Since the GamerGate controversy, the topic of sexism in games and the gaming industry has become more popular in reporting. And almost every week new excitement is added. Exaggerated publicity or real problem?
San Francisco Game Developers Conference: Some visitors to the Xbox party organised by Microsoft feel transported back to the early 90s gaming industry, when “booth beauties” – provocatively dressed booth staff at a predominantly male exhibition. arrivals – were still ubiquitous. The so-called ‘Gogo Girls’ danced on platforms.lightly dressed in a bra and skimpy school uniform skirts. Astonished reactions from visitors pile up on Facebook and Twitter: many complain that no one on the planning committee noticed how inappropriate the semi-nude dancers looked at the industry party. Not only do many female developers feel uncomfortable in the presence of dancers, numerous male attendees also find the proposed support programme completely inappropriate. Ironically, just a few hours earlier, Microsoft had hosted an inclusive Women in Industry breakfast.
In between the hot news is also the Indibet site topical and to-the-point
San Francisco Game Developers Conference: Some visitors to the Xbox party organised by Microsoft feel transported back to the early 90s gaming industry, when “booth beauties” – provocatively dressed booth staff at a predominantly male exhibition. arrivals – were still ubiquitous. The so-called ‘Gogo Girls’ danced on platforms.lightly dressed in a bra and skimpy school uniform skirts. Astonished reactions from visitors pile up on Facebook and Twitter: many complain that no one on the planning committee noticed how inappropriate the semi-nude dancers looked at the industry party. Not only do many female developers feel uncomfortable in the presence of dancers, numerous male attendees also find the proposed support programme completely inappropriate. Ironically, just a few hours earlier, Microsoft had hosted an inclusive Women in Industry breakfast.
An industry party is not a hen party
Jennifer Schörle is a game designer at Flat Earth Games (TownCraft, Metrocide), lives and works in Sydney and was one of the loudest critics of the Microsoft event. She tweeted, “This is how women are shut out of the games industry: they just pretend we don’t exist and hire strippers at developer parties.”
The short messaging service, which is known to only allow 140 characters in a message, the ensuing discussion quickly got out of hand. Schörle immediately corrected her false claim that the dancers were strippers. But by this point the discussion had already gone off the rails, and Schörle found herself engaging in a discussion that missed the real issue.
In an interview with our sister portal gamesbusiness.deSchörle explains in more detail what was bothering her at the party: “After the scandal with my tweet I was often accused of having problems with erotic dancers. Unfortunately, many comments of this kind miss the point, because the problem is certainly not the dancers, but also the context,” says Schörle. “You have to understand that developer parties in the context of GDC are always networking events. A lot of business and contacts are made at these events because it’s the only time we’re not busy organising the event, the next conversation, the next meeting or interview. I’ve often gotten my best contacts from developer parties, so they’re important to us. In other words: developer parties are professional events, the 27-year-old does not accept the supposed counter-argument, often quoted on Twitter, that the excitement may have been consumed by a few half-assed male dancers. The problem was not that the dancers were women. The issue was whether an event of this type was considered professional or not. Extending objectification to the opposite sex would not have helped the problem. “It doesn’t matter if I am attracted to dancers or not. The aim is to create an environment in which all participants feel comfortable, and I know that men at the Xbox event were also uncomfortable because of the assumption that dancers are seen as suitable. entertainment,” explains Schörle. you realise that many men in the industry find it difficult to recognise or understand the problem. It’s not easy to see experiences that are not your own. She asks that we recognise the importance of listening and having a dialogue with people who have had bad experiences.
Phil Spencer, head of Xbox at Microsoft, formally apologised for the event shortly afterwards and published an open email to employees. In it he writes: “Personally, the way we present ourselves as an organisation is very important to me. We want to build an Xbox culture – inside and out – in which everyone feels proud to be represented. (…) The event was undoubtedly wrong and cannot be tolerated as such. We clarify internally, but let me be clear: how we present ourselves individually, who we hire, who we partner with and how we treat others is a direct reflection of our brand and what we stand for. If we behave differently and create an environment that excludes or attacks the group, we deserve criticism for that.”
But even after the organisers realised they had made a mistake, many people on the internet still consider the reaction of feminists such as Schörle to be exaggerated and insult critics in a personal and hurtful way.
“The Poe Factory: how factual assumption becomes a farce
The reaction in the case of Overwatch’s recently altered victory pose has been similarly reckless and prematurely judgmental . The discussion about the adaptation of the female Tracer character in Blizzard’s new team shooter began with a detailed review from user “Fipps”. He argued that the winning “over the shoulder” pose didn’t fit the character and characterisation of a very lively, athletic female figure. A pose with Tracer standing behind and looking over her shoulder would be particularly striking because of the very obviously directed attention to the young lady’s buttocks – and therefore overly sexist.
The reaction in the case of the recently altered Overwatch victory pose was similarly reckless and prematurely judgmental . The discussion about the adaptation of the female Tracer character in Blizzard’s new team shooter began with a detailed review from user “Fipps”. He argued that the winning “over the shoulder” pose didn’t fit the character and characterisation of a very lively, athletic female figure. A pose with Tracer standing behind and looking over her shoulder would be particularly striking because of the very obviously directed attention to the young lady’s buttocks – and therefore overly sexist.
In the same comment, the user noted that he had nothing to complain about the almost identical pose of the Widowmaker heroine. Widowmaker) – a sexy French femme fatale. Thus, drawing attention to her butt with her pose is entirely consistent with the image and drawing of her character, as her nature is consistent with flirting with her physical charms. Game director Jeff Kaplan accepted the factual criticism and, in consultation with his team, decided to finally revise Tracer’s pose. The new design, which was unveiled shortly afterwards, has considerably more energy and no longer draws the viewer’s eye primarily to the buttocks, but above all emphasises the playfulness and energy of the character. Interestingly, it doesn’t look completely asexual. The designers even used a 1950s pin-up style poster as a template for the new pose.
Kaplan justified his decision in a forum, stating, “We’re certainly not doing anything to abandon our creative vision for Overwatch, and we’re not going to remove something just because someone might have a problem with it. We’ve put so much of our hearts and souls into the game that it would tear us apart if we just did. We understand that our choices are not to everyone’s liking. That’s okay … That’s what public tests are for. (…) From our point of view, it was the right decision and we think that the next time you play it, the game will be just as enjoyable.
What happened? The user posts constructive and nonchalant criticism, the team accepts it, makes internal decisions, and then changes a small detail of the character at will and with the resulting conviction. One can almost believe that this is why public beta testing is organised and conducted. As for adjustments to game design and level design, this exchange between players, testers and developers usually happens all the time, without attracting much attention.
That’s not the point. The ensuing discussion about the new and altered Tracer pose suddenly turned into a farce. Many participants in the discussion ignored the fact that the author of the original comment thought the pose was atypical only for this particular character and was in no way calling for “desexualisation” or even censorship. But on forums, YouTube and social media, he and supporters of the change were suddenly accused of sanctimony and a desire to restrict Blizzard’s creative freedom. “Soon someone will be complaining that their face and hair are visible and their eyes express erotic desire. Can’t we introduce DLC for such people wearing a burka?”,
The discussion again went off-topic and revealed a fundamental problem: mere criticism and pointing out sexism in games and the industry is often confused with a perceived desire to suppress sexuality and eroticism in games. Blizzard has now been accused of giving in to critics who, since GamerGate, have often been insulted in negative terms as ‘social justice activists’.
Underrepresented people demand their place in the “boys’ club”.
Nina Kiel is an illustrator, author (gender in games) and games journalist who regularly publishes a column on sexism called “Casual Encounters” on the independent blog Superlevel.de. In one interview, we asked her where this often undifferentiated defensive stance of players comes from when it comes to sexism. “There are various reasons for this,” Kiel believes. “First of all, the critical discourse on sexism and the political dimension of games in general contradicts the convenient assumption that environments are only for entertainment and that ‘games are just games’. and entertainment, and understanding that you can definitely like something, even if it is in some ways worthy of criticism.
Not least, according to Kiel, is the simple denial of privilege irritating many male players. Video games and the scene that comes with them have long been considered male territory. Men who have always been present in the scene, but have long been under-represented, have now demanded a place in this former “Boys’ Club”. This included some concessions that the original target group had never had to make until now. “Giving up privileges is a painful process,” adds Kiel. “Because it involves a loss of power and security, you can quickly feel that you are being pushed back into a minority role. That’s not the case at all.”
When asked how sexism in games should be treated, Nina Kiel says that it’s crucial that someone is generally aware of the problematic aspects of the game and at least recognises a critical attitude in this regard. However, this awareness should not interfere with the enjoyment of such a game. In principle, this is perfectly fine, and above all, sexist content can be found interesting. Very often there still seems to be a general misunderstanding, which could explain the sometimes violent reaction to feminist discourse. “It is not a question of banning such content in the media in principle and stigmatising its consumers as sexists.
What can be done to promote positive development?
Jana Reinhardt is the founder, creative director and game designer at her independent development studio Rat King Entertainment (Tri). In an interview with PC Games, she explained what she thinks the industry still needs to do to create a better climate for gamers and developers. “I think pure discussion and, above all, criticism is of little use right now, because the people involved tend to be oversaturated. Or they are too well organised with arguments in their own filter bubble – no one on either side wants to know more. “, says Reinhardt. “The aggressively conducted discourse is getting on my nerves right now. One quickly gets the feeling that it’s not so much about enlightenment as it is about enjoying academic discourse or educating others. But of course it’s still important. because – and this must not be forgotten – without these discussions nothing would have changed in game development, in character design, plot and action, in the work profile and the sex ratio of the developers,” the developer believes. Meanwhile, in many games you can see a desire to try something new and not always stick to the same stereotypes. And they are rewarded by the press and the player community. So the big public debate (or catharsis) around GamerGate has been good.” trying new things and not always following the same stereotypes. And they are rewarded by the press and the player community. So the big public debate (or catharsis) around GamerGate has been good.” trying new things and not always following the same stereotypes. And they are rewarded by the press and the player community. So the big public debate (or catharsis) around GamerGate has been good.”
She believes that positive examples are important, not just pointing fingers at developers and players and criticising them for their preferences. She wants more female developers to be hired and more female gamers to be interviewed by the industry. It is also important to talk more about women’s work in the industry as a whole, without presenting it as outright coercion on the subject of sexism. In her view, code camps for girls and a women’s quota for performances at festivals and conferences is a tried and effective way to rid more women and young girls of shyness in the industry.
We want to find out from our interviewees whether sexism is more widespread in the games and video games industry or exists to the same extent in society, other industries and the media. Reinhardt speculates that sexism can easily develop in technical professions, simply because, in her experience, young girls are unfortunately often culturally discouraged from entering these professions already at school age. Even the advertising industry has not contributed to the destruction of classic gender and role models with its “pinking up”.
Sexist content cannot be considered in a cultural vacuum
Fortunately, more and more games with strong and confident female characters are emerging. Max and Chloe in the adventure donnton Life Is Strange, the new Lara Croft, and Evie Fry in Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate prove that the industry has changed and evolved and can show women for identity, not just for voyeuristic entertainment, predominantly male players were created. However, there are still developers and games, such as the bikini minigame collection Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 (with an emphasis on authentic breast physics), which was released in the spring, or the fighting game Street Fighter 5, which features female characters in a sexist way. The two current instances are now Japanese-made.
In an interview, Nina Kiel explains that the relevant cultural references of a game are of course relevant to its analysis, because they can serve as a basis for certain forms of representation, but they should not serve as a universal justification for the content, regardless of its nature. “On the one hand, by avoiding criticism entirely, you run the risk of simply not taking culture seriously,” Kiel is convinced. “Secondly, sexist games cannot be viewed in a cultural vacuum because many of them, and especially Street Fighter, are commodities distributed around the world, which therefore also reach and potentially influence people in other cultures.”
The great art of good character design
Jennifer Pankratz handles story and game design at Essen-based developer Piranha Bytes (Risen, Elex). We asked her how to write good characters without resorting to sexist stereotypes. According to Pankratz, the character could be much more in-depth if given enough space throughout the game. “The character arc only comes into play when the player also has the opportunity to feel the change through dialogues, clips, etc. D. For this purpose, the character is usually given several intentions and properties, which can also be contradictory in various stylistic means, it also helps to give each character, however brief his appearance, his backstory, voice colouring and attitude, develop an idea of how he will meet the player before writing the dialogue. So the more work you put into preparing the character, the easier the dialogue will be.”
Of course, stereotypes are often a very useful way of breathing life into characters. “The shorter the dialogue for the character, the more chances you have to choose a stereotype and also exaggerate it so the player knows what he’s dealing with,” explains Pankratz. “If you deliberately abandon the stereotype to give the character more depth, you also usually need more means to explain to the player exactly who the character is, otherwise you risk drawing a colourless character who doesn’t understand the point. the player’s intent. Of course, as a story designer, you have a great opportunity to develop a beautiful character arc with the main character himself.” But new and interesting characters are not always received positively by players. It is especially hard for female characters who deviate from the norm.
That’s something game designer Daniel Z. Klein of Riot Games recently learned from the reaction of some League of Legends players, who reacted extremely aggressively to the introduction of the new character Thalia. Talia doesn’t live up to the classic beauty ideal: she has bushy eyebrows and a wide bridge of nose, she struggles with herself and is afraid to take control of her newfound elemental powers. As well as a lot of positive feedback, some players called Talia “ugly” and called for “more hot characters” from the designers. “How would it fit with this character if she dressed sexy for a party?” – Klein asked on Twitter, adding: that there are already 33 other female champions in the big ranks of League of Legends who are portrayed in a sexy way. This time, Klein responded to the accusation from complaining users that freedom of creativity is being restricted: “Defining ourselves by a certain type of physique limits us as artists.
Hate and resentment towards GamerGate’s outspoken opponent went so far as to prompt a transgender partner, who also works at Riot, to attack her via email in a highly offensive and transphobic manner. She was accused of “using her relationship with Klein” to convey her “transgender views” to MOBA characters, a completely absurd accusation given that neither she nor Daniel Klein draw or design characters.
An insult worsens the performance of team members
Every month, 67 million people play League of Legends. But it’s not just developers like Daniel Klein who have to deal with the sometimes very unfriendly, hateful and often sexist nature of some players. Newcomers to Free2Play MOBAs often face discrimination and humiliation at first, especially if they call themselves female players. However, as the number of female gamers increases, so does the financial interest of companies to no longer want to ignore this poisonous atmosphere and to actively counteract it. Riot Games has played a pioneering role here for several years, and has its own research programme. which scientifically observes and investigates communication in their game. Early results from social experiments show that even simple interventions – such as hints in the game that insults make team members worse – can significantly reduce verbal misbehaviour. Riot Games has recently made this data and results freely available. So it is hoped that this so-called “civil engineering” will also be adapted and extended by other companies so that it can be used in other areas of the internet and games. that insults worsen the performance of team members – verbal misconduct can be significantly reduced. Riot Games has recently made this data and results freely available. So it is hoped that this so-called “civil engineering” will also be adapted and extended by other companies so that it can be used in other areas of the internet and games. that insults worsen the performance of team members – verbal misconduct can go down significantly. Riot Games has recently made this data and results freely available. So it is hoped that this so-called “civil engineering” will also be adapted and extended by other companies so that it can be used in other areas of the Internet and games.
Conclusion: a differentiated, uninhibited discussion is needed
Sexism in the games industry, in games and related communities still exists and is a problem – even though the number of positive examples and counter-projects is constantly increasing. Unfortunately, the often very poisonous momentum of discussion arising from isolated situations such as the Microsoft party at GDC 2016, and which often lacks the calm and discretion of both camps, unfortunately does little to calm or improve the overall situation. Sexist games will continue to appear in the future, in which female characters are objectified and princesses are rescued by strong male heroes.
What is new is that more and more people are succeeding in recognising these patterns, questioning sexist characters and decisions in game design, and they are being publicly discussed and addressed. We hope that objectively and self-critically examining the topic without demonising it can encourage more women to be enthusiastic about game design and the industry. And in the end it will benefit everyone: more diversity and representation in game development and the associated mixing of the target group ensures fewer stereotypical characters and therefore more interesting stories and games. Fighting for less sexism does not mean that all sexuality should be banned in games, or that characters can no longer be portrayed as erotic and sexualised.
