grrl gamers!
I saw this link on Kotaku today, and couldn’t help laughing. It’s an “exclusive review” of a videogame “clan,” composed entirely of attractive, game-playing females. I actually knew about this entire fiasco a few months ago. Basically, a game publisher (Ubi Soft, for those concerned) hired a bunch of girls to write blogs about playing videogames on a webpage, especially videogames published by Ubi Soft. For anyone with half a brain, it was obvious that some crap publisher is trying to use teh ol’ sex appeal to get people to buy their crap games. Therefore, I was able to get a laugh out of the aforementioned link. <p> After I thought about it, though, I realized it’s kind of a shame. These girls are probably pretty good at games, and have to like them at least somewhat in order to have a job that requires playing them. Yet is it worth it to take a job that is obviously objectifying you, even if part of it is something you really like? I guess a hardcore feminist would decry the entire games industry as being entirely too testosterone-laden, and wouldn’t play games at all. I’m probably just one of the bleeding hearts who thinks that it wouldn’t hurt to have some prominent, positive female figures in the games industry whose main asset isn’t sex appeal.
Comments
adam wrote on :
WHAT ABOUT STEVIE CASE... oh wait...
Laura wrote on :
I'm not even going to comment on the issue at hand, but I will say this: Doesn't it sometimes make you feel worthless to spend your time playing video games? I spent nearly 24 hours playing Banjo-Tooie (not all at one go, mind you). That's an ENTIRE DAY. But then again, I usually feel slightly guilty for a minute, and then keep playing the dang game. Hurry up and come home so I have someone to play Goldeneye with.
nate wrote on :
I dunno, I sure don't play games as much as I used to. Like, there just aren't enough interesting games, in spite of the fact that gaming is bigger than ever. I guess in my mind, playing games falls somewhere between watching a movie/TV and reading a book. It's all media consumption (TV being the 'lowest' form), but there are levels of interaction and you get different benefits from different media. As far as the waste of time issue is concerned, I've done far more worthless things than play games for 24 hours. Then again, I've probably done better, too. S'pose it comes down to the 'balancing your time' issue, which is something I've never been great at.
nate wrote on :
let me also add: "Boobies, Stevie Case! Boobies!"
adam wrote on :
thanks, i was waiting for that :)
MacGuffin wrote on :
LOL. Twenty four hours spent on Banjo-Tooie? That's nothing. I've dropped 600~700 hours of my life on Phantasy Star Online, and probably another 200~300 or so on Monster Hunter. Be thankful that there are linear games that have a point and a very specific amount of playtime in mind. :)