Are Feminists Taking Over Video Games?

[lafinjack]

How often do video game journalists write about feminism, sexism, or misogyny?

Of 130,524 articles from 23 game outlets in a 12-month period, only 0.41% referenced feminism, sexism, or misogyny.

- Morgan Ramsay (@MorganRamsay) September 13, 2014

For several years, I have been downloading full-text articles from major video game media outlets. As

Comments

[beuk]

From the Escapist article linked in the "Problem" section: "But let us not be fooled: Not everyone who plays games is a gamer. A gamer is a game enthusiast, a person whose primary hobby or avocation is the enjoyment of games. The "enjoyment of games" is a deeper pursuit than merely playing them. It encompasses dedication towards their mastery; understanding of their history; commentary on the design; insight as to their relationships into the web of source material from which they are derived."

REALLY? That's the wankiest/"gatekeeperiest" definition of gamer I've ever read. Because my primary hobby is lazing about on the internet, I'm an internetter. But I'm just faking because I don't care about internet design, internet history or being a superior asshole about the internet. (Or do I????)

[bonesnapdeez]

Yeah I can't stand that "real gamer" crap.

I play video games quite a bit and collect them. Everything from Commodore 64 to Neo Geo to WonderSwan Color to Xbox 360. I'm currently about halfway through a Sega CD JRPG.

My wife plays Snood on the laptop a couple of times a week.

We're both gamers. The hobby is not "owned" by anybody.

Besides, I have a feeling that if more people (and by people I mostly mean women) began playing "hardcore games" then the neckbeards would move the goalposts even further.

[fegli]

the only reason I'd say I'm not a "gamer" is because of insufferable shits on the internet who insist that there's some sort of minimum requirement for being a "real gamer", and I don't want to be associated with them.

but have I spent my life playing and enjoying video games when I can? (when I have access to/money to buy a console) yes!!!

[bonesnapdeez]

the only reason I'd say I'm not a "gamer" is because of insufferable shits on the internet who insist that there's some sort of minimum requirement for being a "real gamer", and I don't want to be associated with them.

Oh I totally get that. I don't exactly advertise it myself.

[spyral_out]

I've been neck-deep in the GamerGate issue since day one. It says a lot about how stressful it has been that my first response to this headline was knee-jerk nausea. I am glad what followed wasn't what I expected it to be.

I can't wait until this is over. It's been absolutely horrible, and facts like the ones presented in this have done absolutely nothing to change GGers behavior. I just hope that the media attention that has happened this week continues to drown out the hostility and make people realize how unacceptable GG behavior has been.

[lafinjack]

I am glad what followed wasn't what I expected it to be.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betteridge%27s_law_of_headlines

[spyral_out]

Not so much the case now that journalism has taken so heavily to the internet and journalists don't always have formal educations in the field.

[lafinjack]

Stop ruining everything with your FACTS. *sob*

[bmh4d0k3n]

I saw this the other day (it somehow made it onto Fandom Base), and it just pissed me off:

[lafinjack]

It's unfortunate because the original comic is pretty great.

[moonshaz]

What a colossal clusterfuck. I'm not a gamer, so I don't have to deal with this shit firsthand, but I feel for those who do. :-|

[blackjedii]

heeey you know what you should be doing if you like and adore video games, folks who are angry about articles about video games?

playing them

idk i think that would cut down on the bullshit right there

[lafinjack]

[blackjedii]

like... I remember when I read Kotaku religiously and checked VGCatz and Penny Arcade and was totally reading allll about the brand new systems and console wars

And then I grew out of it

And realized my enjoyment of actual games and systems increased substantially because I wasn't listening to someone else's opinions and just kind of doing my own thing it's been kind of awesome

[lafinjack]

Hey now, VGCats is still good!