Gender and Gaming: A Modest Explanation

In recent years, the intersection of gender and gaming has emerged as a significant topic of discussion and examination. Video games, as a popular form of entertainment, have often perpetuated gender stereotypes and presented limited representations of both male and female characters. However, a closer look at the gaming landscape reveals signs of progress and a growing commitment to inclusivity and diversity.

When we look at gender and gaming, there are some important factors we must account for. The fact that girls and women now use computers and video games as frequently and intensively as boys and men confronts the gaming industry with questions, such as whether the offerings of digital games cater to female and male interests.

This article will modestly examine some common gender and gaming stereotypes in an attempt to raise awareness of some of the issues. We will also discuss what we can do to bridge the gap that is so evident in the gaming industry today.

Gender and Gaming Stereotypes

Female game characters are often sexualised, portrayed in revealing clothing, and presented as beauty ideals. The focus of players is usually directed toward the character's outward appearance which can influence players' expectations of women and their body image on and offline. These stereotypes only receive more reinforcement through their portrayal, like depicting female characters as young, beautiful 'damsels in distress'. This is still extremely prevalent as we saw with the backlash towards the character's appearance in the upcoming (as of the writing of this article) Fable game.

As for male characters, they are predominantly depicted in games as hypermasculine, muscular warriors and fighters. Even male protagonists are subject to sexualisation. When sexual and interpersonal relationships feature in the game, the male character often appears as the 'conqueror'.

However, a closer look at the gaming landscape reveals some progress. More and more games feature strong female heroines who advance the game's storyline not solely through combat strength but through realistic qualities such as courage, curiosity, and intelligence. These characters also tend to be depicted with less emphasis on sexualisation. The same applies to some male main characters in games. Today, there are many games where male characters appear clumsy or clueless. It is not their physical strength but rather their humour, innovative thinking, and sometimes a stroke of luck that make these characters into game heroes. Furthermore, the number of games addressing gender diversity, including LGBTQ+ representation, is growing. This creates identification opportunities for young players that go beyond clichés and stereotypes.

Gaming Heroines

The development of existing game heroines is also interesting in this context. For example, archaeologist Lara Croft, the protagonist of the Tomb Raider series, started as a sharp-edged polygon sex symbol whose design primarily catered to the taste male players and developers, including photo shoots in men's magazines. Over the years and numerous sequels, the character design slowly evolved in a more realistic direction. This change was due to improved technology and a shift in character portrayal. However, Lara Croft remains a controversial, or at least problematic, figurehead for female characters in games. As explained by freelance game journalist and game designer Nina Kiel:

"Lara Croft is one of the first unequivocally competent, independent, and tough women in video game history and thus an identification figure for female players. On the other hand, especially in the series' early titles, she represented an unattainable body ideal and was staged as a sex symbol to boost sales. We get the ideal of femininity from movies: Women can be superior, but this superiority must necessarily include their beauty. They can appear threatening, but they must also be aesthetically pleasing."

Discrimination in Games and the Gaming Industry

Games, like all media, reflect the society from which they come. And just like in other social spaces, there is implicit and explicit sexism, racism, and other forms of discrimination in games. Despite games being cultural assets, there is often a lack of public engagement with the underlying structures perpetuating such discrimination. Therefore, it is even more important to raise awareness among children, teenagers, and young adults about this issue and encourage them to reflect on their gaming behaviour and the character portrayals they encounter in games. We discussed gaming trends and children in one of our previous blog posts, which you can check out.

The stereotypical roles and lack of diversity in games are primarily a result of the development of this medium within a predominantly homogeneous (sub)culture over many years. Mainly male teams developed games for a largely male audience, and for many years, the stereotype persisted that digital games were primarily a hobby for boys and men.

Gender and Gaming Needs of Different Groups

Regarding the consumption level or the question of whether there are gender-specific preferences regarding digital games, existing research shows that women now play games as much as men. Digital games can no longer be described as "Boy's Toys," and gaming can no longer be understood as an adolescent hobby of white, male, teenagers. Although the intensity of gameplay has become similar between women and men, girls and women tend to prefer different game platforms and genres compared to men. This includes mobile & social games, predominantly casual games, simulations, and role-playing games. Women often have different motives for playing games too, such as joy, fun, creativity, building, and playing together, rather than the competition or competitive elements which men tend to prefer. Men and women also differ in their preferred gaming context: women often play alone, while men frequently engage in virtual communities and teams to game together. For women, identification with the game character is more important than for men.

What Can We Do?

The opening of the gaming industry to a broader audience and the increased access to the tools needed to create projects, provides a real opportunity for more diversity. As the interest in digital games increases and more diverse people are playing games, reporting on games, and even creating games, the whole industry becomes more varied, versatile, and multifaceted. However, as always, there's resistance to this opening up and diversification of digital games. Equally vocal and aggressive players sometimes stop at nothing, as the infamous #GamerGate controversy exemplifies.

One approach to dealing with this complex situation is to make games a discussion, criticism, and reflection on the topic, just like other media and art forms. We can discuss the worlds depicted in games and the protagonists who inhabit these worlds. We can critically examine the conditions under which games are created and who gets a voice in them—and who doesn't. And we can actively seek out exciting perspectives, new voices, and unconventional protagonists and heroes. Taking games seriously as cultural artifacts also means critically engaging intellectually and discussing them.