1. We Aren't Worse Than Other Mediums, But We Could Be Better
Perhaps this all sounds incredibly negative and like I am attacking the status-quo. I really hate to give off that impression to people, and I most definitely am not trying to change or force an opinion on anyone. So why have I kicked up such a fuss with this article and things I have talked about extensively in conversation? Well for me, the reason it is being highlighted so frequently is because I think we are on the verge of a social change in the medium. Depending on what your view is, you may not see it in the same way, but I see the medium trying to deal with female representation, which is encouraging because I know we can progress on the issue. I firmly believe that games are no worse than film or TV in terms of how it represents women. I think they face the same problem but in different ways. Like I have said earlier, film and advertising has played havoc on some women in the past as it puts forward a very idealised body image. Gaming doesn't fact that problem. Instead we need to worry about being more inclusive to women because we are defined by our interactivity. It is not about taking away what we already have, but instead just expanding our choice and appealing to a broader range of people. Anyway, some of the games that we currently have are becoming a little too similar. If we could trade in another Call of Duty clone for an interesting take on a female driven action/adventure, I don't think anyone would be complaining. The medium has a chance to really be the head of a movement that may encourage others to follow. Wouldn't it be interesting to see films trying to be like games for a change instead of the other way around? That is the kind of interesting paradigm that could be ahead of us if we crack this nut. I hope that has at least got a response out of you and you feel like you want to tell me if you agree or disagree with my points. I wanted to start discussion, so start discussing in the comment section below.