View source for Ivana Kovacevic

BA Hons., DTEIL Cert., TESOL Cert.
ivanakv1@my.yorku.ca

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== Production 1 ==

Hi everyone! I seem to be the class newbie with the LEAST amount of gaming experience, so I took on this course to take on some new challenges. 
I am a current MEd student in the process of completing my degree and concurrent diploma which focuses on research surrounding second language acquisition, linguistics and multiliteracies. I take great interest in global education advancements and wish to incorporate dynamic teaching methods into my current practices. As an adult ESL teacher and primary level tutor, I have found that languages are quite often taught in repetitive ways, lacking creativity as they remain stagnant. With the knowledge and experience gained from this course, I hope to become familiar with game design so that I am able to implement more technology within the classroom.


[[File:Bitmoji.jpg|200px|thumb|left|My attempt at a Bitmoji. E for Effort.]]

== Production 2: Option 2 ==

'''Chapter 21: Education'''


   In addition to mediums such as art, exercise, transit, and empathy, a quite crucial channel to consider in the field of media micro-ecology is education and its relation to digital literacy and learning. North American public-school curricula leaders generally remain blind to the inclusion of digital literacy, overlooking the benefits of procedural rhetoric. In English and social studies class, students are asked to generate arguments and narratives with consideration of guidelines and standardized formatting. Why is it evident that digital games, though they play the same role, are frowned upon by educational program coordinators? 

   Media Smarts, a Canadian charitable NPO for digital and media literacy, offers informative resources for educators, parents, and children with aims of promoting critical thinking skills by engaging with media as informed digital citizens. 

   "Some medical professionals, such as Doctor Kourosh Dini, also feel that 'age appropriate multi-player video games can allow children to learn how other people think - a key aspect of empathy. Games can also help a child become more comfortable with new and ever progressing technology'" (Media Smarts, 2018).






   Digital games at any age level, whether it be elementary or secondary, offer a dynamic method of learning the same content that is often taught in a less interactive way. At an elementary level, learners are provided a social context for play in a virtual world. By offering agency to the players, students are likely to feel more involved and immersed in the content, increasing their motivation to actively participate and ultimately internalize the content. The difficulties that often arise with regards to student engagement tend to be solved by utilizing outdated pedagogies that do not apply directly to a student of this modern day and age. 

   Though agency is promoted within video games, role play is also made evident as players enter a world through a different character that can or cannot be their customized replica. Nearly every student carries a different level of confidence and willingness to express themselves. Video games also offer the opportunity for identity work; more particularly for introverted students to test their knowledge through a different, perhaps more individualized medium, which is yet another instance exemplifying the dynamic nature of digital games.

   With the technological advances made available to the public along with the everchanging instrumentality of digital games, it is important, sooner than later, to implement new pedagogies. Educational digital games such as ''Minecraft'', ''Kahoot'', or ''Big Brain Academy'', all offer a unique learning experience that, more often than not, activates the learner's major skills (listening, speaking, reading) while referring to course content. 

   ''Reality Check'' requires effective decision making, higher order thinking, problem solving skills, and analytical tools for credibility. "In ''Reality Check'', you’ll learn how to find clues like finding where a story originally came from and comparing it to other sources, as well as how to use tools like fact-checking sites and reverse image searches. In each mission, you’ll be presented with a story on your social network feed that might be entirely true, entirely false, or somewhere in between. To find out, click on the different parts of the page where you see a magnifying glass. Once you’ve seen all the clues, you can decide how reliable you think it is and how to respond to it" (Media Smarts, 2018).

   Though there are several limitations that must be discussed, including staff cooperation and costs, the implementation of digital literacy remains a necessity in the 21st century that must be further addressed. 


'''Sources'''

Bogost, I. (2011). ''How to Do Things with Videogames'' (1st edition). Minneapolis: Univ Of Minnesota Press.<br />

Media Smarts. (2018). ''Teacher Resources'' Classroom Guide.<br />


== Production 3 ==

'''Serious Play: Critical Analysis'''


Gaming practices across North American public education sectors remain outcome-based, necessitating the reconceptualization of game-based learning towards an increasingly holistic-based method of teaching. With reference to Schwartzman, many employees in charge of policy-making overlook the fact that serious play provides learners with freedom and spontaneity, generating a naturally occurring learning process (Nolan & McBride, 2013, p.600). 


The Hack-A-Game-Game, for instance, motivated "highly incidental learning" which occurred " as a result of autonomous choices", reflecting a counter-institutional gaming culture (Nolan & McBride, 2013, p.596). Modding ''Race Through Space'' enforced the imaginary by giving students the opportunity to create and innovate new rules, producing a different route and/or outcome for the player(s). The task of collaborating towards a form of innovation is reflective of society and its everyday demands, making the player feel separated, yet connected. For Goffman, a game is "a social situation that has some specific characteristics (such as ease and fun), but which are not dissimilar to other types of social situations" (Stenros, 2017, p.506). 


In this sense, games mirror societal functions. According to Ellington et al., "a game is any contest/play among adversaries/players operating under constraints/rules for an objective/winning/victory" (Stenros, 2017, p.499). Similarly, a citizen of a land must perform several transactions with others, abide by particular rules, both lawful and social, while striving towards the ultimate goal of success. 


Moreover, a shift in focus from gamification to nullified dimensions of gaming is crucial. This framework provides learners with individual autonomy, affinity and a safe space, as long as adults do not interfere, consciously observe, or assess the learners, altering the ''a priori'' of the process (Nolan & McBride, 2013, p. 604). In turn, giving learners a chance to make their own choices is exactly the zone of proximal digital literacy development, enhancing skills for problem-solving, communication, and experimentation, as mentioned by Nolan & McBride.


Game modding and design can be seen as a production pedagogy, not in the sense of instrumentality, but rather on the situatedness of learners in present time, capable of directing their own critical inquiry towards productive action (Thumlert et al., 2018, p.705). Educators often tend to enforce hylomorphic making, as stated by Thumlert et al. (2018), offering prescriptive instructions which glorify instruction rather than construction (p. 708). This process unfortunately exemplifies a hierarchal structure of pedagogical capital in which the teacher holds full control of the learning, as oppose to providing the student with autonomy. 


In efforts to reconstruct ongoing negative dispositions of serious play, gaming, and GBL, Eisner's Null curriculum must be taken into account, aiding educators to reflect on exactly where the learning process is lacking. To avoid mainstream K-12 educational practices particularly across North America, it is pivotal to implement relevant games within the classroom providing the students with choice, engaging them to experience the sociocultural life-world of the player.


'''Sources'''

Nolan, J., & McBride, M. (2014). Beyond gamification: Reconceptualizing game-based learning in early childhood environments. ''Information, Communication & Society''.

Stenros, J. (2017). ''The Game Definition Game, Games & Culture, Vol. 12(6) 499-520''. 

Thumlert, K., de Castell, S., & Jenson, J. (2018). Learning through game design: A production pedagogy, ''The 2018 European Conference on Games Based Learning Book'': ACPI Press.



== Production 4: Option 1 ==

'''Get Meta: Reflecting on the Design and Making Process'''


Reflecting on the game design game we had constructed in class, I was able to experience the process of prototyping, fabrication and play-testing engaging with a new form of literacy. Looking back at the topic of game design and the playcentric design process, Fullerton (2008) discusses the act of prototyping and playtesting as constructing and revisiting a playable version of your idea along with the core game mechanics (p.20). Within an hour, we were able to generate a playable game entailing foundational rules and exceptions that we envisioned to be suitable. We were able to complete a number of the steps recommended for game design, including brainstorming, generating a physical prototype, and presenting our game to the rest of the class. Moreover, we found ourselves in need of constant iteration, noticing areas for improvement, attempting to develop a challenging and stimulating player experience by thinking about entertainment, not simply games (Fullerton, 2008, p.46). Seeing as our game reflected the mechanics of a rubix cube, we hoped to encourage players to solve difficult problems using logic and reasoning, thus connecting games with learning. 


As described in Chapter 3 by Fullerton (2008), we came across difficulties when formulating explicit game concepts/formal elements of the game, including a suitable number of players, the roles of each player, the objective and means of reaching it, as well as any conflict that may arise, presenting an obstacle for the player(s). The method we utilized to overcome these difficulties was to primarily perform a play-test, followed by a collaborative discussion of modding ideas and critiques. In other words, rather than creating a layout for the game and then play-testing, we did the exact opposite in attempt to learn from doing. In this sense, we were learning in a sociocultural context where technical literacies were collaboratively enacted through student game design (Thumlert et al., 2019, p.705). Moreover, this task gave students the opportunity to enact practical knowledge incidentally through the act of fabrication. They were, ''doing things'' with games, as stated by Thumlert et al. (2018) by "inventing ideas and fabricating digital models as a response to, and an intervention upon, the exigencies of their own situations, where the games themselves were not a means to well-defined learning outcomes, but expressed and modelled new knowledge, art, or arguments that realized their makers’ purposes" (p. 709). 


I thus particularly enjoyed the fact that we were learning through the process of construction and co-creation, rather than being restricted by traditional instruction and hylomorphic making. This process of design and ‘paidia’ was effective in that we simply learned by ''doing'', illustrating innovative mechanics of learning. Due to this freedom of designing opportunities, we experienced ''paidia'' mostly because of the chain effect we wanted our game to be premised upon. With reference to Fullerton (2008), we allowed the game action to change the structure of the story so that choices the player makes aﬀect the eventual outcome, meaning the player choices feed into several possibilities at each juncture of a structure like this, causing predetermined changes to the story (p. 101). Every single move made by each player throughout each play predetermines the outcome in some shape or form, requiring strong analytical and instinctual player skills.


Lastly, in relation to ‘ludic’ connections mentioned by Nolan & McBride (2014), we were exposed to a Nullified Dimensions Framework being given autonomy support, the opportunity for play, affinity, and freedom of space. Elaborating on this from an educational perspective, avoiding a prescriptive approach allows for reconceptualization of a more inclusive and meaningful vision of digital game-based learning and play (Nolan & McBride, 2014, p. 595). By collaborating with one another without the teacher’s interference, we were able to make meaning autonomously through spontaneity and naturally-occurring/''a priori'' events, encouraging incidental learning and reflecting a counter-institutional gaming culture. 




'''Sources'''

Fullerton, T. (2014). ''Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovation Games'', NY: Taylor & Francis. 1-104.

Nolan, J., & McBride, M. (2014). Beyond gamification: Reconceptualizing game-based learning in early childhood environments. ''Information, Communication & Society''.

Thumlert, K., de Castell, S., & Jenson, J. (2018). Learning through game design: A production pedagogy, ''The 2018 European Conference on Games Based Learning Book'': ACPI Press.


== Production 4.5: Creating Connections ==


Reading into the holistic significance of play has provided me with the opportunity for an altered perception of its importance. While mentally criticizing educators, parents, and policy-makers who frown upon play past a certain age as ‘lacking seriousness’, I shamefully realized that I carry many similar traits. Placing myself in the role of an educator, I slowly began envisioning the evolutionary progress a learner could have, being exposed to digital media in the classroom. Huizinga analyzes the act of play in detail, describing it as non-matter, fluid, and irrational. He encourages readers to understand it as a totality, contesting '''for''' and being a representation '''of''' something (Huizinga, p. 108). Referencing Plato, he sees play as an action itself outside and above the necessities of everyday life. This indirect guide to learning may be immensely efficient in the practical sense, providing students with the autonomy and freedom they necessitate for positive learning outcomes. 


Though critiquing Huizinga’s definition of play, Caillois offers insight on the various ‘rubrics’ of games. Though each fundamental category of games serves its own purpose, the player inevitably gains knowledge from it. In gym class, students would use ‘agôn’ and at a school club, they may use ‘alea’. In drama class, they would use ‘mimicry’, and outside on the school field, they would engage in ‘ilinx’, all producing learning and new knowledge, regardless of it being done subconsciously. However, issues surrounding the element of practice must be taken into account. According to Caillois, play is an activity which is free, separate, uncertain, and unproductive, amongst other definitions (p. 128). In contrast, when students are faced with a task within a public learning environment, they are '''obligated''' to complete it, '''limited''' by time and space, '''prescribed''' with a particular course of outcomes, and subtly forced to '''produce''' adequate learning goals. More often than not, this is exactly the manner in which educators are taught to teach. We are told to generate a lesson plan that is time-feasible with x amount of tasks, leading to outcomes y and z. Thus, educators must use a different lens when incorporating games into the classroom. Games must be introduced in an open, non-predetermined manner. Students must be given autonomy, and outcomes must differ. Though this is not yet possible for all course content, it has been proven plausible for most. 


When deciding on which game to offer in the classroom, Gee (2007) suggests that the game should include particular features; motivation, the role of failure, competition and collaboration, and an effective design that promotes aspects including interactivity, well-sequenced problems, customisation, etc. (p. 9). In addition, I believe it is crucial that educators seek and/or create games that are emotionally and intellectually stimulating, open-ended, and focus on meaning-making. Moreover, if educators wish to explore explanations of digital games in relation to learning and creativity, Marone is an excellent source. Proposing the model of '''playful constructivism''', I affirm his views on digital games being not only performative, but also transformative (Marone, 2016, p.4). Stressing performance before competence, he emphasizes that players apply learning by doing. Whether games are seen as systems, models, or microworlds, they provide learners with an enhanced method of acquiring knowledge. Based on my own love of social constructivism, I can understand the stress placed on the active construction of knowledge as a mediated process.


To encourage deeper learning, Dede (2014) stresses '''immersive authentic simulations''', claiming that educational technologies can create powerfully immersive experiences for students via sensory stimuli (p. 12). Incorporating such immersive digital media in the classroom promotes apprenticeship-based learning and learning for transfer, both indicating competence. Dede states that by practicing case-based instruction, collaborative learning, multiple representations, and diagnostic assessments through digital media, students are not only open to scaffolding, but develop the intellectual, emotional, and social capacity and commitment for future involvement, challenging traditional pedagogies.


'''Sources'''

Caillois, R. The Definition of Play and the Classification of Games. In K. Salen and E. Zimmerman (Eds.) ''The Game Design Reader: A Rules of Play Anthology'' (pp. 122-155). Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press.

Dede, C. (2014). The Role of Digital Technologies in Deeper Learning. ''Harvard Education: White Paper''. pp. 12-19.

Gee, J.P. (2007). Are Video Games Good for Learning? In ''Worlds in Play: International Perspectives on Digital Game Research''. New York.

Huizinga, J. Nature and Significance of Play as a Cultural Phenomenon. In K. Salen and E. Zimmerman (Eds.) ''The Game Design Reader: A Rules of Play Anthology'' (pp. 96-120). Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press.

Marone, V.  (2016). Playful Constructivism: Making Sense of Digital Games for Learning and Creativity Through Play, Design, and Participation. ''Journal of Virtual Worlds Research'', 9(3).


== Production 5: Theories of Play ==

'''Text and Games/Play Analysis'''

Rather than solely focusing on research surrounding play and games by Caillois and Huizinga, I have decided to slightly remix this production by incorporating content from two recent works as well: an online book review of Rise of the Video Game Zinesters by Vist, E. and two chapters from Critical Play by Flanagan, M. I chose to include the perceptions of these authors mainly because they offer definitions of play through a critical lens, exposing players to rituals and natural settings. Critical play offers “a window onto domestic space as a place for the reﬂection on the norms and behaviors in that space”, reﬂecting the inﬂuence of social and political times (Flanagan, 2009, p.21). 


Huizinga (1955) defines play as voluntary activity, carrying an imagination of reality and cultural phenomena in life, along with an element of tension which makes it fun (p.99). Essentially, it resists analysis and logical interpretations, exemplifying freedom and accomplishing itself outside and above the necessities and seriousness of everyday life (Huizinga, 1955, p. 118). 
Though Caillois aims to reconstruct Huizinga’s notion of play by critiquing it from several areas, both researchers agree that it is unproductive, not in the sense that it is not rewarded, but more so that “it creates no wealth or goods, thus differing from work or art… at the end of the game, all can and must start over again at the same point” (Caillois, 1958, p.124). Further portraying its “free” nature, Caillois (1958) claims that an outcome known in advance is incompatible with the nature of play (p. 126). According to Caillois, a player is forever faced with uncertainty, governed by rules, and circumscribed within limits of space and time, all experienced within a second reality.


Vist provides a shift in focus from play to, interrelatedly, the definition of games. Providing feedback on Rise of the Videogame Zinesters, Vist (2013) echoes Bogost when stating that, “If a game is ‘an experience created by rules’, games are particularly well-suited to telling stories and ‘exploring dynamics, relationships, and systems’”. In other words, online games can be seen as a form of digital storytelling, portraying narratives and exploring complex ways of life. Vist argues that this can be made possible by means of incorporating diversity through more personal games, offering players a critical understanding of the videogame.
Similarly, Flanagan (2009) explores the notion of critical play in radical game design. She sees games as potentially providing outlets for entertainment, functioning as means for creative expression, cultural thinking, and the examination of social issues (p. 1). Critical play analyzes aspects of human life and examines social, cultural, political, and personal themes that function in society. In this sense, digital games particularly function as social technologies. Quoting Salen and Zimmerman in Rules of Play, Flanagan (2009) defines games as artificial systems that have players, conflicts, rules, and quantifiable outcomes in which they can either be considered the winners or the losers (p. 7). Within critical play, it is crucial that the game contains values and is designed for diverse player styles and audiences.


The online game I chose to investigate was “Ray’s Great Escape”, an easy-to-follow digital game based on the television series Everybody Loves Raymond. The plotline is quite straightforward; the father, Ray, attempts to sneak out of the house to watch a baseball game. Single players must use their keyboard arrows to maneuver Ray through the house, collecting sports equipment he needs to escape. The catch is that he must try his best to avoid running into any of his family members in the midst of his search, otherwise he loses one of three lives. The player is lead through several levels, all becoming increasingly difficult overtime. Once all of the items are collected, the back door is open, and Ray can make his “Great Escape”. The house is set up to replicate the actual TV show itself, with figures mirroring the real-life cast. My experience of playing this game in present day differs greatly from that of my early childhood, mostly because I am analyzing it from a critical lens.  Referring to the Classification of Games by Caillois, this game can fall under the category of either agôn or mimicry. It exemplifies the exercised quality of memory and skill, in that the player must remember the route each family member takes, and how to strategically avoid them. The game can also be categorized as mimicry because it is generally targeted towards fans of the show, enabling them to behave as another. Players are able to live through the protagonist/main character and help him work towards his goal. 


It relates to ludus in that it builds up tension, requires skill, and offers obstacles for the players to overcome. Play within this game is entirely voluntary and isolated. Moreover, it follows an iterative design, in that there is a clear mission statement, necessary rules to abide by, and a playable prototype. The Great Escape reflects the life of a nuclear Italian-American family, where the father attempts to escape domestic life and experience his own version of agôn through the baseball game. Rather than the female being restricted within the household, it is now the male who must escape by overcoming real-life obstacles. To further enhance or mod this game, focus should be placed more so on developing better ways to tell the story in depth, rather than simply investing in updated graphics, as stated by Vist. As the levels gradually become more difficult, a new mission should arise with the ability to incorporate different figurines. I see this game having the potential to be a platform for understanding socio-cultural norms of a North American family. It necessitates more plausible alternatives, which would ultimately help it gain more diverse audiences. 



'''Sources'''

Caillois, R. (1958). The Definition of Play and the Classification of Games. In K. Salen and E. Zimmerman (Eds.) The Game Design Reader: A Rules of Play Anthology (pp. 122-155). Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press.

Flanagan, M. (2009). Critical Play – Radical Game Design. MIT Press. Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Huizinga, J. (1955). Nature and Significance of Play as a Cultural Phenomenon. In K. Salen and E. Zimmerman (Eds.) The Game Design Reader: A Rules of Play Anthology (pp. 96-120). Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press.

Vist, E. (2013). Online Book Review: Rise of the Video Game Zinesters. First Person Scholar. 
http://www.firstpersonscholar.com/rise-of-the-videogame-zinesters/.


== Production 7 Critical Game Analysis: Female Representation in Video Games ==


'''Intro'''

With relation to media issues and critical game design, this analysis will be covering topics surrounding ‘games for change’, ‘reading’ the game, representations and enactments, power-plays and modes of address. Upon attending the class held at the IRDL, I was intrigued by the information provided by the three female guest speakers who discussed varying aspects of female and gender representation in digital games. Of the vast array of research available on this topic, I have referenced findings from the aforementioned guest speakers, online blogs and articles, and assigned course readings. I am particularly interested in further exploring themes of hyper sexualization, gender stereotypes, and normative ideologies in relation to female representation through a feminist and cultural studies lens. As a woman, I find this to be a relatable topic that reflects contemporary relations even within our modern-day society. After noticing such minimal improvements overtime, I hope that these issues are continually addressed to raise awareness of represented inequities. 


'''Representations, Misrepresentations & Enactments'''

When gathering research on this topic, I consistently came across examples of sexist representation within games such as ''Dead or Alive'', ''Tomb Raider'', ''Resident Evil 5'', ''Grand Theft Auto V'', ''The Broodmother'', etc.
Moreover, when discussing game aesthetics, clothing and overall physical appearance are to be considered of utmost importance. Women are often shown either nude or wearing revealing, tight, and provocative clothing appealing to the male eye, as was Lara Croft. ''Dead or Alive'' is apparently known for depicting female characters with long legs, large, overly bouncing breasts and hips with ridiculously tiny waists, allowing players to zoom in to their body parts and touch them inappropriately. They are, in turn, objectified and conceptualized as all but a respectable human being. There is clearly an evident issue here if a woman’s body is her most important feature. The guest speakers at IRDL discussed fascinating topics of monstrous and ageist maternity represented in video games, where women are represented as the monstrous ‘other’ in a dehumanizing manner. Women are portrayed as hags, crones, and witches, thus institutionalized because they do not fit into the roles they were assigned. But then again… regardless of the fact that nearly 50 percent of gamers are female, how can women be positively and realistically portrayed in video games if only 30 percent of the video game industry is female, with most of them having low-paying and low-ranking positions? This pushes towards unjust implications that women are valued based on their alluring appearance. Though often allegedly overlooked by gamers, this objectification transfers over to real-life outlooks, whether done subconsciously or otherwise. What matters is not only the outlook men end up having towards women upon playing these games, but also the methods of interacting with these women. It makes me question ethics and ideologies surrounding the matter. How are they treated? 

''Grand Theft Auto'' is notoriously and controversially known for its hostile game environment, glorifying sexual harassment and murders of female characters. Within one of the game versions, the main aim is to kill off as many women as possible to win. Eventually, players will become increasingly less empathetic towards this normalized violence against women in the real world, making it less of a taboo. Female strippers are also purposefully and commonly included. Players have the power to hurt them if they are not complicit, conforming to their commands. These treatments inevitably become a norm, especially if the player’s actions are prescribed, leaving them no other choice in the game, thus exemplifying a hidden or null curriculum. According to Nolan & McBride (2014), avoiding such a prescriptive approach to learning, from an educational standpoint, allows for a more inclusive vision of DGBL and play as well. If the player must kill off women to survive, then an alternate experience is interfered with, portraying an institutional gaming culture. Rather than leading to ''highly incidental learning'', such games force a player to view bodies a certain way within the virtual world. This relates to Bogost’s procedural rhetoric, in that people learn through authorships of rules and processes.

What surprises me, amongst many other things, is the fact that these designers are repetitively scrutinized, yet continuously generate such existing negative representations. More often than not, women are also presented as prizes to be rescued and won, or as submissive followers of their male leader. Their embodiment and character construction are procedurally scripted through submissiveness, inferiority, and complicity within most of these representations. Sheva from ''Resident Evil 5'' is strategically generated to be a game mechanic and dependent support person to her male counterpart. Brock (2011) states that without any emotional, geographic, or linguistic connection to RE5’s rendition of Africa, Sheva is the videogame equivalent of Pocahontas: a woman of color coerced into ‘‘guiding’’ White explorers across a foreign land that she is presumed to be familiar with because of her ethnic heritage. To make matters worse, she is also sometimes presented in a leopard-print mini skirt and belly top with her cleavage showing for the male characters in the game. Unfortunately, the women getting the most media attention are not those who are ‘on the far side of established modes of intelligibility’, nor do their individual subjectivities, their embodied ‘personalities’ mostly challenge, openly or otherwise, established norms or gender stereotypes, claims Jenson (2016). 


''''Reading' the Game & Power-Plays'''

When viewing games as cultural artefacts or commercial-cultural systems that frame our world, we are guided to communicate procedurally. In other words, what we do in the virtual world often carries over to our actions in the real world as a result. Thus, games can be seen as socio-technical products reflecting contemporary social relations. This is mostly reflected through discourse analysis available in online discussion forums and hashtag movements. Kafai et al. (2016) discusses the problems of #GamerGate, a hashtag that has been used as a confirmation of women’s inability to succeed in the industry due to their own personal failings and willingness to manipulate and trade sexual favors to get ahead. This ‘gatekeeping’ method, Emma Vossen claims, “is how gamers police who they think should identify with the gamer term… It is also a term to talk about ways that women police women’s access to gaming technology, especially when they identify as feminists”. The easiest way out is to say, ‘It’s just a game’. Cross (2016) delivers a powerful statement, claiming that the solution lies in asserting, more powerfully than ever, that the Internet is a real place and that avatars are us, a digital manifestation of our flesh and blood existence, a vulnerable form onto which we may project all that we are and hope to be, and which is thus lumbered with many of the same vulnerabilities as our physical selves. 

It is crucial to note that game mechanics are always purposeful and meant to highlight narrow stereotypes that marginalize particular groups. If we are treating women unjustly as gamers, then our actions will reflect the influence of social and political times. By representing and treating marginalized bodies in such a manner, designers and players are leaving women excluded, seeing them as being of a lower class, carrying less social power. Furthermore, if we see video games as mediums of art, as is film, how can our viewpoints not be directly affected by them? As Flanagan (2009) states, critical play serves as a reflection on the norms and behaviours in that space. It is no coincidence that women are represented in such demeaning manners. Such portrayals exemplify major social issues of gender inequality that continue to function in our society.


'''Games for Change & Interventions'''

Of course, though not as popular, there are counter-games which overtly engage these socio-political conflicts and activist aims. Hoping for instances of subversion, I came across ''The Scythian'', an independent protagonist from ''Sword and Sorcery''. She is not defined by her gender and continuously shows herself to be just as much of a mythical hero as a man could be. There is also ''Jade'' from ''Beyond Good and Evil'', whose creator wanted her to be different from the clichés of female characters who act like males. And of course, there is the #MeToo movement which raises consciousness against sexual harassment and assault, known of worldwide and supported by numerous celebrities. One can only hope that such improvements do not remain stagnant…


'''Sources'''

Brock, A. (2011). ‘When Keeping it Real Goes Wrong’: Resident Evil 5, Racial Representation and Gamers. Games and Culture, 6, 5, 429-452.

Eaton, A. (2018) Gender Inequality in Video Games: The History of Gender-Related Issues in Gaming – Parallax Media. Retrieved from https://www.parallaxmedia.one/2018/06/24/gender-inequality-in-video-games-the-history-of-gender-related-issues-in-gaming/ 

Flanagan, M. (2009). Critical Play – Radical Game Design. MIT Press. Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Harveston, K. (2017). A Brief History of Female Representation in Video Games. Retrieved from https://www.headstuff.org/topical/female-representation-in-video-games-history/ 

Kafai, Tynes, & Richard (Eds.) (2016). Diversifying Barbie & Mortal Kombat: Intersectional Perspectives and Inclusive Designs in Gaming. Pittsburgh PA: ETC Press. 

Nolan, J., & McBride, M. (2014). Beyond gamification: Re-conceptualizing game-based learning in early childhood environments. Information, Communication & Society.

Strum, L. (2016). Study tracks 31-year history of female sexualization in video games. Retrieved from https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/study-tracks-31-year-history-of-female-sexualization-in-video-games