UC Irvine

In this study, I investigate the landscape of video game play in terms of gender’s influence on experiences and preferences; relationship to a gaming identity and community; and understandings of success, skill, and leadership within gaming. I use qualitative methods, including interviews with 54 respondents, online observations of forum posts, and content analysis of older forum posts to assess player’s experiences and perceptions. There were three major possibilities for gender’s influence at the beginning of this project. First, due to an

increasing number of female players, there may be equal opportunities, definitions, and understandings among players. Second, gaming spaces could reflect what is seen in other masculine areas, with women being pushed out and seen as not belonging. Finally, players may express support for equality, but continue to leave women at a disadvantage through cultural ideas within the space. Ultimately, it appears that these possibilities all exist in an uneven distribution across gaming culture. In terms of player experiences and preferences, there is a decreasing difference based on gender, with male and female players starting at similar times and enjoying the same aspects of similar games. When considering identity and community, players share a discomfort with a “gamer” label and have a desire not to associate with it. Finally, the starkest differences and examples of the aforementioned possibilities come with player definitions of success, skill, and leadership. When considering success, players describe an openended, nongendered idea of what this means, allowing – for more casual and hobby-based play – the perception of an even playing field for men and women. On the other hand, when asked about or discussing skill, players defaulted to more masculine definitions and ideas, emphasizing men in their lives as examples of exemplary players and placing women at a disadvantage when it comes to more professional or competitive play. Beyond these aspects of gaming, players continued to create a complex idea about who is equipped for what by defining leadership in more feminine ways, but simultaneously considering this a low-prestige position and further presenting obstacles for women in gaming.