Gender In The World Of Video Games

Video gaming is a multi billion dollar industry, it’s nowadays considered to be a pop culture phenomena – targeting 18 – 34 year olds; particularly men. Innovating and increase in graphic design has made the gaming industry even richer, with younger generations growing up with video games. However, how about those young girls who enjoy games as well? As the norms in gaming are over-exceeding barriers, the portrayal of women is questionable. Being in the generation of realization and change, it is definitely noticed by women and men around my age group – that the way females are portrayed in media can be considered sexist and objective.

Dead Or Alive 5 Female Characters

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Gender inequality is no invisible issue, when it comes to games – women aren’t treated as equal as their male counterparts. In games such as Grand Theft Auto, there are absolute no playable characters in their series – there is, however, a strip club. In the game, women are objectified and considered dramatic – each female costar is expressed as overly dramatic or used for “booty calls”. Another rising issue is the fact that women can be harmed. The male star of the game has the option to use any weapon, kill anyone, including women (even at the strip club.) In many ways can that give a negative portrayal of inequality to women, it not only objectifies them but also makes it look like women are beneath men as well. Fighting games are also considered controversial on this topic; for instance 2011’s Mortal Kombat, and 2012’s Dead Or Alive 5 evolved around playable female characters, in which you could choose outfits (which many of them could be considered degrading) and then you can fight, but after the battle it can be noticed that clothing is ripped enough to see skin as well. Many might argue that these games give a realistic affect when actual fighting comes into place, but there is nothing realistic about a little piece of cloth left in order to cover a woman’s areola, or pubic area.

Lara Croft: Now [left] Before [Right]

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The issue isn’t just centered on obvious sexist imagery such as the issues stated above, but also around the idea that women are rarely the protagonists. In many games, women are often the key to a hero’s story – taking the woman to safety, and needing the strength of a man in order to survive. This idea isn’t anything new, but has been a way many stories have been told. It’s dangerous to our society because it’s being enveloped in people’s minds that women can’t get through anything without the help of a man. The conflict is obvious; women aren’t treated to the same degree of a male hero. However, things are changing. The newest renditions of the famous Tomb Raider (which was famous for the hyper-sexual female lead, Lara Croft) is now focusing on the survivor and hero aspect and reinvention of a more natural female lead, without over sexualizing and pleasing the masses. This is an overall good start into something that can be more common in the gaming world. Not all men are heroes, but not all heroes are men.