Girl Gamer's Opinion

[Terf]

I'm am NOT going to read through all these posts, for goodness sake, but I'll just say what I'm thinking at the moment:

I am a guy. I like large breasts. That doesn't mean that all games have to have those things, but I do like those things.

Those who are bothered by those things, it's your right to create games that either "get revenge" on male-fantasy-ized games [with the "man trapped in the castle instead", so to speak], or games that take the high road and still have the same concepts as popular games, but just portray female characters with more brains and clothing. [But still good-looking unless you're pushing for super-stereotypical-feminism.]

Does that mean that companies shouldn't be allowed to make "Dead or Alive"? OF. COURSE. NOT. That's their right.

MY GULL, I HAVE NOTHING NEW TO SAY. Girl gamers, you must be the change you want to happen...if it REALLY bothers you that much.

 

[BubbleGumSnareDrum]

This is why "gaming girls" annoy me. They're so goddamn sensitive.

The "women" (I put quotes there because I'm sure at least 70% of them are guys) on these forums have been making new topics to complain about this same stuff every week or so. Guys like big boobs-- get over it. You don't see me complaining when my character in Age of Conan wears a loincloth for the first 20 levels, or when male protagonists have absurdly muscular frames. That shit's not realistic, but you don't see us flabby, pale, basement dwelling geeks throwing up rants all over the Escapist.

This. So much this.

You are not special for having a vag and playing video games at the same time. It doesn't make a difference.

 

[eatenbyagrue]

Amen to that comrades.

I always said that if women objected to the objectification of women (recursive sentence structure notwithstanding) in videogames, then they should GO AND MAKE VIDEOGAMES.

All guys are hardwired to like boobs, guns, swords and exploding things. Its how we are, and its how we've been doing business for the past several thousand years or so, so no amount of ranting or open-mindedness is going to change this.

That said, I don't see anything wrong with a female game character being well-rounded, deep and generally believable as a person and being a sex symbol at the same time.

 

[axia777]

I say who gives a crap? If they get rid of babes in games I for one will be pissed. Games are not supposed to be "real". I like my fantasy women hot. With skimpy clothes on please. Making games for women if ok, that is good and is a great market. But if they screw us guys out of our game babes just because more women play games, well, that would suck HUGELY.

BTW, I also like my game male hero's to be buff and ruthlessly violent. I play games to be something I am not. That is why Kratos is so damn fun. This is also why Ivy is my #1 game babe. Hook me up with some ultra violent hotness please. I will take all I can get thanks.

I also don't mind smart women characters too. Alyx from Half-Life 2 comes to mind for me. She was smart, tough and sexy(in a nerdy kind of way). But that does not justify getting rid of super hot game babes either. If women are offended by skimpily dressed games babes, well to damn bad. Don't play that game!

If women want games with more heroins like Alyx then they need to get into making games. Because men like tits, ass, guns, swords, blood, explosions, and all that great shit. It is not all we like, but it sure gets the blood pumping.

I am also soooooo not ashamed for my views on this matter. Some women may call me a "pig" and stuff but I really just don't care. I appreciate the need for their point of view, but having theirs does not make mine(and any man who agrees with me) any less valid.

 

[Valiance]

I just needed to talk about this because this has been getting on my nerves for the longest time.

I'm also sure this might have been talked about before, but... I want the male perspective.

Ever since the gaming industry began, boys have been the dominate species of human to be in the gaming world, causing females to be on the outside looking in. I'm serious. I mean even females working in the industry look down trodden.

Due to this, girl characters in games make me angry... for many reasons.

For one, they end up being boy's fantasies of how a girl should look. We have the GIGANTIC boobs (I'm pointing to YOU Ivy from Soul Calibur), the armor that couldn't even cover the body of a two year old (which would end in a fast death), and for character development, you get too damn tough for your own good, wishy washy 'I-need-help-because-I'm-a-girl', or they're just too perky. Too perky is bad. Really bad. It's not realistic, unless you want a DIPSTICK to be lead heroine.

I feel like the game industry has no respect for the other gender... like they're OBLIVIOUS to the fact that maybe, just maybe girls like to play games too. Just like hardcore boy gamers. I mean, I'm surprised to see that in this day and age, I'm still looked at in disbelief that I play hardcore video games, I beat boys butts, AND I'm a girl.

Being a girl gamer, I would like to have more heroines out there as the main character, but every time I see a lead female... I feel... jipped... insulted... slapped in the face so to speak. Why does the heroine have to look so flamboyantly sexy, so that I have to go puke in a toilet to make me feel better? I mean, what the hell is WRONG with putting a woman in a (heaven forbid) full suit of armor? What IS it with the belly showing? I mean, sure we could do it from time to time, but I mean... fighting in a bloody THONG? A BRA? HIGH HEELS? GET REAL!

I mean, yeah, games are imaginative and fun, and I'm not saying we have to totally stop it, but I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels a little... barred off? I feel like if there is a woman in thong armor on the cover of a game, I'm immediately chained off from it. Like they're is a label saying, 'sorry, we didn't think girls would EVER be interested in this sort of stuff... try the barbie game over there".

In short, the gaming industry needs some more females. Maybe then girl gamers can get some of the respect they need. In a game, I don't need a freakin' MODEL to be the character...

I just want a chance to actually have my gender look like hero on the screen... not some stuffed up, big breasted, unrealistic, and un-identifiable lead character.

I rest my case.

I will feed you, my dear troll.

Granted, I stopped reading at the bolded area, and skimmed the rest.

While I agree with what you're saying, you are very, very, very wrong.

Mirror's Edge has possibly one of my favorite female leads so far. She is attractive, yes, but not LOL XBOXHEUG TITS or OMG LOOK AT MY SKIN. Attractive in a realistic fashion. She isn't a wishy-washy failure. I understand some people might be like "WTF U GIVE HUGS IN CINEMATIC U GAY" but I think it's a good use of the engine.

In Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance you could be a female. Granted, you can unequip all your armor and complete the game 95% naked, but what the hell is the point? You can also end up equipping full platemail, which is, incidentally, more helpful.

There are plenty of exceptions. Just look for them. Even soul calibur has more minimalistic outfits for some of the girls, but it's a FIGHTING game. The whole idea of them is for people to draw porno to them, that's why in the new one you can actually fight and tear off pieces of the enemy's clothing. :/

Honestly, I'm a guy, and although I refuse to read any of the replies to this topic (because I'm sure half of them are "UR WRONG I NEVER BUY GAMES CUZ TITS" or "LOL GIRL GET BACK TO KITCHEN LEEV ME 2 GAME MAKE SANDWIACH LKOL"), I might as well be yet another statistic:

If I see a game advertised like "SUP I HAVE CLEAVAGE" it just makes me really, really not want to buy it. I feel your pain.

Too perky is really bad. Rikku made me want to kill someone. Yuffie was damn annoying too, whatever. Aeris is the generic LOL IM GIRL I NEED TO HEEL I AM PERFECT. Tifa is LOLTITS. Hell, I think the only female character from FF that wasn't terrible was Freya, and no one really liked FF9 anyway, but now I'm off topic.

Long story short, yeah, I hate that shit too.

 

[Terf]

... if women objected to the objectification of women (recursive sentence structure notwithstanding) in videogames, then they should GO AND MAKE VIDEOGAMES.

True that, and let's face it, there ARE plenty of games that don't objectify women, they're just different genres. Maybe someone should start a list of FPS and/or fighting games that don't objectify women.

 

[Psychemaster]

If women are offended by skimpily dressed games babes, well to damn bad. Don't play that game!

See, it's that kind of mindset that the OP is so annoyed about... why should one be restricted from playing a game simply because the developers made look like in it?

 

[jamesworkshop]

There is a Game Overthinker episode that discusses this, and it has the answers you want. It's only 10 minutes long and comes from the guy who has started doing film reviews right here on the escapist show, Moviebob.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-rTuKFkHIc&feature=channel_page

It's all about women being portrayed as sex objects in games, and why it is so, and how it might change. I really think you should watch it. You won't regret it. Really.

OMG i had forgotten about that guy not laughed so hard in a long time

its a trap

 

[axia777]

If women are offended by skimpily dressed games babes, well to damn bad. Don't play that game!

See, it's that kind of mindset that the OP is so annoyed about... why should one be restricted from playing a game simply because the developers made look like in it?

Because it their game to make. They know their target audience. Not every game should be made for every player. In fact, no game should ever ever ever be made for every player. Games are like any other product that gets created in this world. A Lesbian author would never write a book to please both Lesbians and straight men. Nor would straight men ever expect her too. Conversely men who like to make games with sexy babes in them should never make a game to please both men who love game babes and women who hate them. It makes no sense. Game babes sell. Just like games with lots of guns sell. That is a fact of life and it is never ever going away.

Oh, Booth Babes for E3 FTW. Getting rid of them was a huge mistake and bringing them back RULES.

There is a Game Overthinker episode that discusses this, and it has the answers you want. It's only 10 minutes long and comes from the guy who has started doing film reviews right here on the escapist show, Moviebob.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-rTuKFkHIc&feature=channel_page

It's all about women being portrayed as sex objects in games, and why it is so, and how it might change. I really think you should watch it. You won't regret it. Really.

He makes some good points. I agree with him on many. But not all. Some guys just like hot digital women. There is no psychological/social deficiency involved. This is just biology. Sure women may not look like game babes. I for one never expected them too. And women should never compare themselves to game babes. If they do they need more help than I can comprehend. Game babes again are not supposed to be real. That is the whole point.

 

[sorry user name taken.]

I just needed to talk about this because this has been getting on my nerves for the longest time.

I'm also sure this might have been talked about before, but... I want the male perspective.

Ever since the gaming industry began, boys have been the dominate species of human to be in the gaming world, causing females to be on the outside looking in. I'm serious. I mean even females working in the industry look down trodden.

Due to this, girl characters in games make me angry... for many reasons.

For one, they end up being boy's fantasies of how a girl should look. We have the GIGANTIC boobs (I'm pointing to YOU Ivy from Soul Calibur), the armor that couldn't even cover the body of a two year old (which would end in a fast death), and for character development, you get too damn tough for your own good, wishy washy 'I-need-help-because-I'm-a-girl', or they're just too perky. Too perky is bad. Really bad. It's not realistic, unless you want a DIPSTICK to be lead heroine.

I feel like the game industry has no respect for the other gender... like they're OBLIVIOUS to the fact that maybe, just maybe girls like to play games too. Just like hardcore boy gamers. I mean, I'm surprised to see that in this day and age, I'm still looked at in disbelief that I play hardcore video games, I beat boys butts, AND I'm a girl.

Being a girl gamer, I would like to have more heroines out there as the main character, but every time I see a lead female... I feel... jipped... insulted... slapped in the face so to speak. Why does the heroine have to look so flamboyantly sexy, so that I have to go puke in a toilet to make me feel better? I mean, what the hell is WRONG with putting a woman in a (heaven forbid) full suit of armor? What IS it with the belly showing? I mean, sure we could do it from time to time, but I mean... fighting in a bloody THONG? A BRA? HIGH HEELS? GET REAL!

I mean, yeah, games are imaginative and fun, and I'm not saying we have to totally stop it, but I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels a little... barred off? I feel like if there is a woman in thong armor on the cover of a game, I'm immediately chained off from it. Like they're is a label saying, 'sorry, we didn't think girls would EVER be interested in this sort of stuff... try the barbie game over there".

In short, the gaming industry needs some more females. Maybe then girl gamers can get some of the respect they need. In a game, I don't need a freakin' MODEL to be the character...

I just want a chance to actually have my gender look like hero on the screen... not some stuffed up, big breasted, unrealistic, and un-identifiable lead character.

I rest my case.

....I'm a women ok


any yes women in games are very sexy but like i said before a game is a fantasy you go to escape to.maybe your playing games where it pisses you off (don't play).but you couldn't be more wrong about the ''unrealistic and un-identifiable character'' here are some of my faves

^_^

i love her!

(its not Joannas fault that her game sucked)


and of course there's the resident evil games...I'm guessing you played ninja gaiden and got pissed off? lol i think its bad enough having ''pink'' consoles come out for female gamers but having to have some one like you keep going on about this sort of part of the gaming industry makes female gamers look bad.i personally don't care about how they portray women in games i think its come leaps and bounds since then (so this must be a really old thread).I'm not saying shut up I'm just saying why ***** lol because it just makes you look worse (like playstation 3)

 

[sorry user name taken.]

To contribute to what MercFox said,

BEYOND GOOD AND EVIL

FUCKING BUY IT

Best feminist game ever

Play as a reporter called Jade who wears jeans and a leather jacket, who has C cups and is never the focus of any sexual attention ever, who takes photos of animals and whacks guys wearing cars and bucket helmets with a martial arts stick.

BEYOND GOOD AND EVIL FTW

 

[Zephirius]

Hell, I think the only female character from FF that wasn't terrible was Freya, and no one really liked FF9 anyway, but now I'm off topic.

Freya kicked ass. What, I liked it. Sigh, the FF9-fanarea is so empty. I'm so lonely.

See, it's that kind of mindset that the OP is so annoyed about... why should one be restricted from playing a game simply because the developers made look like in it?

Cuz... y'know...they choose to.

Edit: Is it just me or is most of this "BAWWW STEREOTYPES" whining pretty much purely fighting games? Who gives a shit, those aren't much fun anyway. Well, and then some JRPG's. It's all such bullshit though. All I hear is "LALA SEX OBJECTS" and, like, zero recognition for any bigname mainstream title that didn't portray women as such. Halo anyone? Miranda was your commanding officer, full-on space marine outfit to boot. Cortana apparently enjoyed verbally abusing you (And installing viruses on your suit to haunt your daydreams as evidenced in Halo 3).

Mirror's Edge is so obvious this sentence is all it gets.

I know SSX3 didn't have skimpy outfits. Mostly annoying japanese chick with teddy bear backpacks and badass punkrocker chick with mechanical arm/helmet/jetpack clothing (She rocked so much).

S'all I can think of for now but I'm tired. If I think of more, I'll let you know.

Oh yeah, HL2 I guess. Though I never really played that much what with the HORRIBLE HORRIBLE instability. But that's a matter for another thread.

 

[sorry user name taken.]

freya had a sexy voice to...

 

[motokemu]

This isn't anything new- comic book fangirls have had to deal with this since....ever. But, I will say that girls are doing BETTER than they were in games (and comics...kinda). I mean look at the main character of Portal. Chell's a chick who isn't really anyone's fantasy but that of GLaDOS. In Left 4 Dead Zooey isn't especially sexy~ and she's a bigger nerd than the rest of the characters.

As a comic fan and a game fan. He's got a point, and honestly I haven't really found one girl that bitches about how SuperGirl is too sexy or how Wonder Woman is too perfect.
Do you honestly want to see the norm in a video game?
No, because the norm has become obese, pimpled freaks.
I'm sorry but I would rather play/read something w/a female character like Wonder Woman than a real life based character.
And they are realistic. Do you think an obese ugly girl would be out there saving the world?
No. It's the girl that's fit and healthy that is going to be saving the world and kicking ass in a game.
So just because YOU, Madora, can't seem to get off the couch and go look at the real world now; that's why you think games aren't portrayed realistically.
The world now is split between horribly obese looking women, and absolutely stunning and perfect women. And if you'd go out there and look not only would you realize WHY you want to see the pretty girl kicking ass over the obese one, you just might find a good looking girlfriend because believe me they're out there, you're just not leaving the house and seeing her.

And "Sorry Usernam is Taken" is right. WTF?! Pink?!
What happened to female colors like Purple or Red. If there was something to ***** about and change it would be making Pink a female color, nowadays guys LOVE wearing pink so obviously Pink isn't feminine anymore. I don't know why it was feminine to begin with.

 

[Legion]

This isn't anything new- comic book fangirls have had to deal with this since....ever. But, I will say that girls are doing BETTER than they were in games (and comics...kinda). I mean look at the main character of Portal. Chell's a chick who isn't really anyone's fantasy but that of GLaDOS. In Left 4 Dead Zooey isn't especially sexy~ and she's a bigger nerd than the rest of the characters.

As a comic fan and a game fan. He's got a point, and honestly I haven't really found one girl that bitches about how SuperGirl is too sexy or how Wonder Woman is too perfect.
Do you honestly want to see the norm in a video game?
No, because the norm has become obese, pimpled freaks.
I'm sorry but I would rather play/read something w/a female character like Wonder Woman than a real life based character.
And they are realistic. Do you think an obese ugly girl would be out there saving the world?
No. It's the girl that's fit and healthy that is going to be saving the world and kicking ass in a game.
So just because YOU, Madora, can't seem to get off the couch and go look at the real world now; that's why you think games aren't portrayed realistically.
The world now is split between horribly obese looking women, and absolutely stunning and perfect women. And if you'd go out there and look not only would you realize WHY you want to see the pretty girl kicking ass over the obese one, you just might find a good looking girlfriend because believe me they're out there, you're just not leaving the house and seeing her.

First of all Mudora is a girl so your last part is arguably invalid (as I don't know her sexuality).

Second this thread is almost a year old. For all you know the OP could have had her viewpoint changed.

Apart from that I agree with the rest of what you said.

Zoey, Alyx Vance and Chell are three prime examples of girls not fitting the stereotype. Although they are all Valve characters.

 

[motokemu]

ok if she did, then I'm sure she'll mention it.
How do YOU know she hasn't?
Mute point.

My point is just that if there was a game that portrayed girls as they are realistically, it would be aesthetically unpleasing.

 

[Joa_Belgium]

Snip

Maybe someone beat me to this early on in the thread, but what about Alyx Vance from the HL2 series? Now that's a female character that deserves much respect.