From one our previous readings, “Introduction: Reframing Hegemonic Conceptions of Women and Feminism,” the authors introduce the concept of the “feminine gaze” in video games, which is characterized by “a set of aesthetic and affective orientations that make space for player agency, subjectivity, and intersectional identity.” This perspective enables feminist gameplay and combats the traditional “male gaze in film theory and game studies” that leads to the “sexualization, identification, and agency” of men towards women. Based on this concept, Stardew Valley can be considered a game made for the “feminine gaze,” which is also reflected in its female-leaning player base.
Now, how does that affect gameplay? The essay portrays these feminized video games as a positive impact on the misogynistic nature of the gaming community. However, I believe that there are nuances to the influence of the “feminine gaze.” By categorizing these games as “feminine,” the essay reinforces certain stigmas about the type of games women typically play, which are the calmer, low-stakes, and free agency types of games. While preferring this type of gameplay is completely valid and these games stemming from the feminine gaze typically represent women in a more equal fashion, categorizing women by a specific genre of game is inherently limiting and somewhat discriminatory. It reinforces the pre-existing stigma that women avoid action and fighting type games, which creates a toxic environment that hinders women from participating in specific types of gameplay. Due to the fewer gaming options, less women buy these games and creators in turn continue to release games geared towards the male community. Creating a game through a “feminine gaze” essentially reflects gameplay as a form of performance. It is true that players can overall showcase feminist performances of gameplay, but limiting gameplay to “perform” for feminism is naturally restrictive to the larger roles and capabilities of women in gaming. According to the authors, female gamers are “policed, lived, produced, and fought against,” which contributes to the trend that women are less likely to identify with the gaming community.
On the bright side, Stardew Valley successfully embodies many predominant feminist values when compared to other video games. For instance, the player’s chosen gender does not change the gameplay or how other non-playable characters interact with the player, and all of the characters are portrayed in a similar visual style without the oversexualization of female characters, a trait common in the video game industry. Of course, the game is not perfect in terms of pure “equality” between the male and female characters. The majority of the business owners and the mayor are all men, with Robin and Marnie being the only two female business owners of the carpenter shop and the ranch respectively, which gives the impression that men are socially dominant in Pelican Town. Arguably, this can be considered fair; if Stardew Valley is trying to depict anaccurate representation of the real world, it would be fitting for men rather than women to take on the roles of community leaders. However, it is important to consider the influence of the game on the players; maintaining traditional gender roles within the fictional realm of Stardew Valley only serves to perpetuate this norm, as one of the main causes of the misogynistic nature of the gaming industry is the manner in which women are represented in video games. Therefore new norms of female representation in traditionally male roles are needed to catalyze a shift towards a more feminist culture even if they are not accurately representative of current society. Although Stardew Valley effectively manifests many feminist values, there is still plenty of room for improvement by implementing a more feminist and equal representation of the sexes in all societal roles. These changes, although subtle, have the potential to dramatically influence the social culture of the gaming industry.
References:
Gray, Kishonna L., et al. “Introduction: Reframing Hegemonic Conceptions of Women and Feminism in Gaming Culture.” Feminism in Play, Springer International Publishing, Cham, 2018.
