsistent and vague to criticize strong female characters (like Liara and Tali) who happen to be sexy in Mass Effect, but also criticize characters like Peach and Zelda who aren’t sexualized at all. Why can’t sexy characters and traditionally-dressed characters both be strong female characters? Isn’t that part of feminism? If they were real people, and you tried to shame them for how they dressed, then you’d be a slut-shamer, but it’s apparently okay when it’s a fictional character. The fact is, Legend of Zelda and Mass Effect both have strong female characters, but you’ll never know it because you see sexism everywhere.