This here's mah rant that i've probably been talking about for the past couple of days. It took a week and a half but i feel that it was worth it. I might do more if there is a demand for it/if i feel like it.
This article was made EXCLUSIVELY for the Escapist Magazine (but it will be posted on my deviant art account later ;P) So i hope you all enjoy reading this.
Remember, this is all purely my opinion of how we should get things done, if you disagree in anyway please feel free to post it here (but keep it a civilized, argument for the sake of arguing)
Without further ado, i give you the epic RANT ON MAINSTREAM: By Jumplion.....
A Rant On Mainstream: Video Games and the Media
Violence and Tits: THINK OF THE CHILDREN
By Jumplion
(This article is purely opinioned to the author and the interviewees. If you disagree with any of the opinions I have expressed here then 1. Go fuck yourself and 2. If you wish to argue with them please state that you are arguing for the sake of arguing and nothing more.
Thank you, and have a good time reading this rant ;3)
I'm a man who likes, no, LOVES his video games. Escaping reality and becoming an alien terminator that spews bullets like crazy, annihilating anything in my path is a nice diversion from the horrors of School. Being able to actually be somebody and be a hero feels great, even if it's saving a virtual world that could never happen in real life, it still feels like you did something people would remember. Whether it's jumping on Mushrooms to save a Princess from an evil Turtle or stopping an entire nuclear war, the escapism is a nice change of pace from our daily lives.
What's even better is that these experiences are becoming better. Games are constantly becoming more immersive, more rewarding, more beautiful, and most importantly FUN. From 2 blocks hitting a smaller block all the way to the present, video games have come a long way into our society and has formed it's own culture. It would be hard to imagine a world without Tetris or Pac-Man on our phones keeping us busy on that excruciatingly long bus ride.
Of course, no media can just waltz in the "MEDIA PORTRAYED AS ART" building without getting a flat tire or taking a detour thinking it's a shortcut. There have been some nails on the road that's popped Video Game's tires a couple of times, and it's going to take both an effort and a lot of money to let the Media think that Video Games are just as equal as films, more so on some occasions.
What do I mean by effort and money? Well, we need make an effort to make the media, hell the general public, think that Video Games aren't just for kids or just murder simulators (more on that subject later). The money comes in because those tiers are pretty expensive, the best in the world sometimes. Incase you still don't know, I'm talking about the various lawsuits, public reactions to the games, and most importantly the actual making of the game itself.
Ohh, where to start? There are plenty of places to start this rant that I won't waste time listing them. How about starting with a short summary of violent video games in general.
Violent Video Games (plus tits)
(Links shall be provided here with references:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_Coffee_mod
2. http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/21/keighley-takes-on-fox-news-sexbox-sexpose/ (Tried to find the best situation I could)
Video Games are getting more violent nowadays, there's almost no denying that. The industry is heavily saturated with bloody FPSs, Sandbox blasphemy, and other violent games. Video Games have obviously changed from a kid friendly game of pong to an all out Team Deathmatch in Call of Duty 4, but the idea that Video Games are just for kids have remained in the media's and parent's heads.
It's not just violence either, sex in video games have also been noticeable with examples such as the infamous "Hot Coffee Mod" in "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas"(1) and the Mass Stupidity of the VERY brief sex scene in "Mass Effect" (2) it's clear that Video Games aren?t coming out of the hot seat for a very long while.
I could go on about the first violent video games (Quake, Doom, GTA 1+2), but let's go on to the real meat on the bones of this rant; Video Games and the Media.
Video Games and the Media
(Links shall be provided here with the references:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Theft_Auto_Series
2. http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/84706-Police-Blame-Youth-Crime-Spree-On-GTA
3. http://youtube.com/watch?v=LIc3xI0PiEA
What is the first game that comes to mind when the Media talks about Violence in Video Games? Well, it should be no surprise that it's the hit franchise "Grand Theft Auto"(1). Call it a "Murder Simulator", "Bad Influence", or the "Sad Translation of real life to video games"; there is absolutely no denying that the GTA series are popular. The franchise alone has sold over 70 million copies worldwide; and that seems like the prime rib that the media love to eat. Saying that the GTA series isn't controversial is like saying that there's oxygen on the moon.
The Media absolutely love the GTA steak, as it's obviously one of their most favorite entrees. It gives them headlines, something to preach about, and most importantly someone/thing to blame for horrendous acts of blasphemy. Everything from School shootings to disruptive conduct, even a robbery with a 17 year-old that just happened to play games, you can bet that the GTA steak will be ordered and burned. (2)
But why specifically GTA? Sure, there are other games that have stirred up controversy (ala Mass Effect and just recently the Torture Game 2 on Newgrounds (3.)) but the GTA series seems to always catch the eye of the Media and gets bashed for it's gameplay. Maybe the Media hates Rockstar's guts, maybe it's that the GTA series could sadly be easily translated to real life, maybe they played the game and don't like the auto-aim?
It seems that no matter what violent game is out there, GTA is always the first in the line. Of course, this rant isn't to find out why the GTA series gets so much controversy, but it's just that there are so many other games that could be ordered up. There are plenty of other violent games on the market; Saints Row, Call of Duty 4, Condemned, Alone in the Dark, hell any game has some sort of violent gameplay in it somehow.
I asked my friend on what he thought of violence and Video Games. He does NOT buy violent games (AKA ?M? games) unfortunately (but we still have great conversations about violence and such). I originally wanted to interview two of my friends but due to inconvenience I couldn't. Oh well, maybe in an update?
So, let's see the results of the interview, shall we?
The Interview
I've known my friend since preschool and we both have formal discussions (or more accurately arguments) about video games and the like. I asked my friend, whom we shall regard as "John Doe", about what he feels about violence and sex in video games. Here's the response:
"I think that the media severely underestimates video games and their potential, and that video games can become something more than just games for kids?"
That was the best result I could get out of him without him bursting in laughter of me interviewing him. Both of us have strong passions for our hobby, and we really don't want anyone to ruin it just because some crazy religious Christian (no offense to anyone) goes around saying that we'll murder our class mates some day (most likely applies to me though). We are both fairly confident that we won't go on a killing spree or treat women like objects as some of the media says.
But how can we, just gamers with almost no say in these debates resulting in blog posts that the Media will never see, stop this madness? How can we stand up for ourselves and help Video Game companies that we are loyal to? How can we do anything? Well, it's not simple (will it ever be simple?), it's not easy, and it's not going to solve itself over night. We, the gaming community, must work for recognition from the Media so they will stop humping our Asses for headlines and news reports.
There are many ways we can do this (to my knowledge) so let's go over some of the things we can do;
The Studies
"How does the 'scientific studies' made by the media help us?" you say.
I reply, "the same way it helps the media get headlines and news reports, by conducting the studies."
We all know that there have been dozens upon dozens of so-called "Scientific Studies" made by "Scientists" to find out if video games really cause violence in kids and the like. Well, it does. Violent Video Games can cause violent behavior whether it's long-term or short-term. Violent Video Games obviously have some sort of effect on kids, there's no denying that, but these studies are made to find out how much violent video games can affect the youth (and sometimes young adults)
The problem is; most of these "Scientific Studies" are bullshit, within an extremely limited time period, directed towards a select group, with many different people with different personalities with different interests, with people who aren?t even gamers by definition, with "casual gamers", with debate on what defines a violent video game, and so many other variables that most of the data brought in by these "Scientific Studies" are inconclusive.
How can we fix this problem? Well, the most ludicrous idea would be to make a study of our own, but that would be expensive, time consuming, not to mention how the hell we would conduct the study, and most likely the Media wouldn't accept our results whether it be good or bad. I say that the best idea would be to volunteer for the tests ourselves. We have to make an effort in changing the public's perspective of Video Games, so why don't we help out? Even if the results are bad, you'd still be doing your part in helping out the cause! C'mon, get off your lazy ass and play your video games with hidden cameras everywhere!
Though, it might not be the best solution out of many (as we should try all the solutions) it's still a contribution to the cause. I don't see you thinking up anything else. Speaking of which, there's a couple more problems we'll have to fix, here's the next one;
The Online Community
Note: This is not discriminating any one console's or PC's online experiences. These conclusions are from what I have heard from many a gamer online
1.http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/686190/Sesslers_Soapbox_Attention_Bigots.html
2.http://www.e-conomy.it/public/fuckwad_theory.jpg
"Online?? You ask, ?Wtf does that have to do with anything?"
Almost everything, as my experience tells me. If you've ever played online, whether it is on PS3, Wii, Xbox360 or a PC, you've probably had some bad experiences online. Let me guess? Squeaky 12-year old? Mic Spammer? Racial slurs? Homo/Xenophobic teenagers? Even a team member saying you suck? Yes, that's the online community right there. Granted, not everyone online is a dumbass, there are a few golden guys/girls tucked away there. Some of you may have been lucky, not encountering any of the previously mentioned examples, but they are still there and it's only a matter of time before you?re hit.
Let me ask you this; How can the media take us seriously and realize that games are not for kids if the very people who play them are acting childish and retarded (1). I don't even know why this happens online (2) but we, as a community, cannot let this continue. We have to show the media that we are not childish or socially unfit or unstable, and the best place to start is to clean up the online community.
Don't get me wrong, I curse like my father (who frequently curses in 3 different languages) and sometimes it can be fun to joke around with your friends and call each other names that you know are harmless because you know each other. But when random people attack another random person with homophobic and racial slurs that's where we should draw the line. What ever happened to the word TEAM or better yet the phrase TEAM WORK?
How can we possibly fix this? Oh it's much simpler than you might think. There's a universal word that can mean many different things. It might just be one word, but it could help clean up the online community 10 fold! The word is?. are you ready?you sure?okay; the word is REPORT (aka, BLOCK LIST or TERMS OF AGREEMENT). Many games and/or consoles can support this wondrous feature and it can help the online community in so many ways.
Unfortunately, the games I?ve played don?t have a report function, and usually we're reluctant to click on report because we either A)Think someone else will take care of it and B)The person will never be inspected no matter how many times I report him/her. I guess it's not the best way, but it is the most practical.
There's another way to clean up online, and that is to regulate it. We would have to be the grownup in the game, so when someone is throwing daggers of insults we'll be there with the shield to protect them and tell them to stop it. It's the same thing as standing up to a bully at school. We are going to have to be the responsible "parents", so to speak, to help the online community have one less of a jackass to deal with.
I must warn you though; this method can easily backfire. It can be quite embarrassing and people could call you the very insults that you're trying to prevent, but it's worth it! Knowing that you've converted a child of E-Satan to iGod is such a reward, and who knows, maybe you'll end up being friends with him/her? It won?t be easy, but we all have to do our part to help the gaming community.
Now, I'd like to touch up on another subject. I'm pretty sure that most of you didn't even think about this, but it's something that I?ve just recently thought about. Don't worry, the ride's almost over.
Female Gamers
WWWWHHHAAAAATTTT!?!?!?!?!?!!??!
Yup, the X chromosome, the opposite sex. You know, GIRLS. Those mysterious beings everywhere that spray burning liquid into your eyes (as quoted by Ben "Yahtzee" Crowshaw. Google him). Those creatures with those weird big mounds on their chests, oddly hypnotizing, so round and?and large and?and?sorry, lost my train of thought, but yes Female Gamers.
Who the fuck cares about female gamers? Well, honestly not many people. Most people wouldn?t really think of females playing games, probably because video games are perceived as games for men and young boys. But believe what you want to believe, woman DO play games. Some of them (unfortunately) play what you?d expect girls to play; little pink cutesy pansy games meant for gay boys, tough men, and girls. But some girls like it rough; playing big tough manly games with shooty shooty, bang bang gameplay.
Despite the knowledge of female gamers, the media still sees games as toys for boys and socially unfit older men. But games are much more than that; they can easily bring families together and usually help social lives of the people who play them (visiting forums, meeting people with similar interests, the works). Once we get female gamers to be recognized by the public, there's no doubt in my mind that the image of "Games are for kids" will change drastically.
But it's not so simple (as I've mentioned for the past 4 times), you see frequently that these "Scientific Studies" mainly test young men that vary in ages, but if women are involved there is usually no age distribution unless it's a "Study" specifically for female gamers, women are just not expected to be playing games, much less hardcore "complex" and "scary"(to females) games.
But how can we fix this? Like everything else, 'tis won't be easy. In fact, this is probably the hardest problem we'll have to fix out of all the other ones. We're going to have to make more females start getting into games. Now, I know that there are plenty of female gamers out there (unfortunately I have yet to meet one/fall in love with one
) but there still isn't enough to make a noticeable change in the public's perspective of video games.
So, we're going to have to try and make the media realize that there are more females playing this, and I'm not even sure how we can do that. I suppose we could try and get into an interview with them, be in their debates and such, but that is really out of the question.
We?re going to have to get our girlfriends/wives to play games with us, get the online community to respect women (you female gamers should know what it's like, a bunch of 12-year olds hooting at you and saying inappropriate and sexual comments to you), and disprove the stereotype that women are pink and cutesy and love pansy games and instead can handle the intense storylines and violence that video games can give us (I.E. MGS4, GTA4, CoD4, ect?)
The conclusion
In the end, it's up to us, the gamers, to help out our own community. Just like any other club that promotes its cause, we as a whole must support our cause and push through to prevail!
It won't be easy, the road is paved with spikes, nails, tar, brick walls, and super jumps, but in the end will it be worth it? Or will we miss the incorrect ramblings that the media used to say?
I'm Jumplion, and that's my rant.
~Jumplion
This article was made EXCLUSIVELY for the Escapist Magazine (but it will be posted on my deviant art account later ;P) So i hope you all enjoy reading this.
Remember, this is all purely my opinion of how we should get things done, if you disagree in anyway please feel free to post it here (but keep it a civilized, argument for the sake of arguing)
Without further ado, i give you the epic RANT ON MAINSTREAM: By Jumplion.....
A Rant On Mainstream: Video Games and the Media
Violence and Tits: THINK OF THE CHILDREN
By Jumplion
(This article is purely opinioned to the author and the interviewees. If you disagree with any of the opinions I have expressed here then 1. Go fuck yourself and 2. If you wish to argue with them please state that you are arguing for the sake of arguing and nothing more.
Thank you, and have a good time reading this rant ;3)
I'm a man who likes, no, LOVES his video games. Escaping reality and becoming an alien terminator that spews bullets like crazy, annihilating anything in my path is a nice diversion from the horrors of School. Being able to actually be somebody and be a hero feels great, even if it's saving a virtual world that could never happen in real life, it still feels like you did something people would remember. Whether it's jumping on Mushrooms to save a Princess from an evil Turtle or stopping an entire nuclear war, the escapism is a nice change of pace from our daily lives.
What's even better is that these experiences are becoming better. Games are constantly becoming more immersive, more rewarding, more beautiful, and most importantly FUN. From 2 blocks hitting a smaller block all the way to the present, video games have come a long way into our society and has formed it's own culture. It would be hard to imagine a world without Tetris or Pac-Man on our phones keeping us busy on that excruciatingly long bus ride.
Of course, no media can just waltz in the "MEDIA PORTRAYED AS ART" building without getting a flat tire or taking a detour thinking it's a shortcut. There have been some nails on the road that's popped Video Game's tires a couple of times, and it's going to take both an effort and a lot of money to let the Media think that Video Games are just as equal as films, more so on some occasions.
What do I mean by effort and money? Well, we need make an effort to make the media, hell the general public, think that Video Games aren't just for kids or just murder simulators (more on that subject later). The money comes in because those tiers are pretty expensive, the best in the world sometimes. Incase you still don't know, I'm talking about the various lawsuits, public reactions to the games, and most importantly the actual making of the game itself.
Ohh, where to start? There are plenty of places to start this rant that I won't waste time listing them. How about starting with a short summary of violent video games in general.
Violent Video Games (plus tits)
(Links shall be provided here with references:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_Coffee_mod
2. http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/21/keighley-takes-on-fox-news-sexbox-sexpose/ (Tried to find the best situation I could)
Video Games are getting more violent nowadays, there's almost no denying that. The industry is heavily saturated with bloody FPSs, Sandbox blasphemy, and other violent games. Video Games have obviously changed from a kid friendly game of pong to an all out Team Deathmatch in Call of Duty 4, but the idea that Video Games are just for kids have remained in the media's and parent's heads.
It's not just violence either, sex in video games have also been noticeable with examples such as the infamous "Hot Coffee Mod" in "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas"(1) and the Mass Stupidity of the VERY brief sex scene in "Mass Effect" (2) it's clear that Video Games aren?t coming out of the hot seat for a very long while.
I could go on about the first violent video games (Quake, Doom, GTA 1+2), but let's go on to the real meat on the bones of this rant; Video Games and the Media.
Video Games and the Media
(Links shall be provided here with the references:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Theft_Auto_Series
2. http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/84706-Police-Blame-Youth-Crime-Spree-On-GTA
3. http://youtube.com/watch?v=LIc3xI0PiEA
What is the first game that comes to mind when the Media talks about Violence in Video Games? Well, it should be no surprise that it's the hit franchise "Grand Theft Auto"(1). Call it a "Murder Simulator", "Bad Influence", or the "Sad Translation of real life to video games"; there is absolutely no denying that the GTA series are popular. The franchise alone has sold over 70 million copies worldwide; and that seems like the prime rib that the media love to eat. Saying that the GTA series isn't controversial is like saying that there's oxygen on the moon.
The Media absolutely love the GTA steak, as it's obviously one of their most favorite entrees. It gives them headlines, something to preach about, and most importantly someone/thing to blame for horrendous acts of blasphemy. Everything from School shootings to disruptive conduct, even a robbery with a 17 year-old that just happened to play games, you can bet that the GTA steak will be ordered and burned. (2)
But why specifically GTA? Sure, there are other games that have stirred up controversy (ala Mass Effect and just recently the Torture Game 2 on Newgrounds (3.)) but the GTA series seems to always catch the eye of the Media and gets bashed for it's gameplay. Maybe the Media hates Rockstar's guts, maybe it's that the GTA series could sadly be easily translated to real life, maybe they played the game and don't like the auto-aim?
It seems that no matter what violent game is out there, GTA is always the first in the line. Of course, this rant isn't to find out why the GTA series gets so much controversy, but it's just that there are so many other games that could be ordered up. There are plenty of other violent games on the market; Saints Row, Call of Duty 4, Condemned, Alone in the Dark, hell any game has some sort of violent gameplay in it somehow.
I asked my friend on what he thought of violence and Video Games. He does NOT buy violent games (AKA ?M? games) unfortunately (but we still have great conversations about violence and such). I originally wanted to interview two of my friends but due to inconvenience I couldn't. Oh well, maybe in an update?
So, let's see the results of the interview, shall we?
The Interview
I've known my friend since preschool and we both have formal discussions (or more accurately arguments) about video games and the like. I asked my friend, whom we shall regard as "John Doe", about what he feels about violence and sex in video games. Here's the response:
"I think that the media severely underestimates video games and their potential, and that video games can become something more than just games for kids?"
That was the best result I could get out of him without him bursting in laughter of me interviewing him. Both of us have strong passions for our hobby, and we really don't want anyone to ruin it just because some crazy religious Christian (no offense to anyone) goes around saying that we'll murder our class mates some day (most likely applies to me though). We are both fairly confident that we won't go on a killing spree or treat women like objects as some of the media says.
But how can we, just gamers with almost no say in these debates resulting in blog posts that the Media will never see, stop this madness? How can we stand up for ourselves and help Video Game companies that we are loyal to? How can we do anything? Well, it's not simple (will it ever be simple?), it's not easy, and it's not going to solve itself over night. We, the gaming community, must work for recognition from the Media so they will stop humping our Asses for headlines and news reports.
There are many ways we can do this (to my knowledge) so let's go over some of the things we can do;
The Studies
"How does the 'scientific studies' made by the media help us?" you say.
I reply, "the same way it helps the media get headlines and news reports, by conducting the studies."
We all know that there have been dozens upon dozens of so-called "Scientific Studies" made by "Scientists" to find out if video games really cause violence in kids and the like. Well, it does. Violent Video Games can cause violent behavior whether it's long-term or short-term. Violent Video Games obviously have some sort of effect on kids, there's no denying that, but these studies are made to find out how much violent video games can affect the youth (and sometimes young adults)
The problem is; most of these "Scientific Studies" are bullshit, within an extremely limited time period, directed towards a select group, with many different people with different personalities with different interests, with people who aren?t even gamers by definition, with "casual gamers", with debate on what defines a violent video game, and so many other variables that most of the data brought in by these "Scientific Studies" are inconclusive.
How can we fix this problem? Well, the most ludicrous idea would be to make a study of our own, but that would be expensive, time consuming, not to mention how the hell we would conduct the study, and most likely the Media wouldn't accept our results whether it be good or bad. I say that the best idea would be to volunteer for the tests ourselves. We have to make an effort in changing the public's perspective of Video Games, so why don't we help out? Even if the results are bad, you'd still be doing your part in helping out the cause! C'mon, get off your lazy ass and play your video games with hidden cameras everywhere!
Though, it might not be the best solution out of many (as we should try all the solutions) it's still a contribution to the cause. I don't see you thinking up anything else. Speaking of which, there's a couple more problems we'll have to fix, here's the next one;
The Online Community
Note: This is not discriminating any one console's or PC's online experiences. These conclusions are from what I have heard from many a gamer online
1.http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/686190/Sesslers_Soapbox_Attention_Bigots.html
2.http://www.e-conomy.it/public/fuckwad_theory.jpg
"Online?? You ask, ?Wtf does that have to do with anything?"
Almost everything, as my experience tells me. If you've ever played online, whether it is on PS3, Wii, Xbox360 or a PC, you've probably had some bad experiences online. Let me guess? Squeaky 12-year old? Mic Spammer? Racial slurs? Homo/Xenophobic teenagers? Even a team member saying you suck? Yes, that's the online community right there. Granted, not everyone online is a dumbass, there are a few golden guys/girls tucked away there. Some of you may have been lucky, not encountering any of the previously mentioned examples, but they are still there and it's only a matter of time before you?re hit.
Let me ask you this; How can the media take us seriously and realize that games are not for kids if the very people who play them are acting childish and retarded (1). I don't even know why this happens online (2) but we, as a community, cannot let this continue. We have to show the media that we are not childish or socially unfit or unstable, and the best place to start is to clean up the online community.
Don't get me wrong, I curse like my father (who frequently curses in 3 different languages) and sometimes it can be fun to joke around with your friends and call each other names that you know are harmless because you know each other. But when random people attack another random person with homophobic and racial slurs that's where we should draw the line. What ever happened to the word TEAM or better yet the phrase TEAM WORK?
How can we possibly fix this? Oh it's much simpler than you might think. There's a universal word that can mean many different things. It might just be one word, but it could help clean up the online community 10 fold! The word is?. are you ready?you sure?okay; the word is REPORT (aka, BLOCK LIST or TERMS OF AGREEMENT). Many games and/or consoles can support this wondrous feature and it can help the online community in so many ways.
Unfortunately, the games I?ve played don?t have a report function, and usually we're reluctant to click on report because we either A)Think someone else will take care of it and B)The person will never be inspected no matter how many times I report him/her. I guess it's not the best way, but it is the most practical.
There's another way to clean up online, and that is to regulate it. We would have to be the grownup in the game, so when someone is throwing daggers of insults we'll be there with the shield to protect them and tell them to stop it. It's the same thing as standing up to a bully at school. We are going to have to be the responsible "parents", so to speak, to help the online community have one less of a jackass to deal with.
I must warn you though; this method can easily backfire. It can be quite embarrassing and people could call you the very insults that you're trying to prevent, but it's worth it! Knowing that you've converted a child of E-Satan to iGod is such a reward, and who knows, maybe you'll end up being friends with him/her? It won?t be easy, but we all have to do our part to help the gaming community.
Now, I'd like to touch up on another subject. I'm pretty sure that most of you didn't even think about this, but it's something that I?ve just recently thought about. Don't worry, the ride's almost over.
Female Gamers
WWWWHHHAAAAATTTT!?!?!?!?!?!!??!
Yup, the X chromosome, the opposite sex. You know, GIRLS. Those mysterious beings everywhere that spray burning liquid into your eyes (as quoted by Ben "Yahtzee" Crowshaw. Google him). Those creatures with those weird big mounds on their chests, oddly hypnotizing, so round and?and large and?and?sorry, lost my train of thought, but yes Female Gamers.
Who the fuck cares about female gamers? Well, honestly not many people. Most people wouldn?t really think of females playing games, probably because video games are perceived as games for men and young boys. But believe what you want to believe, woman DO play games. Some of them (unfortunately) play what you?d expect girls to play; little pink cutesy pansy games meant for gay boys, tough men, and girls. But some girls like it rough; playing big tough manly games with shooty shooty, bang bang gameplay.
Despite the knowledge of female gamers, the media still sees games as toys for boys and socially unfit older men. But games are much more than that; they can easily bring families together and usually help social lives of the people who play them (visiting forums, meeting people with similar interests, the works). Once we get female gamers to be recognized by the public, there's no doubt in my mind that the image of "Games are for kids" will change drastically.
But it's not so simple (as I've mentioned for the past 4 times), you see frequently that these "Scientific Studies" mainly test young men that vary in ages, but if women are involved there is usually no age distribution unless it's a "Study" specifically for female gamers, women are just not expected to be playing games, much less hardcore "complex" and "scary"(to females) games.
But how can we fix this? Like everything else, 'tis won't be easy. In fact, this is probably the hardest problem we'll have to fix out of all the other ones. We're going to have to make more females start getting into games. Now, I know that there are plenty of female gamers out there (unfortunately I have yet to meet one/fall in love with one
) but there still isn't enough to make a noticeable change in the public's perspective of video games.So, we're going to have to try and make the media realize that there are more females playing this, and I'm not even sure how we can do that. I suppose we could try and get into an interview with them, be in their debates and such, but that is really out of the question.
We?re going to have to get our girlfriends/wives to play games with us, get the online community to respect women (you female gamers should know what it's like, a bunch of 12-year olds hooting at you and saying inappropriate and sexual comments to you), and disprove the stereotype that women are pink and cutesy and love pansy games and instead can handle the intense storylines and violence that video games can give us (I.E. MGS4, GTA4, CoD4, ect?)
The conclusion
In the end, it's up to us, the gamers, to help out our own community. Just like any other club that promotes its cause, we as a whole must support our cause and push through to prevail!
It won't be easy, the road is paved with spikes, nails, tar, brick walls, and super jumps, but in the end will it be worth it? Or will we miss the incorrect ramblings that the media used to say?
I'm Jumplion, and that's my rant.
~Jumplion
