I fall into both these categories. Also as sexist as it may be, I still get a bit of enjoyment of getting to say ” hahah you go your ass kicked by a chick”… or a dude playing a chick? hmmm does that make me a digital transvestite?

Seriously though, I think you’re pretty spot on about catering being equal or at least proportionate. Especially when you look at say the NDS. When I look at games in the store I see quite a few of games marketed to specifically to girls (Hannah Montana anyone?) and tons that are gender neutral (things like Katamari). Additionally, most female gamers that I’ve ever talked to enjoy even the most “manliest” of games. A fun game is a fun game, no matter what your sex.

damn, apparently i fail at using these tags. I tried to quote these 2 parts at the top of my comment

“I personally choose female characters over male characters because they are generally quicker, and more agile.”

“there are plenty of guys that choose the female characters when given the option, simply because they want something nice to look at”

I’ve noticed that with the DS as well. I think, generally at least, the majority of DS games (and Wii, while we’re at it) are geared towards the gender neutral kids crowd – basically, if Hannah Montana sells, they’ll make a game out of her – and if Disney’s “Cars” is popular enough, same deal. That’s all video game companies do, is market to the groups that will pay for the games they make. They don’t make a HM or Cars game for the purpose of catering to girls or guys – they do it cause it’s popular and they can make money on it.

I’m in a weird spot when it comes to this issue. I certainly agree with what you’ve said and just want to add on to it a little bit.
As a heterosexual man, I like to see the ladies in games. I like to see them wearing little clothing at times and like the way a lot of them are drawn. That being said, there’s something to form vs. functionality. It’s ludicrous to believe that someone like Ivy in Soul Calibur II can survive a sword swing to the guy the way that Nightmare in his complete armor can (suspending the fact that none of them could survive the abuse they deal out). I have no real problem making the females like Ivy or Talim faster than their heavier male counterparts because of the added armor/size of weapon, but I also feel they should have a handicap on their armor for it. Hilde should have a higher armor rating than someone like Ivy in Soul Calibur IV by virtue of having more clothing at the very least.
While I myself don’t need to see the guys wearing very little like a lot of the girls in gaming these days, I do feel there should be equal amounts of clothing across the board and if we get a number of ladies that are scantily clad, then there should be some guys there as well. I guess I’m just trying to strike a chord for some equality in the end.

Oh, dear! You just opened a can, my friend. I didn’t know you were going to include such a prologue when you told me you were going to blog about girl gamers.

I have a lot of opinion about this subject, but idk how much of it I’ll actually type out right here right now.

Firstly, I think that the crazy super-feminist bitches aren’t helping our case any… at all. According to the comment left on Faith’s blog, “attention whoring” such as “I (PRS) do” doesn’t help our case. Okay, people who flash their boobs & run around naked don’t help us gain any respect from anyone (uh… duh!) – those people (note: I’m NOT including myself here because I am NOT one of those people) just fuel the fire of the “women are dumb cunt sluts” stereotype. HOWEVER, just as bad as that crowd are the crazy super-feminist bitches who ride around on their power tripping high horses and demand not an equal amount but more respect and consideration than males (be it in the video game industry or any other aspect of life) receive because we’ve been treated wrong in the past. Those people fuel, fan, and flame the “women are crazy bitches” stereotype. They piss me off more than the whores do.

I agree with everything you said about video games being that escape from reality into everything you wish you were or could do. I guess there are probably two categories of people who have a problem with the way women are portrayed in vgs:

1) Girls who have a poor self image and don’t like to be reminded what society’s “ideal” for women is. I can see why that might frustrate people, but seriously… what do you want them to make these women look like? I would say Jill Valentine looks pretty appropriate to her game & Samus looks quite appropriate to her game. I can’t think of a game that I’ve played (though I’m sure there are quite a few) where I’ve thought “oh my! That woman is dressed entirely inappropriate for the game she’s in.” All the Metal Gear girls, for instance, are ridiculously sexy but still, imho, their outfits are at least moderately appropriate for their roles in the game.

2) Girls who almost fit that “ideal” and therefore don’t get that “escape from reality” that they were looking for. It’s really quite irritating to be hit on every single day because of what your body (face not included) looks like. It may make you feel semi-okay about yourself, but it’s terrible to feel like you can’t go to the gas station by yourself and be safe from harassment. Of course you can say “dress a different way then if you don’t want people to objectify you.. blah blah,” but I, for one, dress pretty modestly whilst still dressing cute & it just doesn’t change anything. When you have a body like the girls in the video games, you could wear a fucking potato sack, and it would NOT hide it. So anyway… these people may feel upset about the way women are portrayed in games because it just reminds them of how sick people are to them in their everyday life.

So that’s that. My personal opinion is STFU and realize that a woman’s body is truly one of the most aesthetically pleasing things nature has to offer. It just is, and it always has been. JUST like the “ripped” male body has always been praised by society (okay not ALWAYS… there were times when people preferred a different body types, but my point remains the same). Point being: the HUMAN body is art. There was a point when being plump was considered beautiful because it indicated high status in society and health. If they had video games back then, I’m sure the women would have been flouncing around in as many layers of fluffy purple clothing as possible, and they would have been much rounder than the women you see in games today. It just so happens that we live in the age where big boobs, a tiny waist, a nice butt and not quite as much clothing is considered the “ideal” woman. (Side note: even mathematical theories and ratios confirm the idea of the body as natural art. Go argue with a mathematician and leave us, the people who just want to sit and enjoy our games, alone. Stop being such damn prudes. I suppose photographers who specialize in nude portraits are also sexist sickos).

I’m going to agree really quick though that games like the rape game they have in Japan are pretty sick. THAT really does upset me. Stuff like that is truly sickening (I think most sane males also find it quite disgusting) and shouldn’t be produced.

As far as game selection goes… I have no idea wtf girls are saying about wanting more games marketed towards them. Like what? Give some examples. What EXACTLY do you want them to do to a game so that you’ll want to play it? If you feel the need to bitch about game selection, than you’re obviously not happy enough with the games that have been put out in the past to consider yourself a gamer… so stfu and get a new hobby! The cuteness of DS games is pretty much straight-shotted (not a word, but it sounds good) at females. FFCC Ring of Fates and Echoes of Time are both ADORABLE games with cute options MADE for females. What guys do you know that really give a shit about customizing their moogle? They’ve made several chocobo games that are more geared toward females.. there’s a Prinny game for the PSP, but next you’re going to complain that they don’t make enough “serious” games for females. A serious game is a serious game… period. Shadow of the Colossus is one of the best, deepest games ever made, imo. If you like good games, you’re going to like it despite the sex of the main character or any other nit-picky thing you want to try to bring up. if you want them to make “chick-flick” movie type games then you’re just SoL because those would be the worst games of all times. So what, crazy feminists, is it exactly that you’re demanding? I really just think you bitch to bitch sometimes without realizing that there really isn’t much else they can do.

So you don’t ALWAYS have to option to play as a girl. You can’t stick a girl in the place of Snake and make the Metal Gear series the same game… you just fucking can’t. JUST like you couldn’t put a guy in the Metroid series and make it the same (spoilers? I sure as hell hope not. hahaha!) You didn’t complain when you couldn’t play as Peach, Zelda, or Roll, so why complain now? Also, don’t you think it’s just as bad and you’re being just as sexist by being pissy when you have to play a game as a guy? Maybe they could add a FEW more female leads, but I think the industry has been doing a pretty decent job of catering to females that play (just as you said about the percentages, Doc.) If it really bothers you that bad when you can’t play as a girl, go play Metroid, Resident Evil, FFX-2, or any number of fighting games where you have female options over and over and over again… miss out on all the good games with male leads… it doesn’t hurt me any. You don’t see guys bitching about the fact that they couldn’t play Metroid as a male. If you want to be treated equally, stop acting like damn babies. Act like the guys who don’t give a shit & enjoy your wonderful gaming experience.

[I did write a bit about the correlation between graphics and bitching about not being able to play as a female, but I think I lost it to copy/paste. Basically, no females complained that they had to play as Mario or Luigi in the 8bit era (or now when they replay those games for that matter) because it was bit-style... pretty gender neutral no matter what. But then people bitched and bitched for graphics, and now girls don't want to play as big, buff guys. Mario is okay, but big and buff... no thank you! So then we get the option to play as females, but then they aren't dressed right. When will the complaining end? When will what the industry gives us be enough?]

Also, I have to say really quick that I agree with Smurf about the “beat by a girl” thing. It is quite satisfying to beat the boys in Street Fighter with… say Cammy (the sexier the better)… and have her turn around and be all “oh yeah… I beat you, and you STILL want to look at my ass.” It’s just a very sweet satisfaction that can’t be explained.

I guess I typed more than I thought I would. Sorry to spam your blog, Doc. This is my opinion. Feel free to debate me and call me a traitor to womankind all you wish. I’ve been called everything in the book, so you won’t hurt my feelings any.

Jesus PRS, I think you wrote more than I did, haha. I don’t mind the massive amount of text, since you weren’t offering me penis enlargement pills.

I also need to add that girls that play videogames are ten times cooler than those that don’t (and more so those that can’t even appreciate them on any of the levels that they satisfy those that do). It adds at least 1 or 2 points to the 10-point hotness scale!

Like I said originally, there is no problem with the video game industry when it comes to gender, just like it’s not the fault of any FPS game that two dumb fucks in Colorado decided to shoot up their school ten years ago.

And I hope that Bevis and Butthead aren’t still being blamed for a parent’s lack of intruction to their kids on fire safety when their house burnt down…

Nice read PRS. I think you are dead on on all points.
Now I’m off to google chicks in potato sacks.

I really do agree with you for the most part and I’m not big on “percentages” like you are but, for the most part, girls are different from other girls. I don’t mind seeing “scantily clad” women in video games, it never bothered me. Though at times with like Ivy from Soul Calibur or Toshinden’s Sofia I’m like “Oh my god look at her breast! That’s not possible!” But it’s just an amusement factor. I never once though of things being “equal” because well, I can be more boyish with things like that. Sure I’m girly at times but I can play amongst the guys and not think anything of it.

What you said about playing as someone you’re not, that is a good point. I like to play as female characters sometimes because I like their outfit or something haha. At the same time, it’s like when I first played Tekken 4 where they introduced Steve Fox, he ended up being my best character and I only used him because I liked his outfit xD

Anyway, you make some good point ;3 <3

Personally I like playing as the pretty female characters in videogames and don’t see anything wrong with them. I do want equal stats for my characters though, cause I don’t think I should have to play a guy character to get better stats in a game.

As for games made for girls, I don’t think you need to make specific games for girls all the time – make your franchise driven games as usual but enough with the hundreds of diva hair sparkle team for the Nintendo DS bull crap. Cause that’s what you get when you whine about a lack of female games.

We have videogames for female gamers – we had them back in the 80s when we had Mario, Link, Final Fantasy, Metroid, and every other god damn game that we grew up playing.

Who cares if some female characters in games walk around in denial floss because Kratos fights in a skirt and WWE characters in tiny spandex underpants? Am I right? Equally has always been there, you just have to look for it.

Hell, now I want to write an article about the top 10 tiniest outfits on male videogames characters just to proof there is equally in gaming.

Faith,

I usually don’t pay much attention to visual stats in games with multiple characters (male and female), so you probably know more than I do, but regardless, I usually pick the female character. I can’t say for sure since I don’t look into the stats deep enough, but I get the feeling that while female characters may not be as strong or able to take damage as male characters (in the Dynasty Warriors series, for example), they are generally quicker, run faster and more agile. There is usually that one well-rounded character that most are likely to use (and that character us usually a guy) but it also depends on playing style, hence the reason for different characters.

My playing style is more associated with the response to controls and immediate translation of the pressing of the button and my character swinging, kicking, jumping, etc. I generally get the feeling that female characters in games work better for my mindset when I play games, because that’s how I play. I never use the big strong guy cause I hate moving slowely and I don’t want my punches to take twice as long as other characters.

I’m sure there are plenty of games with stats that don’t even out amongst the male-female comparison, I’m inclined to believe that things do even out when you take into consideration the gameplay, control response, and other stats that don’t necessarily have a bar associated with it.

And if you write that article, I’ll write one about the female outfits!

There was an Everquest game that the male barbarian was stronger than the rest and I kept dying trying to play as the female spell caster. I also remember failing at Diablo as the female character but I also failed as the other guy too. Could be just a barbarian prejudice in games?

I’ve never gotten big into MMORPG’s, but I’ve heard from a lot of people that they’re uneven all around. Again, it depends on a player’s style and preference, but from what I’ve seen, characters either start out easier (like the Barbarian) and get tougher to use as you gain levels, or start out really hard (like the magic users) and get easier as you gain levels and abilities.

But yeah, I think they typically make one character for noobs with better stats to use that is bound to be the easiest to use throughout the whole game. Since these characters are generally geared towards a broader demographic of gamers, the safe bet is to make it a guy, since more gamers are guys.

I honestly have never even thought of the female portrayal in video games as being an issue. I like the thought of women being portrayed as sexy, srong, and alla ound kick ass. Nothing wrong with THAT! The only issue I’ve EVER had a problem with is the actual prejudice against girl gamers themselves. And though there are many that treat us as equals, there are many in my favorite genre who do not. Which genre is that do you say? the FPS genre. There we are laughed at, scoffed at, kicked off consoles in conventions, and all around made fun of. It’s absolute balls and I can become quite an irate bitchface when it happens….. probably doesn’t help the overall image… but i would rather be a bitch who gets to play than a nice girl sitting on the sidelines.

This seems like a long dead issue.

The biggest successes in gaming are either completely gender neutral casual games, completely gender neutral guitar hero or rock band, or World of Warcraft where you can choose male or female for any class and any race.

It’s unreasonable, in my view, to demand that even niche games follow strict conventions. I mean, if there’s a twilight game we’re going to see unrealistic portrayals of men, why then is it bad to have unrealistic portrayals of women, as long as — like twilight — it’s the exception, rather than the rule?

@Jay – That’s kind of my point, is that there shouldn’t even be an issue. One thing to consider, however, is that many successful gender-neutral games still feature main characters that are male, or if given a choice, the male characters are stronger than the female characters. In my mind, this still isn’t a problem since it’s more realistic to the way things really are, since generally, men are built more for active, fighting, scenarios, and are generally capable of lifting more weight or causing more damage – but some female gamers have a problem with it. While I don’t agree that it’s a problem at all, I still feel the need to express my opinion on the matter. As I stated originally, it seems that overall (discounting any outliers in the equation that obviously tip the scales to one end or the other) the percentage of female roles to male roles in games is proportionate to the percentage of femal gamers. It all evens out in the end.

i guess im a little late on this. but all i have to say is i am a girl, and i love playing on my ps3 cod4, and cod5. lvl 25 prestige and damn proud of it, i like to play online and kick my guy friends butss. i wish there where some female characters on cod5, you know kick some zombies butts not dressed as men but as women but then again, the game was made to represent ww2 no females fought in those wars. they where at home baking cookies and that pisses me off bc thats how women have always been though of. thats why the psp now comes in lilac? lol big WTF after that one. and all girl games are fashion games, and hannah montana. dont get me wrong i love fashion, not hannah montana though. but i think when girls want games for them, atleast in my case its an ass kicking version of cod or halo games that have female characters. but thats just what i think

The only thing I have to add to this wonderfully enlightening subject, Is, and I quote:

“If you want a game that features average looking men and women, with no breasts,
pot-bellies, normal clothing, mathematically equal and completely unrealistic stats, with no action, adventure, or role-playing elements whatsoever, GO MAKE IT YER DAMN SELF!”

Similarity and equality are two completely different concepts, and if every character in video games were the same, no one would play them. Video games take difference to the extreme for a reason, the reason being, too much similarity is unequal, as it doesn’t represent each person as an individual, and maddeningly boring, which equals sales loss, to an indeterminable degree.

I mean, shit, who complains about SONIC being an unrealistic character, he’s blue, jumps higher than a kangaroo, runs faster than cars on a highway, rolls up into a BALL, SPINS, and goes FRIGGIN’ FLYING through the level, and to top that, when he collects impossibly colored emeralds, and fifty golden rings, he transforms into a golden, floating, indestructible Goku rip-off. And that’s JUST Sonic, not including the other main characters, good or evil, the story, or the setting.

You wanna know why no one complains?

Because when they PLAY THE DAMN GAME, they ENJOY IT and SHUT THE HELL UP..

Fin..

(not directed at users of this site, directly or indirectly, unless they wanna bitch about it, then they can, I dunno, read a book, and tell me just how accurate the portrayals of men and women are (Bonus points if the book is more than 50 years old (And, no, movies based on books don’t count)))

HAHA, actually that is a perfect explanation of what game companies are doing, but as a final note I actually try to figure out how some of the female characters of soul calibre keep there clothes on while fighting, or even the reason why they dont get some better clothing.
but if the fact that I just put a final note in the middle of my rant annoys you just remember this……

People love to B!T(#.