Sexualisation of games characters

Is it necessary? All signs point to....

Words: Justin Towell on March 8, 2010

Psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos has published her independent report on the sexualisation of young people for the British Home Office. It's a sound enough topic for discussion - a look at any fashion game or music video will show you there's at least a potential problem. Though every medium is covered in the report, the section on 'Computer games' has some interesting statistics.

Citing Dill and Thill (no, really) from a study in 2007, she says:

83 per cent of male characters were portrayed as aggressive, while 60 per cent of female characters were portrayed in a sexualised way and 39 per cent were scantily clad.

The equivalent figures for male characters were 1 per cent and 8 per cent respectively.

Which got us to thinking. Can you really imagine a gaming world where characters aren't sexualised? Let's take a look at what that might be like:

Tomb Raider

Above: Gaming's Lara Croft and real life archaeologist Carenza Lewis from Channel 4's Time Team

We can't imagine a real-life styled archaeology game, especially with a non-sexualised female lead. What bullet points would you put on the box? Real-time toothbrush switching?

Soul Calibur

Above: Gaming's Ivy in SoulCalibur and real-life's women's Kendo

Bayonetta

Above: Gaming's sexual Bayonetta and... the Wicked Witch of the West

Is that really what gamers need? We can't imagine buying any of those (although we would be intrigued by that Wicked Witch of the West game. YOU MELTED - GAME OVER).

And then there's the flipside. Sexualising male leads can be done with tact, humour and convincingly too - just look at Nathan Drake in Uncharted 2 for an example of that. But look what happens when you sexualise a familiar male lead. We're sorry to have to do this to your eyes...

Above: Oh please, God - no!

We're all for maintaining the innocence of childhood for as long as possible and some games characters are undoubtedly sexualised for titillation's sake alone, like Ayumi from X-Blades. You probably haven't played the game, but we're certain you'll remember her...

Above: Not fan-art - that's official wallpaper from the game's PR company

So yes, there's obviously a problem. How would you solve it? Let us know in the comments.

08 Mar, 2010

X-Blades - trailer

Platforms:

Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Wii, DS, PSP

32 comments

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ZenPhoenix - March 11, 2010 5:21 a.m.

Sometimes all the oversexualisation is horribly distracting, taking your focus off the game. Why would a developer want this? Especially when countless times they focus more on the overly proportioned characters than actually crafting a great experience, the main reason we buy the games in the first place.
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scbyfn4evr - March 9, 2010 6:26 p.m.

I would solve it by recognizing that male characters are being oversexualized as well in the form of characters like GOW's Kratos, SC's Rock, Maximo in Ghosts and Goblins (he runs around in boxer shorts) as just a few examples. To paraphrase, I would solve this problem by paying attention. This of course means it won't be solved.
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philipshaw - March 9, 2010 5:22 p.m.

Have to agree with the report, just look at how bad Heavy Rain does it with the shower sequence
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oufour - March 9, 2010 11:30 a.m.

makw them where clothes?
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Blackviperr - March 9, 2010 8:01 a.m.

Sexualisation should be more widely used. It'll become so normal, Nobody'll complain about it no more xD
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Cwf2008 - March 9, 2010 6:48 a.m.

Viva la revolucion? reCAPTCHA: minors the...huh interesting
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lovinmyps3 - March 9, 2010 4:05 a.m.

I don't think there's a problem here. Everything in our culture is sexualized and as humans that's what we like to see. We are attracted to beauty so why would we want to go through a game looking at normal looking people, games are a kind of escapism so we want good looking people in our games. I hope I don't sound shallow.
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LordPwnge18 - March 9, 2010 3:07 a.m.

How would i fix it? Ehh. Don't fix what ain't broke i say.
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Kirol - March 9, 2010 2:26 a.m.

Let me copy-paste my appropriate comment from the "Is this the future of gaming for women?" I agree with all of you, though the problem lies not only with games but with the media in general. If you look at advertising, negative gender roles and stereotypes are reinforced through semiotics and constant bombardment of visual keys though the visual language in which they are portrayed. For example, sticking a 'sexy woman' on something to gain sales is a negative stereotype upon women, saying that 'you have to look like this / act like this to be attractive to men', while on the flipside it is saying to men 'this is what you want, you sad perverted single-minded fool'. It happens all the time, and is intended to stir into our 'base desires' and such. It's all lies at the end of the day, as each person is an individual. Girl gamers have the stereotype of wanting to play games to do with what their gender stereotypes say they 'should' want to play. Until the industry (and we, the public) recognises that these metaphysical walls can be smashed, (praise to portal here for non-sexualised and non-gender-specific gameplay) I'm afraid we're stuck with the compromise of gender-specifically aimed games. Things are changing slowly with the rise of androgyny and gender equality, and we may just see in our lifetimes a true shift into games truly for everyone, but the same can be said for books, movies, TV shows, and all other forms of media. If the companies don't target their main demographic, they fail. Simple as that. As such, they simply have to test the water before making a massive leap into something; it's for their own safety. Hold tight, girl gamers, things are changing.
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nik41507 - March 9, 2010 12:11 a.m.

I say this is not a problem gaming main audience are males so devs cateer to their audience but its not that only girls are sexualizes (in all forms in media) in those twilight movies, the guy has his shirt for thw whole movie and most movies women aren't topless he ones in the theaters I mean
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CrashmanX - March 9, 2010 12:11 a.m.

My solution, Armor. Put armor on everything, if its in the game put armor on it. Armored People, Dogs, Ships, Plants and even, yes, ARMORED ROCKS!!! Of course all of this armor is breakable though and reveals Either ungodly sexy people or unsightly hideous people.
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linkganon - March 8, 2010 11:51 p.m.

Maybe, just maybe tell these jackasses off for trying to ruin the gaming industry's rep again as they did with the sexbox, and then accuse the parents of not watching their kids carefully (it's not the industry's fault IT'S YOUR FAULT PARENTS!), if you don't like it too bad for you. real women > pixelated women, get it. The gaming industry is mostly men as most women find it to be a waste of time anyhow and they said nothing for like 20 years. who gives a shit anyways, except for hypocrites, it sells the s*** (constant law of merchandising (sex+merchandise=$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$)) (another law (laura croft+pants+shirt=dissatisfaction+bankruptcy)want this to happen, we don't) so do all us gamers a favor here and go **** yourselves.
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bonerachieved - March 8, 2010 10:48 p.m.

Just look at my name.
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Zombie711 - March 8, 2010 10:04 p.m.

Show that cut scene from WET when Ruby stabs that guy in the crotch. Let them fear sexuality.
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Patius - March 8, 2010 8:13 p.m.

Actually, according to some of the archeologists I've talked to, if they go on digs in the jungle or in a place like Iraq or Afghanistan, things can get sort of Indiana Jones like. With fleeing from bandits, dodging terrorists, and avoiding poisonous animals like snakes and spiders. That stuff could very easily be sexualized.
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Samael - March 8, 2010 7:40 p.m.

I think there can/should be a balance. We're always going to have Ivy's and there's nothing really wrong with that, but a few more Alyx Vance's would be great. Same with guys. We'll always need the Master Chiefs and Marcus Fenixes, but a Gordon Freeman or Scott Shelby should be available as well.
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Conman93 - March 8, 2010 7:33 p.m.

That Link picture scares me :0
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ventanger - March 8, 2010 7:28 p.m.

Meaningful characterization, compelling narrative, and realistic emotions will always, always defeat senseless sexualisation. People know it, even if they don't realize it.
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RebornKusabi - March 8, 2010 7:27 p.m.

The day sex stops selling in video games is the same day that MTV goes off the air, Rap AND Rock music go away, Disney stops promoting tween singers, pop culture stops deciding for YOU what is ideal in a mate and Women-only AND Men-only magazines stop being published. In otherwords, never...
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hazelam - March 8, 2010 7:12 p.m.

there are worse things than sexualising game characters. like how many female game characters are portrayed as the victim, one of the most sexist games was that princess peach game for ds, and that was anything but sexualised, cry or go into a strop as your special powers? give me a break. while these female game characters may not be wearing much they can usually stand toe to toe with the male characters of the games as equals. i'd rather that than showing them as weak and always the damsel in distress.
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