Anita Sarkeesian + Research Materials
Pictured above are some of the video games being researched for the Feminist Frequency video series Tropes vs Women in Video Games.
**Note: Not all of the games that will be analyzed or discussed in the Tropes vs Women in Video Games series are pictured here. We still have more games to get for all systems. Obviously, we also have a good number of games acquired via Steam, PSN and XBLM.
So far we’ve purchased over 300 games for this project. As of now we can play games from the following systems: SNES, Gamecube, Wii, PS2, PS3, PS Vita, Xbox, Xbox 360, iPad, OSX. We are also looking to acquire a 3DS XL when it becomes available next month.
Backers be sure to check the Kickstarter page for an update on the project's progress! www.kickstarter.com/projects/566429325/tropes-vs-women-in...
Comments and faves
ginatrapani, brycej, julia-reynolds, myfreeweb, and 36 other people added this photo to their favorites.
bikini sleepshirt (10 months ago | reply)
when you get to diablo 3, if you want to do any multiplayer, let me know, i'd love to play a game with you. =)
Jemal (10 months ago | reply)
Wow! I've been so upset by all the harassment, but looking at that pile, I can see that there is certainly a silver lining: playing all those fantastic games. Now you have both my respect AND my jealousy! :-)
simon99ctg (10 months ago | reply)
Could we have the games when you've finished your research :)) pretty pls?
TheBeav8019 (10 months ago | reply)
I see a few in their that i'm sorry your going to play. ugg get the barf bag ready.
I see some i'm jealous of as well.
I remember when i had more game time before having kids. But maybe with this project their will one day be better games for my kids to play.
Thanks for all your work!
Jjaawwss (10 months ago | reply)
300 Games? I hope you got a group discount. How long will it take to play them all? Have Fun! :-)
brycej (10 months ago | reply)
Thanks for doing this project. You have a lot of research ahead of you but when I look at that stack of games I can't help but think, "Need it, Got it, Got it, Need it".
hakumagenji (10 months ago | reply)
I'm genuinely curious about what you'll make of Darksiders. The main guy is basically a brick wall with rage issues, but as far as I recall the few female characters are at the very least properly armoured for war. Or giant spidergods, which is probably a trope in it's own right...
Still, I hope you enjoy at least some of the research, and I look forwards to seeing the final videos.
Trachalio (10 months ago | reply)
You look so damn happy leanin' on that stack of games :D
So looking forward to your video series!
myfreeweb (10 months ago | reply)
That's probably the most exciting research materials out there :-)
I don't see Silent Hill Downpour there…
oogey (10 months ago | reply)
very much looking forward to what you make of all these games and the female characters within. Perhaps when you are finished, you could auction them games off for charity?
Bia Moreira (10 months ago | reply)
Awesomeness!
DamiansDollhouse (10 months ago | reply)
That looks painful...Way too many of them. Most of which I've never heard of.
leanneludwig (10 months ago | reply)
You do great work that impacts our society as a whole and brings light to issues that most do not see or care to address. I admire you for your strength, courage, and determination and look forward to watching your next installment.
elora253 (10 months ago | reply)
Not very many Bioware games there...the only one I spotted was Dragon Age Origins. I really enjoy their games, and was interested in what you would have to say about them.
Thank you so much for continuing this project. I can't wait to see how it turns out.
alphamc2k (10 months ago | reply)
Pfft. I've got more games than that. I'm so much cooler than you.
frogoat (10 months ago | reply)
I agree with elora253, more Bioware games can only be a good thing! :D
aday8 (10 months ago | reply)
Go Anita, best of luck to you & your team! I did my undergrad research on a couple of groups of gamers & how they treat non-heteronormative males within their community, including women & gay men. It was rather surprising how the games often reflect how the community behaves, meaning different types of gamers will play different types of games depending on how well they accept others. I found the least amount of variety in those who play fighting & racing games & the most in those who play music/rhythm games & MMOs.
Not that you need any help, but here are some games that you might find interesting if you don't already have them:
King of Fighters
Virtua Fighter
Skullgirls
Dead or Alive (the quintessential what not to do with female characters game)
Tomb Raider
Mirror's Edge
Dreamfall series
Dragon Age series
Mass Effect series
Fallout 3 & Fallout New Vagas
Dance Dance Revolution (not a traditional game, but has interesting females)
Skrich2 (10 months ago | reply)
I wanted to make a suggestion to Anita about what to do with the games after she is done with the research. Perhaps it would be a good idea for her to make a contest/lottery where her backers could win them, as they helped her get them for the project, with perhaps a post it note of thanks from Anita.
killer_hippie466 (10 months ago | reply)
Amazing amount of games :) Good luck! I love your series and it's important. Thank you!
Azrael_UK (10 months ago | reply)
I'm very excited for the Tropes project, but I didn't realise it'd involve buying so many games new. I'd be rather annoyed if these games weren't given away after the project is done. Perhaps Child's Play would be a good choice?
John DOe67 (10 months ago | reply)
Funny how you bought BLUR, a game with no characters at all.
Rebochan (10 months ago | reply)
Dude, Folklore! I love Folklore! It needs more love :(
Aetheric Mechanic (10 months ago | reply)
That is an excellent collection.
Some more that would lend themselves well to such a study, in my opinion at least, based upon the tropes you're looking at in the project:
- Any BioWare game, including the Dragon Age and Mass Effect series, which I see that you have, as well as Jade Empire and Knights of the Old Republic
- The original 2 Fallout games in addition to 3 and New Vegas
- The Command & Conquer series, especially Red Alert 3 or the recent Tiberium Wars ones
- The Elder Scrolls series, from Morrowind through Skyrim
- Any of the Grand Theft Auto games, especially San Adreas and IV
- The Hitman games, specifically Blood Money
- Valve's games like Portal and Half Life (and I do see that you do have a Steam account)
- Psychonauts
- Dreamfall: The Longest Journey
- Sims 3
- Syberia
- Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines
- Zeno Clash
- System Shock 2
- Bastion
- Deus Ex: Human Revolution
- Beyond Good and Evil
- BloodRayne series
- The Witcher 1 and 2
- Saints Row 2 and the Third
- Star Wars: Jedi Knight series
aerothorn (10 months ago | reply)
Anita -
It worries me a little that you're excluding the Windows PC as a platform. There are many game types that more or less don't appear on consoles, and the porting to OSX is still limited. I realize your study cannot be all-inclusive (you only have so much time) but at the same time you are focusing on tropes in video games as a whole, and I'd hate to see some branch or genre that used signifiticantly different tropes (or didn't use some at all) unfairly clumped in with its peers. Specifically, simulations (of any sort - flight, historical, wargames, etc) usually only appear on the PC. Also, at the end of the day, consoles often have a different target audience, particularly the big-budget games displayed in your picture. I suppose part of my point is that I've encountered problematic tropes at a much higher frequency in console games than in PC games.
That said, if they aren't already on your list, definitely check out The Longest Journey and its sequel, Dreamfall. Many people I know consider these games to have the best female protagonists in gaming, and it'd be interesting to see how they fit into the larger framework.
markito_1992 (10 months ago | reply)
You're beautiful, please keep doing what you do. The world needs it
Just.Rayna (10 months ago | reply)
I CAN'T WAIT!!!
I almost wish you could do a video for every game you get to try, but alas, that would be a little bit much, huh?
akama1_lego (10 months ago | reply)
Looking at the % breakdown, I would guess you prefer Xbox over PS3 . Best of luck on your work, and remember to go outside and enjoy the sun once in a while, that many games may be dangerous for your health.
One Question, with games where you pick your gender (skyrym, dark souls, fallout's etc), will you choose random sex, or play as both to see if the gameplay is different if you play as a Female or Male?
Samantha_Pherret (9 months ago | reply)
Hmm, I think you wanted to buy a ton of games :p Because some of those I don't think will have what you're looking for. I do know lots of those games will have sterotypes against women, so you'll get that much information. You should put down a list of the games you have cause I'd love to play them too! I'm gonna go play some of the ones I have in there and see if I can pick things out too ^_^
Joeyboots2011 (9 months ago | reply)
Super Mario Galaxy 2 is very, very sexist. You should just not even play that and send it to me.
esSarah (9 months ago | reply)
Wow, I count 160 something games. Lets assume an average of 50 hours playtime each its about 8000 hours... if you play fulltime like a job (8 to 5, five days a week) that's about four and a half years. How will you do that?
twentyninerooks (9 months ago | reply)
Ms. Sarkeesian, I cannot see whether "Metroid: Other M" is in that stack. I think it should be, being that Samus Aran is probably the biggest female protagonist in video games, and I would very much like to hear your take on how she was portrayed in that game. Also, the "Suikoden" games are likely the best example of gender equality that I have found in gaming. Suikoden III for the PS2 being a good example, as the player can actually choose who becomes the main protagonist, between two males and one female. The female actually being the knight, wearing the heaviest armor, and having the highest military rank.
wow392 (9 months ago | reply)
$150,000 going to video games and web video production
this money is not going to any organizations to help stop things like child abuse, animal abuse, fighting hunger and slavery in third world countries or anything like that.
This money is going to a girl who is going to play video games and over analyze them.
I hope every one of you morons who donated to her feel ashamed of yourselves.
myfreeweb (8 months ago | reply)
$billions are going to people like Mitt Romney.
this money is not going to any organizations to help stop things like child abuse, animal abuse, fighting hunger and slavery in third world countries or anything like that.
DamiansDollhouse (8 months ago | reply)
You know what would be cool? If after all the games are beaten/played through or whatever they're auctioned off or sold on ebay and the money is given to a womens domestic abuse place or something
myfreeweb (8 months ago | reply)
I.Grimm [deleted] (7 months ago | reply)
Anita, I FULLY support you in all your endeavors. I can't believe how everyone COMPLETELY ignores the sexism in our media and society and how THEY NEVER SEEM to talk about in PRESENT tense! Anyways, I just wanted to put in my two cents!
greatberrier (7 months ago | reply)
How about Bayonetta? Seems like 'ironic sexism' in video game form; or at least an attempt at it. It may just be plain old sexism (or at least bizarre sexism).
wongnorth (6 months ago | reply)
Umm can I have some games? :)
I'd never be able to afford that many games!
Denise (Big D) Martins (6 months ago | reply)
So jealous!
xyjames1488 (5 months ago | reply)
I can't help but hope that you don't over trivialize some of these games female characters. I have watched your YouTube videos and you're overly critical with a lot of your opinions.
At the very least I am very interested if you would do a secondary research project in the tropes that the gaming industry creates for males. If you were willing to do this, I may put aside my opinions and donate to your Kickstarter (If it is still going.)
cousinfrance1 (4 months ago | reply)
Hi, this is linked to the Feminist Film in Milwaukee Pinterest Page
pinterest.com/mkefeminist/
Asian_Gamer (4 months ago | reply)
that awkward moment of nerdy win when you know every one of those games in the picture