Category Archives: Games

Here you can read all about the intersections of race and gender in videogames like Mass Effect!

Who gets the kids? A digital reflection by Tanner Goldberg

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“A majority of gamers agree that “having a positive impact on society is important to me”—a full 21 percentage points higher than non-gamers.” -The New Face of Gamers

This is especially apparent in the situation of ara_gaming. This is a gaming channel that recently has gone under a change of management. Though most of the details are relatively vague, it is the general consensus that the woman who normally runs the channel has ownership of the channel and it’s associated Twitter account has lost both in a recent divorce. Many of her viewers were outraged when they tuned in to see a strange face on the screen. They demanded answers but the new woman claimed that she couldn’t share any of the details for legal reasons. The response to this was to start the hashtag aragate on twitter to try and get to the bottom of what exactly happened. A quick Twitter search for the hashtag reveals that not much has been discovered in the case, it does bring a few things to mind.

First is the fact that the Twitch community is very vocal. While this was stated in the article referenced above, I took that with more than a few grains of salt due to the fact that these statistics were requested by Twitch. But it makes sense that a community that has a core value in being the most technologically up  to date would be more than willing to be active in different social media circles. So an issue like this that directly affects the Twitch community would be a call to action that couldn’t be ignored. It is very unfortunate that there is so little reason for the people who have the answers to respond. The channel has enough popularity that it should be able to coast off of that for the forseeable future, unless there is a sudden drop in viewership, and it seems that the original channel holder is legally unable to respond. Thus the movement has come to a bit of a standstill

In addition to the questions as to what happened to the original gamer, there is also the response to the new face of the channel. While some people were content to stay and simply watch games get played, many decided that since it was no longer the original person, the channel was no longer worth watching. This begs the question of the loyalty of the individuals watching the channel. While many people watch channels for the mechanics or the strategy of the games, the personality of each channel is worth noting, and questioning. How much of the viewership of each channel is based purely on personality? Some argue that the personality is more important than the actual gameplay, examples being cited are things like the Playboy channel on Twitch (it’s real, and I only know that because of this assignment) where it doesn’t seem like gameplay is the primary focus. The same could be said for male run channels that are more about the interactions with those on the chat stream. This is not to discount either of these groups abilities as gamers or to make light of their accomplishments, but just to bring into question what makes a community on Twitch, the game or the gamer?

check it out: http://gamerant.com/twitch-streamer-loses-account-divorce-120/

GAMES

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I grew up as a video game viewer, so the concept of watching game-plays online was never strange to me. It was as close to gaming as I could get as a kid because I wasn’t allowed to purchase any games as a girl. It wasn’t until my sister and I got the Nintendo SP that we owned a couple of games. In all these games what really made itself known was that all the characters you played were male and had some sort of female love interest. You grew up used to that because, whatever, you just wanted to play the game! The representation was always an internal thought, never had anyone to point out the lack of diversity. It did confuse me why Japanese games often portrayed non-Asian looking characters the most infamous being: Mario and Luigi who were Italian Plumbers made by Nintendo. Brain games and puzzles became my preference than video games, but because gaming culture started growing and consoles were being released constantly and every kid had some sort of it was hard to ignore. When internet came along with AOL around middle school the stereotype of games started becoming a hot topic. I think I started becoming aware and asking things like why don’t they start making games about other people, or why do women only get portrayed with big boob and curves? It seemed very unrealistic and probably helped me forget wanting to play console games. I took to apps and CD-rom game which were aimed to a younger audience and those were enough. They were usually cartoon characters like Power-puff Girls or one of those academic learning games. To read other people’s experiences and concerns was like a weight I never knew about, being lifted. It really brought itself to my attention and I became motivated in read up on the topic even further. I never considered being a Cooking Mama or Candy Crush players to be gamers but now my definition of gaming as truly changed. I was encouraged to see only MMORPGs to be the only “legit” gamers, but I reached my aha! moment when I realize at it’s most basic: gaming is gaming. If someone wants to identify as a gamer based off their apps so be it!!!!!

I don’t think companies should ignore their demographics. Instead, they should speak to them, get to know who their customers are and see how their games can be improved. There’s no harm in at least initiating contact because on the topic of representation it’s clear to see that the main characters are white, able-bodied, cis-gendered and typically straight (assuming the female love interests indicate anything). We as consumers need to make companies accountable for the content they release because while it may not seem evident we are a support system for them by buying their products. If there are diverse people in the real world then there is no question about representing us or allowing us to choose how we are represented. WHo decided that white, built men was something to program by default? If they can create such a character, what difference does a person color or transgender character make in terms of workload? The cyber, pixellated world is a place of creation and should be made by us for us.

Missing Gamer Girls

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Thinking about representations across video games, not much came to mind. I don’t really play video games and on the rare occasion that I do, I like to stick to racing games where I embarrassingly enough don’t know what buttons on the control do, and spend most of the time spinning out of control in the wrong direction ( no judgement). What I do remember from my younger years as kid watching all the boys hog the TV, was the fact that they never wanted to let the girls play. It would take a lot of begging for a turn and when they did let us play, it would be one round only and then back to the boys, because “they knew what they were doing”. Thinking back on those moments I realized that the idea of a “boys only” world within video games is something that is programmed into our minds from a young age. Early on gender associations are assigned and video games become something off limits for girls, and on the occasion that they do play well it is never better than the boys.

As the demographic of players get older, and females who stuck to playing despite the already biased idea of a boys only zone try to find female characters that do not embody a stereotypical weak representation, it becomes something hard to come across compared to male characters. Going through the articles it was interesting to read that in the Williams piece the most common portrayal for females and characters was the complete absence of females within games, and when represented they are often oversexualized and victimized. This idea of the absence of female characters resonated as well with the claim made that the absence of images in media, creates certain impressions on readers. If they do not see themselves represented they begin to reflect those same ideas within society.  If females or minorities for that fact do not see themselves in the very games they play, then the idea of becoming game creators or engaging in math and computer skills to get there becomes a far fetched impossible concept. This further aids in continuing the lack of diversity in games because those who represent the very concept daily in the world, are rendered invisible by the gaming community.

 

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Not Even the Nerds are Safe…

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The problems presenting video games today (well, always, but especially noticeable today because of events like GamerGate) are prevalent in a lot of nerd culture and popular media, namely gatekeeping, misogyny, racism, and representation, all of which are interconnected. Video games and comic books have a reputation as a safe spaces for misfits and weirdos. The twiggy nerd may not be able to throw a spiral for his life, but he can sure as hell verbally kick the jock’s ass in klingon, elvish, or aurebesh. Problems develop, though, with this new standard for elitism, and just as these men were rejected from mainstream popularity, they reject those who do not fit the perception of a Nerd. We live in heterosexist white patriarchy, so of course that prescribed character is a straight white man. This is the image that sticks with advertisers and gaming companies, so they come to believe that is who they can sell games to, and so the vicious cycle continues. Games are marketed to this demographic, and the assumption is that only certain types of games will sell, typically hypersexual and violent games. You can see this as far back as 1982 with 8-bit bullshit like “Custer’s Revenge,” where you play as a naked sprite of General Custer whose goal is to rape a Native American woman, and even today (to a lesser, or at least more censored extent) with games like Grand Theft Auto (the creators originally wanted to show explicit sexual encounters, but this was censored). Another consequence of this is that it affects what characters are playable in games, and what kind of characterizations they get. As Gail Simone says about the fridge-stuffing of female characters, “If you demolish most of the characters girls like, then girls won’t read comics. That’s it!” But the data tells us that this representation of the average gamer is far from accurate! Women and people of color play games, and as the Gray piece suggests, they are done putting up with the treatment they are getting. Something that really stood out to me in that article was the particular type of the griefing that occurs with posting stories of abuse on XBox Live forums:

“Well they usually delete the forums as soon as they’re posted.

Mzmygrane: Why is that?

MissUnique: Because, and I quote, we are violating terms of service. Talking about gender and race may incite racism and sexism they claim.”

This is so gross and so typical that one would really think we would be beyond this. We can’t talk about these issues because it might invite abuse? The blame is put on the victims of sexism and racism and they are punished for trying to have a conversation about it. As long racist and sexist gamers are able to continue on without criticism, the very existence of these women is “inciting” abuse.

Personally, I don’t game much. I’ll play SSB Brawl with friends or Dragon Age when I’m with a friend who loves the series. Here was her pitch: Tasha trying to get my interested in dragon age (/how anyone gets me interested in anything)

If I did play, I would absolutely fear the abuse of defensive, suspicious misogynists. But I think the numbers are indicative of a promise for positive change. There is an audience waiting if you make games for them, and indie developers and crowdfunding offer a unique chance for these games to get made.

Key Term: Game Mechanics

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Game mechanics are a distinct set of rules or methods that design the outcome of interactions within the game, thus providing gameplay. There is an input, a process and an output. Game mechanics also involves the the users response to collections of these mechanics.

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“The term ‘game mechanic’ doesn’t appear in the piece but it underlies the argument throughout, explaining how points that a player can spend on advantages like ‘talent,’ ‘wealth,’ ‘charisma,’ and ‘intelligence’ are distributed by ‘the computer,’ and that players must ‘deal with them,’ just like they must in real life. This argument makes racism and sexism seem socially neutral, mechanical, structural, and not a personal act of aggression or oppression perpetrated upon one peron by another.” -Lisa Nakamura

  • Game mechanics allows gamers to understand the gaming world as constructed
  • Nothing should be taken personally
  • Many male gamers cannot tolerate the feeling of being blamed for their privilege
  • Game mechanics allows them to not view themselves as privileged, and therefore blameless

“Explaining race and gender as a structural advantage, an aspect of a made environment that was designed to reward some types and punish others, lets white male readers hold themselves blameless for their own advantages.”

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My Digital Reflection

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As I plan to reflect in our team paper, this class has greatly influenced the way I immerse myself in new media. I have not withdrawn myself from digital media nor altered any of my interactions with new media, but I am more aware of how the world is represented to me via media and, reversely, how I am represented to the world via media (social media in particular.)

The relationship between this class and new media reminds me of the quote: “Fish don’t know they’re in water until they’re taken out of water.” I didn’t realize how heavily skewed representations of gender and sexuality are in new media until I was granted access to the readings and discussions relevant to this course. Previous to this course, when I flicked through magazine advertisements I glanced at them without much thought (except perhaps, Wow I wish I looked like her or Wow I wish I could afford that purse.) Now, however, my perception of these advertisements (and other forms of advertising as well, this is not limited to just magazine/paper ads) has completely morphed. This course has equipped me with the tools necessary to analyze just how disturbing contemporary advertising in new media can be. For example, take the Dolce & Gabbana advertisement below:

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This SCREAMS of issues relating to gender and sexuality in new media that we’ve discussed throughout this semester. First of all, hello hypersexuality of both the male and female form. Do regular human beings walk around this scantily clad, fit, and dripping in oil? I wasn’t aware (sarcasm.) Second of all, to me this looks like a rape scene. One woman is being pinned to the ground by a man while a bunch of male onlookers stare admirably, perhaps waiting their own turns. Before taking this class, I would have just flicked by this ad without a care in the world. Now I analyze it for what it truly is: an artifact primarily relating to objectification of the female gender taking place in new media.

As I said before, this class has not only informed me of aspects of new media that I am more unfamiliar with (such as topics of gender and sexuality in video games, example: Assassin’s Creed Freedom Cry) but it has also gone beyond the series of the digital culture I once thought I knew but clearly do not. I now question my digital life, as demonstrated in my battle with the Dolce & Gabbana advertisement above. I’m not sure if that is a good or bad thing…

The assignments in this class were never tedious nor boring nor uninformative. Literally every reading/in-class discussion we’ve done has informed how I think about digital culture. As I grew up with digital technology, (it advanced as I advanced and vice versa), I take it all for granted. Although I likely still take new media for granted as it is so deeply ingrained in my life (twitter addict!!), I am very confident that I am better equipped to analyze gender and sexuality misrepresentations and problems in new media because of this semester.

Assassin’s Creed 3: Liberation

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Assassin’s Creed 3: Liberation is a game released in 2012 for the Playstation Vita portable handheld device. The game features Aveline de Grandpre as its protagonist, a young woman of French and African descent, and is set in New Orleans in the years leading up to the American Revolutionary War. Aveline is a unique protagonist as few games feature a singular female or black protagonist. Upon release, AC:L received mixed to positive reviews, currently holding a 70 on Metacritic (http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-vita/assassins-creed-iii-liberation). The game was praised for its portrayal of race relations in the time period and Aveline was a well-received character. Unfortunately, the game mechanics, while praised as well made, proved to be a hindrance more often than not, with reviewers complaining that too much time was spent in the restrictive “Lady” persona.

The game mechanics are a very important element of the game’s portrayal of race and gender in the time period. The game lets Aveline “adopt personas that give her varying abilities and constraints. The ‘lady’, who dresses and acts like the wealthy free woman that Aveline is, can fool men by charming them… but she can’t climb building and is weak in a fight… The slave can infiltrate areas under cover of labor. And the assassin persona is, well, less concerned with the historical basis of double consciousness.” (Suellentrop)

Works referenced:

     Chris Suellentrop, “Slavery as New Focus for a Game: Assassin’s Creed Liberation”

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/28/arts/video-games/assassins-creed-liberation-examines-colonial-blacks.html?_r=0

Integration

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The level to which female gamers are able to reconcile gaming with the rest of their lives.   The level of integration can be seen in terms of the ability of the gamer to accept the hostility towards women within games or gaming culture.  “Power gamers” have a tendency to integrate technology and their gender better than “moderate gamers”, for whom there must be a more careful negotiation.  Non-gamers reject gaming technology completely and assert themselves in ways that are more traditionally feminine.

 

Damsel in Distress

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“Damsel in Distress” comes from the French saying “Demoiselle en detresse” where demoiselle means “young lady” and “en detresse” means anxiety and despair which is caused by abandonment and danger. The “Damsel in Distress” trope has been around for hundreds of years, traced back to the story Perseus rescuing his princess Andromeda. Since then it has been perpetuated through books, movies, and most recently video games. Beginning with the creator of Nintendo, Shigeru Miyamoto who also created the game Donkey Kong which eventually lead to the creation of the Mario franchise. In these games Princess Peach is the stereotypical “Damsel in Distress” who gets kidnapped in 13 of the 14 main games. To be a “Damsel in Distress” a character does not necessarily have to be weak of powerless but but must be reduced to helplessness and needs to be rescued by the main protagonist for the benefit of his story arch. This is objectifying because the woman is being acted upon used as a prop in the hero and villian’s battle. There is also the disempowerment of the female which leads to the empowerment of the male main character. When the damsel gets kidnapped she is unable to rescue herself; whereas if the hero gets kidnapped he escapes to showcase his own abilities. Also the damsel’s imprisonment is seen as a trial for the hero to overcome. She might not be a “Damsel in Distress” from start to finish. She may be a helpful damsel who sometimes offers hints or assistance.

 

Source: Feminist Frequency Damsel in Distress Part 1

Hypersexualization

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Hypersexualization:

Games present an alternate reality in which its participants can challenge gender norms while allowing users greater control and freedom. Female avatars in modern games have more recently become solely employed to fulfill male ‘fantasies’;  however by sexualizing female avatars, some women were motivated to create a strong and sexy character. For instance, in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (especially the original games), Lara is deeply hypersexualized due to the focus on her prominent breasts – which has now become almost her claim to fame. Hypersexualization simultaneously sexualizes a character, while also brings down it’s humanist character by also being something to merely stare at.

2013 Tomb Raider

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In the 2013 version of Tomb Raider, Lara Croft is more athletic, wearing cargo pants instead of tiny little shorts as she did in the previous games. However, in this story, and especially deeply implied by the trailer, Lara Croft seems to be sexually assaulted. “A few months ago, executive producer Ron Rosenberg told Kotaku that scavengers on an island where Lara is trapped attempt to rape her. “She is literally turned into a cornered animal.” (Note: Likening victims of attempted rape to “cornered animals,” is the very definition of dehumanizing.) “ (Forbes).

Again, going off the executive producer’s comments, When Rosenberg spoke about Lara, he said, “When people play Lara, they don’t really project themselves into the character…. They’re more like ‘I want to protect her.’ There’s this sort of dynamic of ‘I’m going to this adventure with her and trying to protect her….’” In this, the executive producer is basically saying that it would odd for a boy to relate to a female hero – therefore, they must make them vulnerable in order to to relate to them at all. Consider this when thinking about that concept: How many people can relate to non-human characters? The answer is a lot. So why would a woman be any different?

In general however, the 2013 Tomb Raider is much less hypersexualized than the orginals. Instead of her breasts being the prominent focus, the details and intricacies (which was aided by the better processing systems, of course) of her face becomes the focal point of her character. She is strong and tough, but has moments of weakness, like any person would too. The depth of her character is better: she is much more than just a pretty face.

 

Citation: Pinchefsky, Carol. “A Feminist Reviews Tomb Raider’s Lara Croft.” Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 12 Mar. 2013. Web. 12 Mar. 2014.