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[A Crusty Knight Of Colour]

Opening a thread in off topic in deference to Fernando Melo here: http://forum.bioware...men/?p=17622268

As some of you may be aware, Anita Sarkeesian (the face of feminist frequency, a web series of feminist critiques on pop culture like video games) recently went on the Colbert Report to talk about feminist issues in gaming.

During the interview, she specifically singled out BioWare (through Dragon Age) as a 'prominent example of misogyny in the gaming industry'.

Do you feel this claim by Sarkeesian is fair/unfair? Do you think BioWare is problematic when it comes to certain type of content? Do you believe they perpetuate misogyny in the gaming industry? Whether intentional or not. Discuss here.

Please take care to discuss the issue with civility as per Melo's request and don't use this topic to bring up irrelevant side topics. Thank you.

[Allan Schumacher]

Hey guys just as a general comment, from here on please supplement links and videos with a contribution of your own detailing why you think the link is interesting/relevant (or why you think it's not!).

 

I won't go back to get all the other ones just to keep the context there, but ideally I prefer it if people are sharing their own thoughts on the matter rather than having several posts that are just links to videos or essays that people might already be familiar with.  Thanks.

[Allan Schumacher]

Opening a thread in off topic in deference to Fernando Melo here: http://forum.bioware...men/?p=17622268

As some of you may be aware, Anita Sarkeesian (the face of feminist frequency, a web series of feminist critiques on pop culture like video games) recently went on the Colbert Report to talk about feminist issues in gaming.

During the interview, she specifically singled out BioWare (through Dragon Age) as a 'prominent example of misogyny in the gaming industry'.

Do you feel this claim by Sarkeesian is fair/unfair? Do you think BioWare is problematic when it comes to certain type of content? Do you believe they perpetuate misogyny in the gaming industry? Whether intentional or not. Discuss here.

Please take care to discuss the issue with civility as per Melo's request and don't use this topic to bring up irrelevant side topics. Thank you.

 

I did just want to share my own, personal perspective on this since it's come up a few times.  I just rewatched the clip to remember specifically where DAO was mentioned, and I think it's important to point out that the clip was shown before the brief interview with Anita came up.  I'm not privy to the reasoning why our game ended up being the one shown, but it was a clip to a different segment on a different channel and there's no real telling the specifics for why that clip was used. It could be simple and innocuous.  And unless it's in the Tropes video she herself made, it doesn't actually mention it as a "prominent example of misogyny in the gaming industry" but was part of the other fellow's discussion of violence towards women in games.

 

 

When I saw the segment I mostly chuckled when it came up.  I don't really take the critique much differently than if someone came onto the forum here and said it to me directly.  I think it's part of the challenge because her videos try to speak more towards gaming as a whole, but examples by their nature specifically call out individual titles.  I think it's also why she wasn't keen on calling out 3 games when Stephen prompted her... as that'd just bring extra scrutiny to the games specifically especially given the wider audience that will have less context.

 

 

It's mostly caused me to just look at the scene and examine it.  Rape is a sensitive subject and I don't think it's a bad thing to reflect on the instances where it comes up in our games.  For myself, I can look at something like Hespith which is much more haunting and dark, and as a result also more interesting.  Vaughn's depiction is a bit more moustache twirling evil silliness I think.  Just sort of leveraging a trope to establish that he's an evil dude without much effort.  Some have said it's kind of lazy, which is probably also a valid critique.  Some think that it's fine and it's a small part, which they're welcome to state as well.

 

What's interesting, for me, is when stepping back and just discussing that scene with some fans is hearing about ways that it did and didn't work for people.  For example I have heard several people mention that as a male elf, it come across as much more cliche.  As a female elf, however, it's much more interesting because now it's the victim that has the agency since the player is in control, and I know a lot of people who found it very refreshing and satisfying to give Vaughn his comeuppance as the character as it's a role not typically experienced by players.  Which is interesting and perhaps a conversation I wouldn't have had if it hadn't come up in her latest video.

 

 

From a content perspective I think some of her examples work well. Other examples don't work as well, and it's mostly just a talking point.  I do watch her videos, but I also take feedback I read here and reflect on it too, so it's just another piece on the pile of feedback for me.  I don't feel like she accused me or BioWare of being sexist or misogynistic by pointing it out.  I don't think a developer has to be those things to put content in the game.  I see it purely as a critique of the content itself.

 

 

Agree? Disagree?

[Allan Schumacher]

This thread has long since outlived its usefulness.

 

Closed.