The New Intimacy

Portrayal of women in video games

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Contributor: Phosphorous Tick Phosphorous Tick
I think that it shouldn't matter.
What matters most in games are graphics and gameplay not the sexualization of either gender
06/08/2012
Contributor: amazon amazon
It's just a game... I don't really read too much in to it.
06/08/2012
Contributor: epiphanyjayne epiphanyjayne
I play all sorts of diff games like Gears of war, Sims, Deadrising, Far Cry 2, among others. I don't mind overly sexualized female figures or male. I like it when it's done in a fun and sexy way, but when it's cheesy then well it sux but that doesn't bother me. I would love to see more actually
06/13/2012
Contributor: KRD KRD
It doesn't bother me one way or the other.
06/30/2012
Contributor: BoobCopter BoobCopter
I most likely wouldn't play a game reeking of misogyny and oversexualization. I'm tired of that bullshit.
07/02/2012
Contributor: Bodhi Bodhi
It does put me off a bit, but if the game has more to offer than just sexy women, then i'll play it.

If that's all it really has to offer, it's probably not worth it at all.

Planescape Torment, which I still need to actually continue playing, it amazing, but the female portraits for the women walking around town, very tacky.

It's also a different ball game if the character is 'sexy' but still a good character. Like Miranda from mass effect, she not just eye candy, she is an actual character. Same with Samara and such.
07/05/2012
Contributor: Petite Valentine Petite Valentine
Gamasutra posted a related article recently:

Opinion: Video games and Male Gaze - are we men or boys?
07/05/2012
Contributor: Incendiaire Incendiaire
Some girl raised a load of money recently on Kickstarter to do a video analysis on the portrayal of women in video games. She attracted quite a lot of hate in the process, unfortunately, but it should be interesting to see the result.
07/05/2012
Contributor: kawigrl kawigrl
a lot of the women look very unproportionate
07/07/2012
Contributor: hybridinsurge hybridinsurge
Oversexualization is so common in video/computer games that I barely even notice anymore.
07/07/2012
Contributor: Gina RPG Geek Gina RPG Geek
Quote:
Originally posted by Hallmar82
I've read a number of articles lately online criticizing the portrayal of women in video games and, recently, one defending it. Examples: Duke Nukem Forever versus Bioshock Infinite

I know a lot of people, both men and women, on EF play ... more
I do prefer all characters to be sexy
07/18/2012
Contributor: JKS JKS
The tiny waist and big boobs don't bother me with games - they are everywhere... hello Barbie. If it's a crappy game, then that bothers me and makes me sad that I wasted my time.
07/26/2012
Contributor: JackNit JackNit
It doesn't bother me at all games aren't any worse about it than any other media. I will say though some games use it as their only selling point such as lolipop chainsaw I would much rather play dead rising for a similar game.
07/26/2012
Contributor: Ahatmadeofshoes12 Ahatmadeofshoes12
It depends on the game. I do wish there wear more games with strong female characters. The only two games I can think of that have a non-sexualized female protagonist are Portal and Beyond Good and Evil.
07/26/2012
Contributor: Errant Venture Errant Venture
It could be argued that FemShep is a very good female character. Nothing is changed from ManShep to FemShep - not even their walk and stance.
07/27/2012
Contributor: aluminummm aluminummm
I have too many feelings about the topic to even begin to response to this.
08/13/2012
Contributor: edenguy edenguy
I don't play video games. If I did this sort of thing wouldn't bother me too much.
08/16/2012
Contributor: Hallmar82 Hallmar82
Quote:
Originally posted by Ahatmadeofshoes12
It depends on the game. I do wish there wear more games with strong female characters. The only two games I can think of that have a non-sexualized female protagonist are Portal and Beyond Good and Evil.
Although you might have trouble playing it now since it was on GameCube, Eternal Darkness also has a non-sexualized female lead. Easier to find games are the collector's compilations for Silent Hill and Resident Evil which have several non-sexualized female leads in their older games. Coincidentally, they're all survival horror games.
08/17/2012
Contributor: Dreamy Demon Dreamy Demon
The only thing that really factors into what games I play is whether or not it can hold my attention. I have a very short attention span, and am not easily impressed, so whether the game's sexual or not, I play.

I find it interesting that people are so quick to express their outrage at a woman with big boobs and too tight clothes in a game, but you rarely hear a peep about the musclebound meat head sidekicks, or the Ken doll heroes. Wonder why that is.
08/17/2012
Contributor: Errant Venture Errant Venture
Six easy answers to gaming sexism that won't annoy or bore anyone
08/18/2012
Contributor: LittleArtemis LittleArtemis
Quote:
Originally posted by Hallmar82
I've read a number of articles lately online criticizing the portrayal of women in video games and, recently, one defending it. Examples: Duke Nukem Forever versus Bioshock Infinite

I know a lot of people, both men and women, on EF play ... more
While over sexualization of women in videogames does bother me it's not my main factor in of I play a game. In Devil May Cry 4, Trish (as Gloria) has her breasts bouncing and mostly on display in ways that should cause her breasts to pop out of her outfit and be flauted before us. But the story and characterization is still good (even if some of the story still bugged me).

Hell in WoW I was bothered by how grotesquely muscled most male characters were compared to the lithe women, and how most female characters were usually wearing plate bikini's (IE Sylvanas, and Alexstrasza). But...still played as I loved the gameplay and the story.

While I would love more believable looking women in games it's something that has to still be fought for especially as the female population among gamers is still growing immensely. And as it grows our voice gets stronger.

Thankfully in action hero movies we're slowly getting there. Thank the god Joss Whedon who decided to turn sexism on it's head with fanservice in the name of Chris Evans' glorious ass.

...Jeremy Renner's too. ScarJo's chest was a sweet bonus.
08/20/2012
Contributor: LadyDarknezz LadyDarknezz
Firstly, I couldn't help but chuckle at the mention of Ninja Gaiden. It's one of my all-time favorite franchises even though it is ridiculously hard. Now back to the real topic at hand:

Stupid shit like the way they portray women in video games definitely bugs the crap out of me and can really make the game a lot less fun for me. I'm a lady gamer and I've always been one. Games like God of War, which pretty much pissed me off not just because of the way women are in that game, but the fact that the protagonist is a complete dick made it unenjoyable for me. There's lots of games like God of War out there, but women aren't portrayed as badly in it (Devil May Cry series for instance, except for 4...That was just stupid). As for Bayonetta...I'm not even going to get into that garbage.
08/20/2012
Contributor: Billie Bones Billie Bones
Quote:
Originally posted by Incendiaire
Some girl raised a load of money recently on Kickstarter to do a video analysis on the portrayal of women in video games. She attracted quite a lot of hate in the process, unfortunately, but it should be interesting to see the result.
link

I just listened to this interview with her (Anita Sarkeesian). I think that its important to bring attention to how unsafe some aspects of gaming culture can make women who love gaming feel. I agree that the answer isn't to say no more games should have sexy characters but to have more diversity in the gender representations of all characters and to have games diverting from the hypersexual norm be as high quality as those that stick to it.
08/22/2012