GENDER DISTINCTIONS IN VIDEO GAME

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Curtis M. Kularski

MLB2K9

“SeanyThon”, 2009

Only males are shown in the ad, which coincides with the expectation that only men would be interested in the game. The ad shows a sexist attitude, which would find it incomprehensiblethat a women would ever be capable of playing baseball (Lindsey 2011:3)

Mortal Kombat 3

“KombatTube”, 2008

This ad shows an aggression norm for the masculine role. The male in the ad is portrayed as transforming into the game character and taking on an aggressive posture towards his adversary, which ultimately would define his masculinity and in the storyline of the game, assure his label as a hero (Lindsey 2011:249)

Dante’s Inferno

Electronic Arts, 2010

In this ad, the main character is shown displaying a chivalrous masculine role. The character is self-sacrificing and shows great courage in an attempt to rescue the “distressed” female. (Lindsey 2011:242)

Halo 3

“GamerSpawn”, 2010

This ad shows a frozen battle-field, focusing on the courage of the men, but ignoring the horrors of war. This demonstrates an idealized masculine trait of soldiering, which is seen as a source of honor and glory (Lindsey 2011:242)

Army Men: World War

“rocbolt”, 2007

The plastic men in this ad display linguistic derogation when referring to the breasts of the plastic women who are welcoming their return (Lindsey 2011:85). There is also a demonstration between men of the expectation of sexual prowess as a norm for masculine behavior (Lindsey 2011:250)

Nancy Drew: Captive Curse

“girldetectiveorg”, 2010This ad is set in a situation reminiscent of a Sherlock Holmes novel, but with a female detective. The ad breaks through stereotypical gender roles for females (Lindsey 2011:55) and displays traits of courage that are more commonly associated with men (Lindsey 2011:242).

Rift

“GamerSpawn”, 2010a

The ad portrays women and children running from the “rifts” and strong heroic men fighting the “rifts”. This demonstrates a sexist ideal, believing women to be weaker than men (Lindsey 2011:3).

The Sims 3

Viso Games, 2009

The ad shows numerous players achieving a desired status in life. The portrayal of the female astronaut is an example of the flexibility of the norms of femininity (Lindsey 2011:255).

Crysis 2

Electronic Arts, 2011

This ad shows a fictional future in which military power is prized for its ability to protect a society. In one scene (00:36) an armed soldier is portrayed in a dominant position to a more effeminate male in a business suit. Proving that “brutalized bodies” are superior in that future (Lindsey 2011:244).

Deus Ex

Machinma, 2010

This ad shows a modern ideal of male success, as the successful male is shown looking down from a skyscraper at the city below, over which he has control through his “augmented humans”. This conforms to the standard of a bourgeois male (Lindsey 2011:242).

Skyrim

IGN Entertainment, 2011

In this ad the men are combative, distant from each other and show efficiency in their task of killing the demons that have been awakened. This portrayal of masculinity is clearly identifiable as the toxic existence thought to exist by Robert Bly in mythopoetic manhood (Lindsey 2011:268)

Bejewled 3

IGN Entertainment, 2010The ad shows a puzzle game in a way that could be considered androgynous. There are traditionally feminine colors and objects (gemstones), with an overtone of intelligence, commonly associated with masculinity (Lindsey 2011:75)

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit

Electronic Arts, 2010b

The ad displays situations of great danger, with imagery of male sexual prowess (fast sportscars), making it a display of male gender ideals for both competitiveness and success through performance prowess, such as in sport (Lindsey 2011:244)

Mafia 2

“dub”, 2008

This ad shows a male involved in organized crime. The ad depicts various acts of his career as a member of an organized crime group. He and his colleagues are male, demonstrating that a career in organized crime is a gendered occupation that favors males (Lindsey 2011:247).

Tron: Evolution

IGN Entertainment, 2010a

This ad portrays a single male who is tasked with some type of peacekeeping mission. The ad focuses on the isolation of the position. The ad’s message is consistent with the cultural expectations of males regarding interpersonal relations (Lindsey 2011:246)

Spore: Galactic Adventure

Maxis, 2009

This ad focused on the male toughness norm in its approach to the game. The lead character (of non-determinate physical sex) shows courage and toughness while attempting to uphold cultural ideals (Lindsey 2011:248).

Star Trek Online

Machinma, 2008

This ad displays gendered occupations through the use of all seemingly male characters, even though the characters are of various species. The job of peacekeeping seems to be reserved for men (Lindsey 2011:247)

Tera

Mahalo, 2010

In this ad, both men and women are given the chance to gain success. The women are portrayed as busty and beautiful, but also powerful and independent of the men around them. Idealizing the goals of feminism (Lindsey 2011:14).

Hunted: Demon’s Forge

Machinma, 2010a

This ad seems to suffer from the generic myth. Men and women are shown equally, but the women have been denied their feminine traits and are almost identical to men in every way in the ad (Lindsey 2011).

Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising

IGN Entertainment, 2011a

In this ad, the female is instructed to remain behind the male at all times. This is showing a sexist belief that the female cannot defend herself, as well as placing the female in a position of submission to the male (Lindsey 2011:95).

Bibliography Lindsey, Linda R. 2011. Gender Roles: A Sociological Perspective. 5th ed.

NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall. “SeanyThon”. 2009. “MLB2K9 Commercial”. Retrieved 3 July 2011

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rf02Sq2WZlM]. “KombatTube”. 2008. “Mortal Kombat 3 Commercial”. Retrieved 6 July 2011

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAjdeM8_gxk]. Electronic Arts. 2010. “Dante's Inferno 'Go To Hell' Super Bowl

Commercial”. Retrieved 22 July 2011 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rbeAGdYk_0].

“GamerSpawn”. 2010. “Halo 3 - Believe TV Spot”. Retrieved 19 June 2011 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXeST0NMtic].

“rocbolt”. 2007. “Game Commercial - Army Men: World War (2000)”. Retrieved 6 July 2011 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQ4Y3mBBRu8].

“girldeectiveorg”. 2010. “Nancy Drew: The Captive Curse Teaser”. Retrieved 6 July 2011 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4ySdcr5lTo].

“GamerSpawn”. 2010. “RIFT – Unveil Trailer”. Retrieved 6 July 2011 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uCsZDace6o].

Bibliography Viso Games. 2009. “The Sims 3: Official Trailer”.

Retrieved 6 July 2011 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPnK9JHoddc].

Electronic Arts. 2011. “Crysis 2”. Retrieved 3 July 2011 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGy2F6fec3A].

Machinma. 2010. “Deus Ex Human Revolution E3 2010”. Retrieved 21 July 2011 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6JTvzrpBy0].

IGN Entertainment. 2011. “Elder Scrolls V Skyrim: Official Gameplay Trailer”. Retrieved 21 July 2011 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjqsYzBrP-M].

IGN Entertainment. 2010. “Bejewled 3: Debut Trailer”. Retrieved 15 July 2011 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mi7BRsIzBuw].

Bibliography Electronic Arts. 2010b. “Need for Speed Hot Pursuit -

E3 Reveal Trailer”. Retrieved 15 July 2011 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6ouHWP0KrY].

“dub”. 2008. “Mafia 2 Trailer”. Retrieved 15 July 2011 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtTCw_-83Io].

IGN Entertainment. 2010a. “Tron: Evolution Trailer - E3 2010”. Retrieved 15 July 2011 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZLONRreKAI].

Maxis. 2009. “Spore: Galactic Adventure”. Retrieved 15 July 2011 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZZZ1svMqRE].

Bibliography Macinma. 2008. “Star Trek Online – Trailer”.

Retrieved 21 July 2011 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3Ug52fz5_k].

Mahalo Video Games. 2010. “Tera – Trailer 1”. Retrieved 21 July 2011 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDWp2ZpV-IA].

Machinma. 2010a. “Hunted The Demons Forge E3 2010 Debut Trailer”. Retrieved 21 July 2011 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rb2bqb28zwM].

IGN Entertainment. 2011a. “Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising - Join the Legion Trailer”. Retrieved 21 July 2011 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MUFKALG_ms].