Sexist Tropes In Video Games

[MoonWater]

Boys wont like a non sexualised female rpotagonist because as a female they wont be too able to get "inside" the character , and as non sexualised, they dont have a reason to like her more as a female.

So if you want to make a non sexy female a protagonist you need a STORY reason for which THE WHOLE GAME is ENRICHED by her being a female instead of a male. If not, you are simply going to lose sales.

oh BS, you honestly think that a man won't be able to like a female protagonist unless she is overtly sexualized? codswallup. You don't need to put huge tits on a character or put her in a skimpy outfit to get male characters to like her, just look at Samus. Do you honestly think that all protagonists should be male unless the story could only work with a female protaganist (like brave)? What about portal? They could have used a guy very easily but instead chose a woman and she's not sexualized in any way. Do you honestly believe that men are so shallow that they can't like a female character unless they have a huge exposed cleavage? cause I can tell you that you are very wrong indeed. If a character is well done then she will be liked regardless of her gender and the fact that you and so many others believe that a woman in a game must be sexualized or men won't care about her is both false and one of the reasons why this industry still struggles with sexism.

 

[Alceste]

I honestly think it's the latter.

Sexism in games is still a problem, but not due to this particular trope.

Seems it's mostly the ridiculous outfits these days. What, we're going to battle? I'd better put some armor on my tits!

 

[Nyingjé Tso]

Same goes for mens, just take a look at Half life or Dead space (first), not really the archetypal warrior protective man...More like scientists and engineers, the contrary of big abs and stuff...And personnally I prefer those kind of characters instead of big warrior one I'm sure I'm not the only woman thinking that ?

 

[Riverwolf]

Seems it's mostly the ridiculous outfits these days. What, we're going to battle? I'd better put some armor on my tits!

LOL

It's outfits, and pervy cameras these days. ^_^

Things are definitely looking up, though there is a long way to go.

 

[Alceste]

Same goes for mens, just take a look at Half life or Dead space (first), not really the archetypal warrior protective man...More like scientists and engineers, the contrary of big abs and stuff...And personnally I prefer those kind of characters instead of big warrior one I'm sure I'm not the only woman thinking that ?

Totally. Geeks are the modern warrior.

 

[MoonWater]

Seems it's mostly the ridiculous outfits these days. What, we're going to battle? I'd better put some armor on my tits!

"and nowhere else" My biggest issue aside from the outfits is the enormous busts female characters are often given. Not only is it ridiculously disproportionate to their body type(skinny waist with big boobs does not work) but also breasts that size would cause enormous amounts of back pain.

 

[Alceste]

"and nowhere else" My biggest issue aside from the outfits is the enormous busts female characters are often given. Not only is it ridiculously disproportionate to their body type(skinny waist with big boobs does not work) but also breasts that size would cause enormous amounts of back pain.

Yeah, what kind of warrior wants to cart around a pair of iron-sheathed watermelons all day long?

 

[MysticSang'ha]

Lets do something, I show you a preponderant male crotch for each wet vagina you show me

We have already established sexualization of female game characters. I'm asking for more sexualization of male characters.

Why is that so hard to do?

About camera sexualisation, THAT is less common, because there are way more male gamers. But then again, the numbers I know are evening up. As I said, maybe you are stepping into an underexploited market, by all means, put some money there! Release the beefcheese videogame! So little out there that if women really want it, IT CAN ONLY BE A SUCCESS,

With the success of Fifty Shades of Grey, Sex and the City, and Magic Mike in pop culture, you'd think that game designers might catch on to how men can be objectified in mass media, too. Problem is, they fall under the same assumptions that you do....women aren't that interested in gaming, that they don't care about what men look like, that gay men aren't interested in gaming, that men are already objectified and sexualized enough, blah blah blah blah blah.....

I used to joke with my friends when Hooters restaurants were in the middle of their own controversy of scantily clad female servers offering chicken wings and beer, that instead of complaining about the sexism of the franchise that we should open up our own restaurant with hot dudes, and call it Hot Dogs or something.

Have calendars of the servers, dance contests, and make sure the guys flirt with the women patrons. I think it's a great opportunity for poor college aged men who need a job, right?

Don't mind me....I'm dreaming.

 

[MoonWater]

Same goes for mens, just take a look at Half life or Dead space (first), not really the archetypal warrior protective man...More like scientists and engineers, the contrary of big abs and stuff...And personnally I prefer those kind of characters instead of big warrior one I'm sure I'm not the only woman thinking that ?

except that those outfits and bods are designed to also appeal to male audiences and their macho fantasies while female characters are designed as they are solely to titilate male audiences. Cratos isn't muscle-bound and shirtless to make female gamers drool, he's like that to appeal to male macho fantasies of being the big muscle-bound hero. Likewise, sonja blade wasn't given a huge bust and cleavage exposing top in the new mortal kombat to appeal to female gamer's "amazon warrioress" fantasies but to give male gamers something to drool over in the hopes of driving up sales.

So it most certainly is not "same goes for men" as the reasons for the designs are different and in the end are meant primarily to appeal to men.

 

[MysticSang'ha]

Yeah, what kind of warrior wants to cart around a pair of iron-sheathed watermelons all day long?

I want armies of male warriors with g-string armor. And I want them to occasionally flex their muscles after vanquishing their enemy and wink at the camera.

 

[MoonWater]

I want armies of male warriors with g-string armor. And I want them to occasionally flex their muscles after vanquishing their enemy and wink at the camera.

:cover:, is it weird that I'm a straight woman and yet get supremely turned off by the thought of men in G-strings:run:

 

[Riverwolf]

:cover:, is it weird that I'm a straight woman and yet get supremely turned off by the thought of men in G-strings:run:

Hey, fine with me 'cause I'm NEVER wearing one of those.

 

[Erebus]

Seems it's mostly the ridiculous outfits these days. What, we're going to battle? I'd better put some armor on my tits!

Reminded me of this:

[youtube]OTGh0EMmMC8[/youtube]
Female Armor Sucks - YouTube

Gratuitous amounts of exposed female flesh is probably more abundant than a damsel in distress these days. I remember one of the mortal kombat games where you could make your own characters. I wanted to make an old hag in heavy robes who used magic to attack. Turned out my selection of clothing for her came directly from Anne Summers. I ended up making a man in a trenchcoat instead.

 

[Alceste]

I want armies of male warriors with g-string armor. And I want them to occasionally flex their muscles after vanquishing their enemy and wink at the camera.

I want a warrior who doesn't even need a sword.

 

[Riverwolf]

I want a warrior who doesn't even need a sword.

Sabin from Final Fantasy VI.

Dude can suplex a freaking demon train!

 

[Alceste]

Sabin from Final Fantasy VI.

Dude can suplex a freaking demon train!

I think that guy would still need a sword - at least for sword fighting, if you catch my meaning, wink wink.

 

[InformedIgnorance]

Actually the reason why in video games male packages and butts are not as apparent is not because men are less sexualised but rather because a larger proportion of men seem to exhibit homophobic tendencies (certainly if they are with mates - such as for multiplayer games) and thus having a game where they have a close up on a male butt (you know the camera angle, positioned to the side and behind the butt looking forward to check out the scene) because men are both more likely to be repulsed if playing by themselves and exaggerate the impact of their revulsion if playing with company. It isn't about sexualising women (though there is certainly is that aspect in games) it is that men are more easily repulsed and given that men comprise the majority of gamers (though a lesser portion than once believed) developers tend to try to avoid such scenes - for those aspects of male sexuality that are not so readily the target of homophobic reactions such as arms, legs and the torso (annoyingly good looking faces lol), etc - these are not just often but usually inordinately developed and defined.

Male sexualisation is just as prevalent, it is however more narrowly scoped because of the fact that sexualising those parts of the male body deemed to actually be sexual in nature (rather than merely potentially sexually attractive in form) by most people such as the butt and their package - is a deal breaker for many of their customers.

 

[Me Myself]

We have already established sexualization of female game characters. I'm asking for more sexualization of male characters.

Why is that so hard to do?

I wonder why is it so hard to read or see. A lot of examples have been posted. There are more bare chested males in videogames showing their pecs than bare chested females in videogames showing their boobs


If you think pecs arent sexual, I have a LOT of friend who would love to have a word with you, both straight and bi.

With the success of Fifty Shades of Grey, Sex and the City, and Magic Mike in pop culture, you'd think that game designers might catch on to how men can be objectified in mass media, too. Problem is, they fall under the same assumptions that you do....women aren't that interested in gaming, that they don't care about what men look like, that gay men aren't interested in gaming, that men are already objectified and sexualized enough, blah blah blah blah blah.....

I used to joke with my friends when Hooters restaurants were in the middle of their own controversy of scantily clad female servers offering chicken wings and beer, that instead of complaining about the sexism of the franchise that we should open up our own restaurant with hot dudes, and call it Hot Dogs or something.

Have calendars of the servers, dance contests, and make sure the guys flirt with the women patrons. I think it's a great opportunity for poor college aged men who need a job, right?

Don't mind me....I'm dreaming.

Where is the joke? By all means lets have that! If it has an audience and will generate jobs, why the heck not?

I am not at all arguing against it, but for it to happen someone has to actually try to do it. Could be anyone with a bit of capital

 

[Me Myself]

Actually the reason why in video games male packages and butts are not as apparent is not because men are less sexualised but rather because a larger proportion of men seem to exhibit homophobic tendencies (certainly if they are with mates - such as for multiplayer games) and thus having a game where they have a close up on a male butt (you know the camera angle, positioned to the side and behind the butt looking forward to check out the scene) because men are both more likely to be repulsed if playing by themselves and exaggerate the impact of their revulsion if playing with company. It isn't about sexualising women (though there is certainly is that aspect in games) it is that men are more easily repulsed and given that men comprise the majority of gamers (though a lesser portion than once believed) developers tend to try to avoid such scenes - for those aspects of male sexuality that are not so readily the target of homophobic reactions such as arms, legs and the torso (annoyingly good looking faces lol), etc - these are not just often but usually inordinately developed and defined.

Male sexualisation is just as prevalent, it is however more narrowly scoped because of the fact that sexualising those parts of the male body deemed to actually be sexual in nature (rather than merely potentially sexually attractive in form) by most people such as the butt and their package - is a deal breaker for many of their customers.

I think you are actually on to something with the homophobia bit.

 

[Koldo]

Farmville? Pah!

What an irritating and mildly insulting sentiment. Why don't you think women are playing serious games?

Do you mean to say 'farmville' isn't a serious game? That's very offensive to farmville players.