Who's the scariest of them all? : effects of woke on female game protagonists and why women’s diverse representation matters

Abstract

Women have been historically underrepresented in video games, and their scarce appearances have often been heavily sexualized. As the player base has shifted towards a more equal split between men and women, the representation of female characters has also improved. However, this has caused a lot of criticism, often associated with a phenomenon called woke. While the original intents of the movement are positive, they have also been heavily criticized. Some players even think woke is impacting games negatively. The objective of this thesis was to answer the question of whether the female protagonists are ruining the games made in the 2020s by being “too woke”, or are the critics misogynistic. This was done by utilizing two qualitative research methods: comparative case analysis and a survey. The comparative case analysis aimed to provide insight about the current state of female protagonists and how they appear in the context of woke. Meanwhile, the purpose of the survey was to find out if the players valued the same qualities that are generally associated with good protagonists. It was assumed that if a consensus was found, the protagonist’s gender should not matter if the character was otherwise presented well. After all, the most common criticism against “woke” female protagonists has mostly revolved around qualities that male characters have not been condemned about. These studies focused on ready-made female protagonists’ appearances, backstories, personalities, and roles. Gameplay mechanics, customizable protagonists, and woke’s effects on the games’ commercial successes were left out. It was found that while woke qualities were present, they were not ruining these protagonists but rather added much needed diversity. However, many stereotypes also persisted, but their absence did not automatically turn the characters woke. These outcomes suggest the criticism is rooted in misogyny. Responses to the survey supported the hypothesis for the most part. However, some of the qualities ranked differently between genders and there were a few contradictions between open questions and rankings. The findings of both studies are beneficial to the gaming industry when considering future protagonists: they should appeal to the players all while supporting positive representation.