Women working in the gaming industry feel compelled to emulate stereotypical male personality traits if they want to be recognized in gaming communities, new research from Aalto University School of Business and the University of Jyväskylä reveals. .
Senior lecturer Dr Saija Katila suggests that although 46% of gaming enthusiasts globally are women, the label ‘gamer’ is still traditionally attributed to men.
Women are referred to as “Player Two”, a position perceived as less important in gaming communities and hiring practices within the gaming industry.
Indeed, male gamers are considered “hardcore” gamers (“Player One”), playing with greater frequency and for longer sessions, while enjoying more challenging games than those considered “casual” gamers. .
Consequently, the casual gamer position is feminized, creating marketing for games played by wives and mums – these games are “pinkified”, says Katila, often designed to be slower-paced and with a storyline, content and stereotypical female perspective, focusing on teaching girls about their feelings and caring for others.
“Design practices mimic the activities of boys’ physical playgrounds, providing them with adventure, violence and competition. In addition, the male playspace supports boys’ culture, for example, through technical competence, mastery of acting and long hours of rehearsal,” says Katila.
According to the researcher, short-term progress on these issues is hampered because, “to acquire a legitimate identity in the gaming community, claiming the male position of ‘Player One’ becomes a necessity”.
But Katila believes the current gender balance will change in the long term as women change the male-centric discourse in gaming communities by creating a new tech-savvy gamer identity that is distinct from “tech-nerd.” “masculine.
This new tech-savvy identity emphasizes personal enthusiasm for gaming and links coding to fun, enjoyment and friendliness. This enables women to positively identify with the gaming community and disrupts discourses that view coding as an exclusively male activity and skill.
Dr Katila from the Aalto University School of Business and Dr Marke Kivijärvi from the University of Jyväskylä published their study in the journal Games and culture. The study is based on 36 interviews with women in management and development positions within the gaming industry.
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Marke Kivijärvi et al, Becoming a Gamer: Performative Construction of Gendered Gamer Identities, Games and culture (2021). DOI: 10.1177/15554120211042260
Provided by Aalto University
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