Our Videogames CSPs are Tomb Raider Anniversary, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes and The Sims FreePlay.
These are in-depth CSPs and need to be studied with reference to all four elements of the Theoretical Framework (Language, Representation, Industries, Audience) and all relevant contexts.
This will be tested in the Media Two exam with a 25-mark essay question.
Videogames: an introduction
The videogames industry is a huge media market – bigger than video and music combined. It is worth £3.86bn – more than double its value in 2007. Remarkably, these figures do not include mobile and free games such as Fortnite (which has over 200 million players worldwide).
With games like FIFA, Red Dead Redemption 2 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 each selling more than 1m copies, it is important to consider the influence games can have on audiences and society.
Women in videogames
The representation of women in videogames has long been considered sexist. Female characters are rarely playable and usually reinforce traditional gender stereotypes. Games that did feature female characters presented them as damsels in distress or sex objects.
Lara Croft of the Tomb Raider series is one of the most iconic characters in videogame history. But while she is a strong, independent playable character, her appearance and costume turned her into a digital sex object.
Tropes vs Women in Video Games
Vlogger and gaming expert Anita Sarkeesian has produced two series of YouTube videos documenting the representation of women in videogames.
Vlogging as Feminist Frequency, the series are an important example of digital feminism (and a superb resource for Media students). However, as a result, she has been a target for online abuse and threats – most notably as part of the #gamergate controversy.
Women and videogames: blog tasks
Work through the following blog tasks to complete this introduction to women in videogames.
Part 1: Medium article - Is Female Representation in Video Games Finally Changing?
Read this short Medium feature on whether female representation in videogames is finally changing. Answer the following questions:
1) How have women traditionally been represented in videogames?
2) What percentage of the video game audience is female?
3) What recent games have signalled a change in the industry and what qualities do the female protagonists offer?
4) Do you agree with the idea that audiences reject media products if they feel they are misrepresented within them?
5) What does the writer suggest has changed regarding recent versions of Lara Croft and who does she credit for this development?
Part 2: Tropes vs Women in Video Games – further analysis
Visit Anita Sarkeesian’s ‘Tropes vs Women in Video Games Series 2’ YouTube playlist and watch ONE other video in the series (your choice - and feel free to choose a video from season 1 if you prefer). Write a 100 word summary of the video you watch:
Title of video:
100 word summary:
Part 3: Anita Sarkeesian Gamespot interview
Finally, read this Gamespot interview with Anita Sarkeesian of Feminist Frequency and answer the following questions:
1) What reaction did Anita Sarkeesian receive when she published her videos on women in videogames? You can find more information on this on Sarkeesian’s Kickstarter fundraising page.
2) How does Sarkeesian summarise feminism?
3) Why do stories matter?
4) How does Sarkeesian view Samus Aran and Lara Croft (the two protagonists from our upcoming CSPs)?
5) How has the videogame landscape changed with regards to the representation of women?
6) Why are Mirror’s Edge and Portal held up as examples of more progressive representations of women?
7) What are the qualities that Sarkeesian lists for developers to work on creating more positive female characters?
8) What is the impact of the videogames industry being male-dominated?
9) What did Sarkeesian hope to achieve through her ‘Tropes vs Women in Video Games’ series?
10) What media debates did Sarkeesian hope to spark with her video series?
Optional extension task
To find out more about the online backlash and #gamergate, this Guardian feature links the online abuse to the American alt-right movement also credited with electing Donald Trump.
Work through the following blog tasks to complete this introduction to women in videogames.
Part 1: Medium article - Is Female Representation in Video Games Finally Changing?
Read this short Medium feature on whether female representation in videogames is finally changing. Answer the following questions:
1) How have women traditionally been represented in videogames?
2) What percentage of the video game audience is female?
3) What recent games have signalled a change in the industry and what qualities do the female protagonists offer?
4) Do you agree with the idea that audiences reject media products if they feel they are misrepresented within them?
5) What does the writer suggest has changed regarding recent versions of Lara Croft and who does she credit for this development?
Part 2: Tropes vs Women in Video Games – further analysis
Visit Anita Sarkeesian’s ‘Tropes vs Women in Video Games Series 2’ YouTube playlist and watch ONE other video in the series (your choice - and feel free to choose a video from season 1 if you prefer). Write a 100 word summary of the video you watch:
Title of video:
100 word summary:
Part 3: Anita Sarkeesian Gamespot interview
Finally, read this Gamespot interview with Anita Sarkeesian of Feminist Frequency and answer the following questions:
1) What reaction did Anita Sarkeesian receive when she published her videos on women in videogames? You can find more information on this on Sarkeesian’s Kickstarter fundraising page.
2) How does Sarkeesian summarise feminism?
3) Why do stories matter?
4) How does Sarkeesian view Samus Aran and Lara Croft (the two protagonists from our upcoming CSPs)?
5) How has the videogame landscape changed with regards to the representation of women?
6) Why are Mirror’s Edge and Portal held up as examples of more progressive representations of women?
7) What are the qualities that Sarkeesian lists for developers to work on creating more positive female characters?
8) What is the impact of the videogames industry being male-dominated?
9) What did Sarkeesian hope to achieve through her ‘Tropes vs Women in Video Games’ series?
10) What media debates did Sarkeesian hope to spark with her video series?
Optional extension task
To find out more about the online backlash and #gamergate, this Guardian feature links the online abuse to the American alt-right movement also credited with electing Donald Trump.
Deadline: Complete for homework - due date on Google Classroom.
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