Feminism in Popular Video Games

an Analysis of Female Protagonists in their Representation of Feminist Values

Authors

  • Inkar Mustafina King's College London
  • Sami Ismat School of the Art Institute of Chicago

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47611/jsr.v13i1.2413

Keywords:

Feminism, Video Games, The Last of Us, Lara Croft, Female Protagonists

Abstract

Representation of women in video games is an important issue as it contributes to the consumer’s perception and understanding of the group. Particularly, the modern female protagonists in video games widely challenge the sexist premise of women’s physical and intellectual inferiority to men, showcasing the heroines’ strengths and personal qualities. The following essay considers acclaimed titles such as Tomb Raider, The Last of Us, and Horizon: Zero Dawn in their depiction of the female protagonist from the perspective of feminism. The studied heroines manifest a series of feminist values like independence and freedom of expression. However, the lack of diversity in the presented women implies the need for improvement in the industry to fully encompass contemporary feminism.

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Published

02-29-2024

How to Cite

Mustafina, I., & Ismat, S. (2024). Feminism in Popular Video Games: an Analysis of Female Protagonists in their Representation of Feminist Values. Journal of Student Research, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.47611/jsr.v13i1.2413

Issue

Section

Review Articles