Good games have been elevated to the pantheon of greatness based on their refusal to abide by the sexism which still exists in the video gaming industry. Since way back in 1986 when the developers of Metroid had Samus Aran whip off her helmet to revealthat she was a woman, to everyones surprise. It bucked against the preconception that women should always be the pretty princesses or prizes to be won as opposed to autonomous beings, and it should be lauded for that. Since Samus kicked all that Space Pirate butt back in the 1980s, we have had incredible female characters in games such as Lara Croft, the gorgeously individual Jack and Starcrafts Kerrigan. Despite all this movement towards gender equality in video gaming, Rockstar and its flagship GTA franchise are somehow stuck in the mud. It is highly surprising that a developer which seems so self-aware and knowledgeable about the video game medium should seem to be so disinterested in women. In the plethora of incredible titles they have given us over the years, Rockstar are yet to provide us with a single female lead, despite GTA V having featured a trio of main characters. With this being one of the major criticisms of a mostly flawless title, rumours are justifiably rife that Rockstar will look to end this woman-less streak in their next GTA outing.
Hailing from South East London, Sam Heard is an aspiring writer and recent graduate from the University of Warwick. Sam's favourite things include energy drinks, late nights spent watching the UFC with his girlfriend and annihilating his friends at FIFA.
