Gender, Simulation, and Gaming: Research Review and Redirections

  • Authors:

  • Jennifer Jenson;Suzanne De Castell

  • Affiliations:

  • York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada;Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia,Canada

  • Venue:
  • Simulation and Gaming
  • Year:
  • 2010

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Abstract

This review of gender and gameplay research over the past three decades documents a set of persistent methodological repetitions that have systematically impeded its progress since the inception of this trajectory of research. The first is, in fact, a refusal to consider gender at all: Conflating gender with sex impedes possibilities to identify nonstereotypical engagements by girls and women. Second is the persistent attempt to identify sex-specific 芒聙聹patterns芒聙聺 of play and play preferences 芒聙聹characteristic芒聙聺 of girls and women mainly to support and promote these in the name of 芒聙聹gender equity,芒聙聺 whether in women芒聙聶s involvement in the game industry as designers, in the development and marketing of 芒聙聹games for girls,芒聙聺 or the access and uses of digital games for education, training, and entertainment. Third, it is found that 芒聙聹gender芒聙聺 is an issue in research studies only long enough to dismiss it as a significant variable, which in turn makes any deeper critical interrogation unproductive.