The State of Female Characters in AAA Games

Header Art by Zakurarain.

This time last year I was ecstatic over all the amazing 2016 games showcasing female protagonists. It seemed like things were starting to look up for those who’ve been demanding more diversity from the mainstream, AAA video games. Unfortunately, I realised after this year’s E3 and looking at the Fall to early 2017 lineup I was being a little too optimistic. Not only is there a lack of women, but big games and publishers are actively avoiding putting women in their games. In an industry where more than half of those who play games are women, it’s frustrating that sexism and misogyny keep pushing women to the sides or entirely exclude them from AAA games. From the typical oversexualized portrayal to a more subtle misrepresentation to outright exclusion, there are different ways in which the AAA games in this article (and many others we couldn’t get into here) are a disservice to the potential of video games and the players who love them.

Updated: Awesome Video Games Coming in 2016

It’s hard to believe 2016 is half over. So many amazing games have come out this year. From Naughty Dog’s phenomenal conclusion to their beloved franchise Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End to Drinkbox Studio’s stunning PS Vita adventure Severed there have been loads of great games to play from small indie games and AAA titles alike. But there is still so much more to play in the coming months and several undoubted “Game of the Year” contenders. So to keep track of all the awesome games still to come I’ve decided to update our previous list published back in January. Take a look at all the exciting games you’ll (probably) be able to play in 2016!

Bethesda E3 2016 Conference Recap

Hot damn. I’m going to be honest, I was skeptical when I heard Bethesda was hosting another press conference. After their stellar showing at E3 2015, I thought it was a one off. That they were just doing it to start the Fallout 4 hype train and that maybe they would do another one in a couple years when they had another marquee title to announce like Elder Scrolls VI. But they came back this year and they were excellent. So if you missed it or want a detailed list of the announcements this article is for you, enjoy!

2016: The Year of the Heroine

A recent study conducted by the Pew Research Center found that men and women are equally likely to report playing video games. With just as many women playing games as men there should be just as many male leads as women in our games. So I went to my local EBGames and scoured the shelves, finding that there are barely any games with female leads. Of those that are available there are even fewer where the character in question is a developed, meaningful representation of women. Thankfully in the past couple years women are starting to be used in games as the compelling and relatable characters they need to be. 2015 games like Rise of the Tomb Raider, Cibele, Life Is Strange and Undertale all promoted substantial, realistic women.