representation in video games

This week’s discussion about race and gender in videogames prompted me to look into some of the trends in the video games market. A 2005 Nielsen Entertainment survey revealed that African-Americans and Hispanics spend more each month on games than Caucasians. If this is an emerging trend in the video games market, it surely doesn’t make smart business sense for game developers continue to negatively portray non-white races, right?

Reading the same report I also found that “an increase in the number of males in the home caregiver role has implications in terms of widening the range of products that men regard as acceptable.” The use of the term “acceptable” here is interesting. What exactly does this refer to? Toiletries? Wine and spirits? This stereotypical ideal of men and domestic roles is certainly intriguing and as evidenced by the examples used in class, obviously extends to video games.

After thinking about the issue of representation in games a bit more (specifically, the way that male protagonists are portrayed), I’m not sure, are protagonists in games meant to represent those who play games? Or are protagonists meant to provide a sense of escapism in the sense that the player gets to live through the protagonist?

To those saying that video games are simply games, and not real life- I agree to an extent. But much like in real life, many major issues get swept under the rug and forgotten about, especially in the western world. I do think that these inequalities in games should certainly be addressed. I’m just not sure how that will happen. Anyone ever stopped playing a game or refused to buy a game because of these issues?

Lastly (and slightly off-topic): In games, women are typically presented as being unimportant or a damsel in distress. Very rarely do we see these roles reversed. The Brandon Flowers music video for “Crossfire” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AhU12zC8fc) has a pretty cool role reversal in that the woman essentially has to keep saving the guy who finds himself constantly captured by ninjas. Cute!

Also, did the Tomb Raider reading remind anyone else of No Doubt’s “Just A Girl”?  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHzOOQfhPFg

Source:

Euromonitor International. “The Changing Role of Men: How This Is Affecting Purchasing Habits.” Strategy briefing. 2007.