"Gaming culture has deep-seated gender perceptions that women are not as good players as men," says SIFO researcher Kamilla Knutsen Steinnes, who is writing a PhD on consumption in video games.
The stereotypical gamer
In a new study, she examined how gamer identity is formed and what spending and consumption patterns mean for being "in." Gender and video games have been extensively researched, but Steinnes found a knowledge gap when she looked at how consumption affects how players create their identities as gamers.
"Gamer identity is a social identity; there is a certain type of player who can call themselves gamers," she says.
The stereotypical gamer is male, heterosexual, and barricades himself in his room with soda and junk food. Gaming started as a niche activity embraced by young boys but has grown into a massive global industry. Nevertheless, this perception of its origins still lingers.
The identity is often linked to male players who play shooters, such as Counterstrike, and there are clear expectations that they spend money on equipment and appearance – skins– Kamilla Knutsen Steinnes
"The identity is often linked to male players who play shooters, such as Counterstrike, and there are clear expectations that they spend money on equipment and appearance – skins," says Steinnes.
“Pink games” for girls
Consumption in games includes everything from hardware, software, bandwidth, and equipment to in-game consumption – skins, battle passes, and various game currencies. The gaming industry is highly commercialized and gender-segregated, often targeting young men. In recent years, there has been increasing marketing aimed at girls, typically referred to as "pink games" in the research literature.
The gaming industry distinguishes between "core" games, which often appeal to boys, and "casual" games, like Sims and mobile games, which are played more by girls.
Gamer identity is linked to core games, and it can be harder for girls than boys to be accepted as legitimate gamers. Even though female players have all the right equipment and are skilled players, it is not always enough.
"’Correct’ consumption cannot always compensate for the fact that they are female players, and they may, for example, experience exclusion if they use voice chat," she says.
Some girls enjoyed the pink games but did not call themselves gamers even though they played for several hours every day.
The gaming culture is primarily positive and social. Both boys and girls have had negative experiences, but it is rare. Most players make friends and learn a lot through games.– Kamilla Knutsen Steinnes
Positive and Social Culture
Steinnes has interviewed 41 girls and boys aged 10 to 24 – an age group that is avid consumers of video games. She has also played with them and observed them while they play. She believes that the gaming culture is primarily positive and social.
"Both boys and girls have had negative experiences, but it is rare. Most players make friends and learn a lot through games."
The gaming culture is a young culture and is constantly evolving. It started as a male-dominated sphere without much censorship. Now girls have entered the scene, and many have had to moderate themselves as a result. Many games have implemented guidelines to counteract discrimination.
"The gaming culture has improved a lot. Well-known games, such as League of Legends, have implemented measures to counteract gender discrimination," says Steinnes.
Changes in the Industry
She sees significant signs of change in the gaming industry. Previously, it was difficult for female game developers to get jobs, but now there is an emphasis on hiring female game developers.
"Equality may still have a way to go in the gaming world, but I think we will continue to see a lot of progress in this area going forward," says the researcher.
Global statistics show that there is a great variety of people who play, and almost half of the world's players are women.
Reference
Kamilla Knutsen Steinnes is a consumer researcher at Consumption Research Norway (SIFO) and a PhD candidate in Behavioral Analysis at OsloMet. The research is published in a recent anthology edited by SIFO researchers.
Steinnes, K.K. (2024), Gamers’ Crafted by Consumption: The Influence of Consumption on Gender Identities in Video Games (emerald.com), Jacobsen, E., Strandbakken, P., Dulsrud, A. and Skuland, S.E. (Ed.) Consumers and Consumption in Comparison (Comparative Social Research, Vol. 37), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 167-187.
