Trabajo De Fin De Grado (Code 31099) Degree in English Studies Session 2020-21
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Trabajo de Fin de Grado (code 31099) Degree in English Studies Session 2020-21 Student’s first name Noelia Sáez Felipe Student’s surname DNI 48804863-J Title of your TFG An analysis of language and gender stereotypes in video games First name and surname José Belda-Medina of your Tutor Abstract In the video games world, we often observe several stereotyped patterns between female and male characters, related to their image, personality, and language. The main objective is to analyze these patterns and compare them between characters. Quantitative data was gathered through the analysis of eight videogames that are new, world-famous and there is a presence of female characters and a survey completed by 111 young people to evaluate their level of awareness regarding gender roles, as well as the language that these characters use. The results show that video games explicitly or implicitly have differences in gender roles and sexist factors that influence the identity of the female characters and the respondents were fully aware of gender stereotypes. However, a significant part of them decided to continue playing these games, although they demanded a change in the videogame industry. Video games, gender roles, stereotypes, awareness, Thematic key words submissive and assertive language. INDEX 1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 1 2. Women’s role in video games. ....................................................................................... 5 3. Objectives .......................................................................................................................... 9 4. Methodology ................................................................................................................... 10 5. Analysis of language and gender in video games .................................................... 13 5.1.1 Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End ................................................................................... 13 5.1.2 Final Fantasy XV ................................................................................................... 15 5.1.3 Horizon Zero Dawn ............................................................................................... 17 5.1.4 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild ................................................................ 18 5.1.5 The Shadow of the Tomb Raider ............................................................................ 20 5.1.6 Kingdom Hearts III ................................................................................................ 22 5.1.7 Final Fantasy VII: Remake .................................................................................... 24 5.1.8 The Last of Us 2 ..................................................................................................... 26 5.2 Data analysis............................................................................................................ 27 6. Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 35 7. Acknowledgement ......................................................................................................... 38 8. References........................................................................................................................ 38 1. Introduction Video games are a sector that has significantly increased over these decades. As Díez et al. (2004) say, video games have been transformed into a global mass phenomenon since the 80s. This phenomenon is due to many factors; thanks to reducing the digital divide and the boom of technology, video games are easier to find and play. Gómez (2013) explains that video games started in the United States in the 40s for military purposes. Notwithstanding, the first video game whose purpose was to enjoy was created thanks to the scientific Willy Higginbotham at the end of the 50s, who created an interactive tennis game to commemorate the annual day of the visitor. Some years later, the MIT student Steve Russell created a video game for two people whose main objective was to destroy the other player, monitoring the speed and direction while driving a spaceship and trying to avoid the solar gravity. This game is known as Space Wars (Diez et al., 2004). After these phenomena, the video game industry had to wait until 1966, when the father of video games, Ralph H. Baer, created the first console that could be used with a TV. Some years later, the company MAGNAVOX bought Baer's technology and developed the video game Odyssey (Diez et al. 2004). However, as Gómez (2013) says, it was not until the beginning of the 70s when Nolan Bushnell, known as the father of the video games industry, developed Computer Space, a game for one person. Moreover, he and his partner Ted Dabney started the first video game company of history, Atari. This company created the first successful arcade game, Pong. Thanks to this moment, the video game industry grew significantly until 1984, when there was a minor crisis that Nintendo exceeded with the creation of the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) (Gómez, 2013). It is at this moment when the video games thematic becomes more complex and diverse, and with the increment of 1 the technological usage in our homes and the development of technology, the video games industry has grown successfully to become one of the most important enterprises in the world. Nevertheless, after looking at the video games history, we need to think about who plays video games. Rodríguez et al. (2002) explains in the book Jóvenes y videojuegos: Espacio, significación y conflicto that when we try to define the video games market is absolute to say that is a male one. Even though there is a progressive growth of women in this industry, the contents are made by men and for men's fantasies and desires because they are the central public of this market. Kit Gittleson (2014), in her article "Why does sexism persist in the video game industry?" explains that most video game developers are men, and they tend to create things that are similar to things they see, so there is a feedback loop. Díez et al. (2004) explain that it is not only that video games are made by men, and for men, something that reinforces the male behaviour and their conduct, but video games also respond to social structures and ideologies that are seated in our cultural and social context, with incitement to sexism. Moreover, Díez et al. (2004) paraphrase Etxebarria (1996), saying that contributing the explanation that video games are not neutral because many authors coincide on the detection that there is a different treatment in male and female roles, something that reinforces the concept of sexual differences. In fact, men are the ones that are predominating the Internet, and there is a significant digital divide between women and men (Gómez, 2013). Gómez (2013) explains with Cecilia Castaño's (2008) words that this problem has nothing to do with access or computer skills. The problem has to do with the male dominance in the strategic areas of education, investigation and occupation of science, engineering, and ICTs and with the low presence of women in higher jobs. In this research project, we will not investigate the role of women as gamers or developers but the presence they have in the video game industry as characters. This 2 project was born to analyse the language of female characters in video games and compare them with male characters in order to find if there is a use of sexist language and other parameters, such as the Bechdel test because we found a lack of information on this topic. Although numerous investigations examined the image and personality of the characters, we could not find any research project that analysed the characters' language in a complex manner. Another motivation found is the lack of recent studies on recent games, observing if there has been an evolution between 2000 and 2012 and those created between 2016-2020. It is because of this reason that we propose to explore video games that have been published recently, between 2016 and 2020. Moreover, the video games analysed in this project are from different cultures, being the American culture, the Japanese culture, and the Netherlands culture. This amalgam of cultures will show the cultural differences between them whilst they create new video games. The video games studied are as follow in this table: Video Description Characters Developers Platforms games analyzed Uncharted Nathan Drake, a retired Elena and Naughty PlayStation 4: A Thief’s treasure hunter, lives happily Nadine Dog 4 End (2016) with his wife Elena Fisher when his brother Sam appears, whom he believed dead. Together they will begin their last adventure searching for Henry Avery's treasure and will face different and dangerous challenges. 3 Final Prince Noctis and his friends Lunafreya Square Enix PlayStation Fantasy XV travel to defeat the Empire and Cindy 4, Xbox (2016) after the attack on his One, kingdom. Microsoft Windows, Google Stadia Horizon Aloy begins her trip to Aloy and Guerrlla PlayStation Zero Dawn discover her origins and the Games 4, Microsoft (2017) explore the world that is Matriarcha Windows beyond the Nora tribe. l Tribes The Legend Link awakens after 100 years Zelda Nintendo Nintendo of Zelda: of Ganon's Cataclysm to defeat Entertainme Switch, Wii Breath of him and save Hyrule. nt Planning U the Wild