Are Girly Games For Girly Girls?
In the latest Aberrant Gamer column, Leigh Alexander examines the role of gender in videogames, and asks whether the stereotype of girls and women only liking a certain type of game doesn't have some merit.
With exceptions, myself included, it's generally boys who like the big console blockbusters, one finger on the left trigger and one on the right. I've been asked by a few people recently why I think this might be - is there some innate principle of the game design that is not oriented for so-called "female brains?" Or is it the premises - Sci-fi, lots of explosions, women with big boobs and space soldiers doing the fist-bump - that turn them (turn us) off?
Hmm, at least two of those turn me off too! But regardless, she points out that for all the stories about the Frag Dolls or some dude's girlfriend who can totally whup him in Street Fighter, for the most part women who play generally stick to specific kinds of games, often more casual titles, or the "girl game" ghetto. At the same time she warns that "we ought to be hard-pressed to embrace the conclusion that men like intense, complex experiences and women like quick, shallow ones." She posits that the differences exist because most women don't feel like games are "for them," and that it's going to take effort to make any outsider feel welcome, and that the first step in doing that is accepting the differences, rather then denying them.
The Aberrant Gamer - What Women Want [GameSetWatch]
Dawdle
Posted to Video Games on 6 September 2008
· Comments (5)
Other stuff like this: boys, cooties, gender, girls, men, women
As a straight female, I hate girly games, they sucks ass. I am generally willing to try almost anything so long as it isn't a sports title, I have 25 consoles and over 500 games.
That said, I know I'm not typical at all, so this isn't really directed at somebody like me I guess.
quite frankly being a girl(trans) gamer myself if anything turns me off its the male only orientated games and by that i mean not enough variation(its getting better) no soul calibur for me(no standard black characters and it reminds me of DOA.. Just About The Jugs) GoW's Bulky ass men, come on great game but was there not one brain cell saying lets put a female in just for the hell of it, oh yeah i forgot in this day and age women arent considered to be right for that sort of role in the army(not that i aprove of the army) remember the whole gayism in the future gaygamer was on about?
Represent us please.
I'm a straight female, and I do indeed enjoy some games that statistically appeal to girls as much as or more than guys. For example, I have wasted countless hours on Sims and various old virtual life games (eg. Creatures, Petz). I also have a soft spot for point-and-click adventure games and have dabbled in MMOs in the past.
That being said, the games that I have listed were not explicitly advertised as girl games. The Petz series was quite obviously aimed at girls, but at that point in time (this has changed), the advertising didn't beat its target audience over the head with that fact.
When I see a game that comes drenched in pink, especially one that implies that girls are incapable of enjoying any game that is not explicitly labelled a girl game, I buy something else. If the game's only selling point is that it contains some stereotypically girly elements, it's not worth my time. Such advertising tells me that even the developers know their creation is shit, so they reach for a niche market and hope that sales to clueless mums will be enough to make them a little profit.
Is that a real magazine cover? Who let that busted looking girl on there?
I hate hearing that girls need some sort of specialized game, especially since the 'games for girls' tend to be poorly done, overly simplistic and absolutely drenched in pink. I do think it's a matter of not always feeling 'welcome' - but that has more to do with the fact that forums, message boards and websites are filled to the brim with attitudes that are borderline offensive, or just out and out deragatory. Girls who are _only_ (I love my Sims and Animal Crossing as much as I love my UT and Suikoden) looking for cutesy, simplistic 'girl games' are probably very casual gamers. They'd have better luck marketing towards that, instead of just deciding us women-folk need our own 'category'.