Gender bias?

Further adding to the discussion surrounding gender and video games, it brings to mind a study by Anna M. Martinson from Indiana University regarding gender bias in games. Martinson believes that video games have always been considered a male domain, and thus women are underrepresented in every aspect of game design. Some examples are the often ridiculous ways in which female characters are portrayed in games in terms of physical appearance and clothing selection. She also claims that since game designers are mostly white, middle-class males, they unintentionally design games with themselves as the target audience. However, to the main point, she explains how girls may look for different things in games than do boys, and that the current game market does not have much to offer to girls. Some of the things she lists as desirable to female players are “a creative component,… female player-controlled characters, realistic setting, positive, unsolicited feedback, slow or variable pace, predictable rules, clear explanation of rules, absence of violence, absence of killing, absence of evil characters”, (most of which are absent from the games market today). Martinson concludes that much like sports, video games, once a male-dominated domain, could become more equal and enjoyable to both sexes, if more games are made with women in mind.

Being female and a kind-of-casual gamer myself, I find that it is true that a lot of today’s games are not made for women: most games are heavy in combat and competitive elements, and lack creative components or realistic settings – all with a heavy focus on aggression /violence/masculinity. Although there are currently some games such as the Sims that fit Martinson’s ideals for “female-gaming culture” and I believe that because of this there is a possibility of femininity in video game culture – where gaming does not have to cater solely to masculine ideals. Perhaps then there will be less of stereotyping on the controversy of gaming as a ‘male-only activity’.