Feb 12, 2009 21:59
Dear Ubisoft,
Please stop making me cry.
kthxbye.
This is what Amazon has to say on their page about the line of Ubisoft's Imagine games, designed specifically for girls:
Hey Imagineerz! What if there were a line of video games designed just for you? Well there is! You can forget about swiping the same tired old games from your big bro's dusty collection. With the Imagine line of games you can pick-up 'n play a game that likes to have fun, explore career possibilities, and do as much as you do. Learn to do a triple-axel, become the ultimate fashionista, be a kitchen magician, care for your fab furry pet-friends, practice your skills as a pro-babysitter--even interact with a career expert in each field. They'll give you tips on the biz and let you tap into their creative minds for some serious inspiration!
This is the point where I seriously considered stabbing myself in the eye so I wouldn't have to read anything like this again. As a girl, this offends me. I am not interested in any of these games. Now, I realise that I'm [older], and these games are designed for kids. But I wouldn't have played any of these games when I was six, either. It's not like most of these ideas are that new. My younger sister owned a range of Barbie games, as well as the Babyz series, an ice skating game, and a game where you pretended to be a film director. I played some of these for a while, mostly because I was banned from playing the more violent games, but I hated them. They were SO BORING.
Games like these have no point. I've heard that video game makers defend their choices in making these games by saying that girls like to create while boys like to destroy. Maybe that's true. But if that's true, then at least give girls games that have a point, with a direction, aside from fulfilling pointless tasks. Give them a goddamn plot!
Also, there is nothing wrong with "swiping the same tired old games from your big bro's dusty collection." This is how I started gaming. F-Zero, Super Mario Bros, Legend of Zelda, Chrono Trigger, Secret of Mana, Duck Hunt, Gauntlet... the first video game that I ever owned all by myself was Majora's Mask. Before that, I just played what my brother bought. And I was happy that way.
Even today, I still steal video games from my brother. He returns the favour. Our video game interests have diverged in recent years, as he's tended more towards FPS while I've gone more towards RPGs and action-adventure games, but we still share our games. I don't own a single "girl" game.
I understand that people are buying these. I understand that a lot of little girls probably aren't going to want to play Portal or Zelda or Final Fantasy. I get that. But that's not the point. But you're not selling these games to girl gamers. You're not selling them to gamers at all, not even casual gamers. So please stop acting like you are.
The girls who are going to buy these games probably aren't stealing their big bro's copy of Chrono Trigger (and that's their loss). And if they want to waste their time, money, and intellect on them, then that's their problem.
But stop making me look like an idiot.
I am sick of walking into a video game store and having guys outright stare at me when I don't immediately head for the Wii or DS games. I'm sick of being referred to as "sir" whenever I'm in the PS3 section, regardless of the fact that I don't exactly look like a guy (this happens constantly. Apparently, girls don't buy PS3 games. EVER). I'm sick of sales people pointing me towards WiiFit. I'm sick of being treated like an idiot, like I have no idea about games. Of looking completely boggled when I make references to Portal. Of actually saying, "You've played that? But.. you're a..." and then trailing off into uncomfortable silence.
This isn't everywhere, of course. One of the local GameStops actually has a couple of girls working there, and I love going to that one, as they tend not to have these attitudes. But... seriously, people.
GIRLS CAN GAME. AND THEIR CHOICES IN GAMES AREN'T LIMITED TO PONIES AND RAINBOWS.
ARGH.
If Ubisoft didn't put out some decent stuff, I would consider boycotting them.
Argh.
And I'm not even going to go into the fact that apparently the only suitable career choices for girls involve fashion or maternal instincts...
gaming,
rant