Video Games and Cultural Perceptions of Gender and Identity

Introduction

One of the most important, and often controversial, aspects of video game culture is how gender is portrayed and experienced. Concepts such as the male gaze and phallocentrism help us examine how games often reflect a male-centered point of view in their design, marketing, and narratives. Furthermore, the gaming world has drawn criticism for instances of misogyny, from sexualized character design to harassment campaigns that specifically target women and marginalized communities.

Analyzing these phenomena is more than an academic exercise. Anita Sarkeesian, creator of the Peabody Award–winning Tropes vs. Women in Video Games, has long emphasized that examining cultural products like video games, films, and books is crucial for understanding how societal norms are reinforced or challenged. Through this scrutiny, we can generate critical conversations and drive more equitable representations in media. By studying how video games depict gender, we gain insight not only into entertainment media but also into broader cultural and structural issues relating to power, identity, and socialization.

This chapter introduces key theoretical frameworks—particularly the male gaze, phallocentrism, and misogyny—and then traces the historical development of the video game industry with an emphasis on gender marketing and demographic shifts. It examines phallocentric narratives and character development, along with the impact of these narratives on cultural perceptions and gaming culture at large. The “Gamergate” controversy serves as a case study of how entrenched biases can manifest in gaming communities. Finally, the discussion turns to the industry’s evolving response to calls for inclusivity, highlighting successes, challenges, and the potential for more authentic, diverse storytelling.

Theoretical Foundations: Male Gaze, Phallocentrism, and Misogyny

A core idea in feminist media analysis is the notion of the “male gaze,” introduced by film theorist Laura Mulvey in her essay “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema.” It describes how mainstream media—originally film but now including games and other visual media—encourages the viewer or player to adopt a heterosexual male perspective. In video games, this gaze often emerges through hypersexualized female character designs, camera angles that linger on female bodies, or narrative structures that treat women as objects of desire or elements that motivate the male protagonist’s journey.

The male gaze in gaming is closely tied to the concept of phallocentrism, a theoretical framework derived from psychoanalytic and feminist discourses. Phallocentrism posits that society privileges male experiences and perspectives, symbolized by cultural, social, and linguistic practices that place men and masculinity at the center. Feminist scholars like Luce Irigaray and Hélène Cixous critique phallocentrism for implicitly marginalizing women and other non-dominant groups by defining societal norms through a male-oriented lens. In gaming, phallocentrism is apparent in the dominance of male protagonists, male-coded themes such as combat or aggression, and marketing campaigns that presume a male audience.

Misogyny, the prejudice or contempt for women, arises when design choices or community behaviors consistently devalue female participation and existence. In gaming culture, this can appear as hypersexualized portrayals of women, social exclusion in online communities, workplace discrimination in game development studios, and organized harassment campaigns against female gamers, critics, and developers. Gamergate in 2014 exposed these issues starkly by showing how female developers, journalists, and critics were systematically targeted with doxxing, threats, and defamation. The interplay of the male gaze, phallocentrism, and misogyny clarifies why these patterns endure. They reinforce one another in a cycle that positions men as central and punishes those who challenge this presumed norm.

Historical Context and Industry Dynamics

The video game industry’s origins help explain why male perspectives became so ingrained. In the early 1970s, gaming emerged from the defense and electronics sectors, both of which were overwhelmingly male. Early arcades likewise catered to young men, with games such as Pong and Space Invaders offering minimalist visuals and mechanics but marketing that underscored competition and action in ways appealing to male audiences. Even Ms. Pac-Man, deemed a notable step toward including female characters, defined her “femaleness” mainly by a bow and lipstick.

As video games transitioned from arcades to home consoles in the 1980s, advertisers recognized that titles featuring action, combat, and sports resonated strongly with boys. Marketing materials frequently depicted boys engaged in intense gameplay, reinforcing the notion that games were a masculine domain. This approach not only responded to a perceived male audience but also perpetuated that skew, marginalizing potential female players.

During the 1990s, games evolved to include deeper narratives and characters, but male protagonists still dominated. When female characters appeared, they often fell into clichéd roles such as damsels in distress or hypersexualized figures. The demographic makeup of game development teams perpetuated this trend, as the vast majority of developers were men projecting their experiences and interests onto their creations. Although some iconic female characters like Samus Aran or Lara Croft emerged, they were commonly presented in ways designed to satisfy a presumed heterosexual male gaze.

The late 1990s and 2000s brought the internet revolution, connecting players globally and fostering massive online communities. Women increasingly participated in casual gaming and social platforms, while indie development expanded opportunities for alternative or experimental titles. These shifts revealed that the assumed male-dominant player base was no longer an accurate reflection of reality, setting the stage for debates over representation and critiques of an industry still reliant on outdated marketing tropes. Events like Gamergate eventually exposed the volatility of these discussions, showing just how deeply certain communities resisted calls for inclusivity.

Phallocentrism in Video Games

Phallocentrism frames maleness as a cultural default, shaping character archetypes, storylines, and player engagement. Many mainstream titles hinge on male heroes confronting enemies, asserting dominance, and saving the world or a female character. Even when female characters exist, they often revolve around the male lead’s journey. The emphasis on action and competition typically aligns with culturally masculine values, while advertisements reinforce the perception of a male audience that thrives on conquest narratives.

Phallocentrism also influences the deeper psychological aspects of player identification. Men frequently find characters who mirror their own power fantasies, while women may have to project themselves onto male avatars or tolerate storylines that center men. On a structural level, large publishers tend to produce games that play into these male-coded themes, seeing them as “safe bets” that have historically proven successful. A cycle arises where these games reinforce male viewpoints, thus encouraging marketing to young men, which further incentivizes phallocentric design.

In the last decade, indie studios and certain forward-thinking developers have begun breaking away from these conventions, exploring cooperative mechanics, empathetic narratives, and broader identities for protagonists. This shift shows that phallocentrism is not an unchangeable requirement for commercial success but rather a long-standing habit, sustained by corporate risk aversion and ingrained cultural norms. Changing it involves not only new creative visions but also reforms in workplace cultures, hiring practices, and marketing strategies.

Phallocentric Narratives and Character Development

Phallocentric narratives treat men as primary agents of storylines that revolve around power and resolution. The classic damsel-in-distress trope in early platform games exemplified this approach, presenting women as goals or rewards for triumphant male heroes. Even as games grew more cinematic, the hero’s arc still focused heavily on masculine-coded behaviors such as aggression, conquest, and leadership, while female roles were relegated to supporting or romantic functions.

The 1990s and early 2000s introduced more complex plots but did not necessarily escape phallocentric assumptions. Female characters could be pivotal, yet they were frequently sexualized or overshadowed by the central male protagonist’s emotional journey. Many narratives conflated heroism with violent conflict, reflecting broader cultural stereotypes equating masculinity with physical prowess.

These patterns shape how players interact with games. Male players often experience these stories as a validation of masculine ideals, whereas women or players from other marginalized groups must see themselves through templates designed primarily for men. This dynamic can reinforce societal norms that equate maleness with authority. Over time, critical voices, including academics, journalists, and fans, challenged these tropes. Developers responded by producing more nuanced works that feature female leads or that question traditional gender roles. Horizon Zero Dawn stands out for presenting Aloy as a resourceful protagonist who does not rely on sexualized clothing or a male partner. Even so, achieving structural change requires not just inserting female leads but genuinely questioning underlying assumptions about who holds power and how.

The Male Gaze in Video Games: From Character Design to Marketing

The male gaze pervades many aspects of game design, from hypersexualized character models to story frameworks in which women function as decorative or motivational devices. Female fighters in certain fighting games wear scant attire, while male counterparts are outfitted more pragmatically. Narrative cutscenes sometimes linger on female bodies in ways that do not mirror how men are portrayed, emphasizing attractiveness over competency or heroism.

Marketing campaigns have similarly assumed a young, heterosexual male audience, showcasing violence, sexual imagery, and male-dominant power fantasies in promotional materials. Advertisements often sideline female characters or reduce them to cameo roles. While companies increasingly acknowledge that women represent a large share of players, many mainstream campaigns still show vestiges of male-gaze-driven imagery.

Despite the lingering influence of the male gaze, there are notable shifts. Some modern titles present women who are fully dressed, with stories exploring their motivations beyond simple sexual appeal. More developers also avoid one-dimensional plot points centered on rescuing or avenging women. Gamers themselves play a role in catalyzing this change, as backlash against overly sexualized or trivialized female characters has become more vocal. The challenge is unlearning decades of tropes and designing games that fully consider women and other marginalized genders not as peripherals but as integral parts of the narrative and visual tapestry.

Impact on Cultural Perceptions and Gaming Culture

Video games do more than mirror social norms; they also shape them. When game after game portrays men as proactive agents and women as secondary figures, players absorb messages about gender roles that can persist in offline interactions. These portrayals normalize stereotypes, reinforcing the idea that strength and leadership are masculine traits and that women’s contributions are tangential or aesthetic. Such patterns can be internalized most readily by younger or more impressionable players, though they affect audiences of all ages.

The influence extends into online communities. In competitive or cooperative multiplayer settings, attitudes developed around phallocentric or male-gaze-driven designs can lead to gatekeeping and harassment, particularly directed at women or individuals who challenge those norms. Female players who dare to speak in voice chats often encounter sexist remarks or are questioned about their “real” gamer status, reflecting ingrained biases.

Yet gaming culture is far from static or uniform. Indie scenes, inclusive fandoms, and educational game initiatives have created sub-communities that champion diversity and engagement beyond the traditional male-centric mold. These groups highlight how video games can be a platform for empathy, storytelling, and social commentary rather than just a mechanism to reinforce dominant gender ideologies. As these alternative models gain traction, they gradually redefine cultural expectations, showing that gaming can be both reflective of society’s biases and a site for transformative change.

Case Study: Gamergate and the Enforcement of the Male Gaze

Gamergate began in 2014, framed initially as a dispute about ethics in video game journalism, but it quickly evolved into systematic harassment directed at women in the gaming community. Female developers, journalists, and critics, including Zoë Quinn and Anita Sarkeesian, became targets of doxxing, death threats, and smear campaigns. The controversy laid bare the intensity with which certain players sought to maintain a male-dominant culture, resisting efforts to critique sexist or exclusionary elements in games.

While some industry figures denounced the harassment, others took neutral stances, revealing a broader discomfort in challenging the status quo. Mainstream media outlets eventually focused on the misogynistic nature of Gamergate, illustrating that it was less about journalism ethics and more about silencing women who questioned entrenched norms. The episode underscored how deeply the male gaze, phallocentrism, and misogyny were intertwined in gaming. By punishing those who challenged traditional portrayals of women, harassers effectively enforced a cultural boundary that privileged male viewpoints.

Gamergate spurred conversations about online harassment policies, workplace inclusivity, and the social responsibility of developers and publishers. It also made evident that serious changes in both content and community management were necessary if gaming was to live up to its potential as a diverse, inclusive form of media. Although the events were traumatic for those targeted, the increased visibility of these issues eventually galvanized more public and industry-wide support for initiatives aimed at combating toxicity and championing inclusive practices.

Misogyny in Video Games and Culture

Misogyny in video games is part of a larger cultural phenomenon that devalues women, marginalizing them through social exclusion, belittlement, and sometimes threats or violence. Video games amplify this by replicating and reinforcing tropes that diminish women’s roles or keep them on the sidelines of fictional worlds. Designers who repeatedly craft worlds where men are protagonists and women are objects—either sexual or protective—feed into prevailing social narratives about female inferiority.

Gamergate offered a stark illustration of how misogyny functions in digital spaces, transforming theoretical critiques of the male gaze into very real threats and harms directed at actual people. The shift from in-game tropes to real-world harassment demonstrated that these narratives are not confined to fiction but bleed into community and professional environments. Identifying misogyny, naming it, and understanding its structural underpinnings allows for more pointed advocacy, guiding both creators and consumers to demand better from the medium.

Industry Response and Shifts Toward Inclusivity

Developers and publishers began responding to critiques about gender representation following years of academic, journalistic, and fan-led calls for change. While Gamergate was a particularly dramatic focal point, broader cultural shifts were already pushing studios to consider more diverse characters and narratives. Some companies issued public statements condemning harassment and pledged to foster more inclusive work cultures, though the outcomes varied widely.

Major titles emerged that challenged the assumption that games must revolve around hypermasculine men. The Last of Us Part II and Horizon Zero Dawn presented complex female protagonists who propelled the story with agency and emotional depth, rather than being defined by sexual appeal or peripheral roles. Publishers also recognized that women, LGBTQ+ players, and gamers of color represent significant market segments, thus making diverse representation both ethically and commercially appealing.

Indie developers often led the way, free from many of the financial and marketing constraints that favor tried-and-true formulas. Their successes demonstrated that a broad range of audiences were hungry for narratives that broke from masculine-dominated plots. However, structural challenges remain. Some segments of the community push back aggressively against perceived “forced diversity,” and corporate entities sometimes shy away from riskier projects that deviate too far from known revenue streams. Nonetheless, sustained advocacy, demographic shifts, and the publicizing of toxic workplace cultures have all gradually spurred studios to invest more seriously in inclusive content and practices.

Examples of the Male Gaze and the Changing Industry

Iconic franchises offer telling examples of how the male gaze once dominated gaming and how the industry is beginning to adjust. Tomb Raider initially exemplified the blending of female capability with objectifying design, giving Lara Croft a hypersexualized appearance while marketing her as a “strong female character.” Later reboots toned down her exaggerated proportions and focused on her survival skills and backstory, marking a shift away from overt sexualization in favor of multidimensional characterization.

Grand Theft Auto, often praised for its open-world innovation and biting satire, has been criticized for depicting women largely as peripheral figures or sex workers while male protagonists undertake violent adventures. Some fans argue that the games mock societal tropes, but critics contend the series still perpetuates harmful stereotypes by trivializing violence against women and normalizing their objectification.

Player feedback has grown increasingly vocal about these patterns, prompting developers to consider more respectful and varied portrayals of women. The success of titles featuring well-rounded female or LGBTQ+ protagonists demonstrates that audiences are willing to embrace, and often celebrate, complex identities. These shifts challenge old assumptions that catering primarily to a presumed straight male audience is the only pathway to commercial success. Although resistance persists, the gradual recalibration of design and marketing shows that the industry can adapt when it reckons with how deeply the male gaze shapes its products.

Conclusion

Video games serve as a microcosm of cultural perceptions of gender and identity. Historically, phallocentrism and the male gaze have shaped character design, narrative arcs, marketing strategies, and community norms, reinforcing ideas that men hold center stage while women exist on the periphery. These conventions have been guarded through open hostility, as exemplified by Gamergate, revealing how deeply certain factions cling to a tradition of male-focused game design and discourse.

Despite these challenges, signs of meaningful progress are evident. Changing player demographics, increased critical engagement from activists and scholars, and the proven commercial viability of inclusive titles show that video games need not remain confined by their origins. Publishers and developers have begun embedding diversity and inclusion initiatives into their production pipelines, while more women and marginalized people enter leadership roles. The global audience has shown it is receptive to stories that expand beyond outdated gender stereotypes.

Because video games are interactive, they hold a unique capacity not only to mirror prevailing societal norms but to prompt players to step into different roles and perspectives. This interactivity grants the medium considerable potential to question and reshape cultural assumptions about gender. As the conversation continues, the future of gaming could be defined by authenticity, a multiplicity of viewpoints, and the acknowledgment that the industry and its audiences include a wide array of experiences and identities. Although the road toward inclusivity and equity remains bumpy, continued advocacy and innovative design indicate that the gaming landscape is evolving in ways that can benefit all players.