Ethical Engineering: How Video Games Express Cultural Bias
Ethical Engineering: How Video Games Express Cultural Bias
Ethical Engineering: How Video Games Express Cultural Bias
Songyee Yoon
October, 18, 2024
Summary
In the early 2010s, while working on Lineage II, I noticed a troubling trend in video games: male characters were often the heroes, while female characters were typically sexualized and designed to be rescued. This raised questions about how developers viewed women and their responsibility in shaping digital worlds. Despite the growing feminist movement and rising violence against women, my male colleagues didn’t see the importance of balanced gender representation. Although there have been efforts to create stronger female characters, the gender disparity in the industry remains, with only 23% of game developers being women. More inclusivity is needed.
Reference
Yoon, S. (2024, October 18). Ethical engineering: How video games express cultural bias. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbooksauthors/2024/10/18/ethical-engineering-how-video-games-express-cultural-bias/