Video Oyunlarında Kadının Değişen Temsili: Yenilikçi Damsel in Distress Tasvirleri

Öz

Video oyunlarında kadının yetersiz temsilini ele alan çok sayıda araştırma literatürde mevcuttur. Bu araştırmalar, video oyunlarında kadın karakterlerin az sayıda ve genellikle yardımcı rollerde olması, sadece cinsel çekiciliklerinin ön planda tutularak başroldeki erkek karakterin ödülü olarak kurtarılmayı veya talep edilmeyi bekleyen pasif kişilikler olarak kurgulanması gibi bazı temel problemlere dikkat çeker. Fakat son yıllarda video oyun endüstrisinde kadının yetersiz ve basmakalıp temsilini değiştirme çabası da gözlemlenmektedir. Bu değişim çabasının bir yansıması olarak bazı video oyunlarında damsel in distress (başı dertte olan genç kadın) gibi en bilinen karakter arketipleri tekrar yorumlanmaya başlamıştır. Araştırmada damsel in distress arketipinin yenilikçi yorumlarını incelemek için amaçlı örnekleme yöntemiyle seçilen dört oyun ele alınmıştır. Amaçlı örneklemede araştırmacı, çalışmasında konu edindiği problemleri çözüme ulaştıracak zengin bilgi içeren örnek durumları seçmektedir. Seçilen dört oyun ise sırasıyla Braid, Grand Theft Auto IV, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice ve Gris’dir. Dört oyunda da damsel in distress arketipinin ve bu arketiple bağlantılı anlatıların nasıl tekrar yorumlandığı betimsel analiz yöntemiyle açıklanmaktadır. Betimsel analiz yaklaşımına göre elde edilen veriler daha önceden belirlenen temalara göre özetlenerek yorumlanmaktadır. Analizde video oyunlarında yer alan yenilikçi damsel in distress anlatılarının, kadının yetersiz temsilini aşmaya yönelik olumlu mesajlar verdiği sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Örneklemdeki oyunlar, kadın karakterlerin gerektiğinde yardım beklemeden tek başına mücadele edip mağduriyetten kurtulabileceğini göstermektedir. Ayrıca video oyunlarının, bir kadını damsel in distress konumuna sokan nedenleri sorgulatarak geleneksel anlatıların barındırdığı problemlere dikkat çekebildiği görülmüştür. Son olarak video oyunlarında bir damsel in distress’in başrolde olabileceği ve kadın karakterlerin ilgi çekici olması için fiziksel özellikleri üzerinden metalaştırılmasının gerekmediği de tespit edilmiştir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Video oyunları
• damsel in distress
• kadın temsili
• yeni medya
• cinsiyet rolleri

The Changing Representation of Women in Video Games: Innovative Depictions of Damsel in Distress

Öz

There are many studies in the literature addressing the under-representation of women in video games. These studies draw attention to some basic problems such as the fact that female characters are few in number and only play supporting roles in video games as passive characters who are at the forefront with their sexual attractiveness, waiting to be rescued or demanded as a reward for the male protagonist. However, in recent years, there has been an effort to change the inadequate and stereotypical representation of women in the video game industry. As a reflection of this change effort, the most well-known character archetypes such as 'damsel in distress' have begun to be reinterpreted in some video games. In the study, four games selected by purposive sampling method were discussed in order to examine innovative interpretations of the damsel in distress archetype. In purposive sampling, the researcher chooses sample situations that contain rich information to solve the problems in his study. The four selected games are Braid, Grand Theft Auto IV, Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, and Gris, respectively. The descriptive analysis method explains how the archetype of damsel in distress and the narratives associated with this archetype are reinterpreted in four video games. The data obtained according to the descriptive analysis approach are summarized and interpreted according to the previously determined themes. In the analysis it has been determined that innovative damsel in distress narratives in video games give positive messages to overcome the under-representation of women. The games in the sample show that the female characters can fight alone without waiting for help when necessary and get rid of the victimization. It has also been seen that video games can draw attention to the problems of traditional narratives by questioning the reasons that put a woman in the damsel in distress situation. Finally, it has been determined that a damsel in distress can play a leading role in video games and that female characters do not need to be commodified over their physical characteristics in order to be interesting.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Video oyunları
• damsel in distress
• kadın temsili
• yeni medya
• cinsiyet rolleri

Kaynakça

1. Beaubien, J. (2017). Save the princess: Depictions of gender in indie video games [Yayınlanmamış yüksek lisans tezi]. Texas State University. Bitette, N. (2020, Haziran 25). Why Showtime believes in pushing boundaries. Paramount. https://www.paramount.com/news/content-and-experiences/why-showtimer-believes-in- pushing-boundaries Braid. (PC Version) [Video Game]. (2008). Number None. Canbazoğlu Bilici, S. (2012). Fen bilgisi öğretmen adaylarının teknolojik pedagojik alan bilgisi ve özyeterlikleri [Yayınlanmamış doktora tezi]. Gazi Üniversitesi. Coltraine, S., & Messineo, M. (2000). The perpetuation of subtle prejudice: Race and gender imagery in 1990s television advertising. Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, 42(5-6), 363–389. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007046204478Corr, C. A. (2020). Elisabeth Kübler-Ross and the “Five Stages” model in a sampling of recent American textbooks. OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying, 82(2), 294–322. https://doi.org/10.1177/0030222818809766 Dietz, T. L. (1998). An examination of violence and gender role portrayals in video games: Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, 38(5/6) Freud, S. (1909). Family Romances. The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud, Volume IX (1906-1908): Jensen's ‘Gradiva’ and Other Works, 235-242. Giannetti, L. (2005). Understanding Movies (10th Ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Education. Grand Theft Auto IV. (PC Version) [Video Game]. (2008). Rockstar Games. Gris. (PC Version) [Video Game]. (2018). Nomada Studio. Heineman, D. S. (2020). Game studies’ elephant in the room. New Media & Society, 22(6), 1116– 1121. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444820922164 Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. (PC Version) [Video Game]. (2017). Ninja Theory. Idris, N. (2013). Damsel in shining armor & knight in distress - Role reversal of mythical gender archetypes in Shakespearean comedies. Ruminations: The Andrean Journal of Literature, (3), 138-146. Kiley, A. T. (2016). Indie inclusion?: Analyzing diversity in the independent video game industry [Yayınlanmamış yüksek lisans tezi]. University of Oregon. Kulak, Ö. (2020). Theodor Adorno: Kültür endüstrisinin kıskacında kültür. İthaki Yayınları. Marcuse, H. (1975). Tek boyutlu insan. Çev. Afşar Timuçin, Teoman Tunçdoğan. May Yayınları. Mulvey, L. (1981). Afterthoughts on ‘Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema’ inspired by ‘Duel in the Sun’ (King Vidor, 1946). Framework: The Journal of Cinema and Media, 0(15-17), 12-15. http://www.jstor.org/stable/44111815 Muriel, D., & Crawford, G. (2018). Video games as culture: Considering the role and importance of video games in contemporary society. Routledge Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315622743 Myers, V. (2022, Şubat 10). Our Progress in inclusion: 2021 update. Netflix. https://about.netflix.com/en/news/our-progress-on-inclusion-2021-update Near, C.E. (2013). Selling gender: Associations of box art representation of female characters with sales for teen- and mature-rated video games. Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, 68(3-4), 252- 269. https://doi.org/10.1007%2Fs11199-012-0231-6 Newzoo. (2021). Diversity and inclusion in gaming: Insights and opportunities. https://newzoo.com/insights/trend-reports/diversity-inclusion-report-intel-newzooo Newzoo. (2022). Global games market report. https://newzoo.com/insights/trend-reports/newzoo- global-games-market-report-2022-free-version Onay, C. Z., & Kıylıoğlu, L. (2021). Dijital oyunlarda kadın ve erkek temsilinin toplumsal cinsiyet işaretleri bağlamında değerlendirilmesi. Uludağ Üniversitesi Fen-Edebiyat Fakültesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 22(41), 955-993. https://doi.org/10.21550/sosbilder.866001 Perry, K. (2021). Damsels and darlings: Decoding gender equality in video game communities. Feminist Media Studies, 22(5), 1102-1119. https://doi.org/10.1080/14680777.2021.1883085 Ruch, A. W. (2012). Grand Theft Auto IV: Liberty City and modernist literature. Games and Culture, 7(5), 331–348. https://doi.org/10.1177/1555412012454221 Sandra, N., & Mutiaz, I. (2022). The embodiment of Kübler-Ross Model through game elements in GRIS and it’s impact on player experience. Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, 625, 252-260. https://dx.doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.211228.033 Sarkeesian, A. (2013, Ağustos 2). Damsel in Distress: Part 3 - Tropes vs Women in Video Games [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjImnqH_KwMSethulekshmi, R.S. (2019, Nisan 19). A damsel in distress: Study of Princess Peach in Super Mario Bro series videogames [Conference presentation]. 3th International Conference on New Horizons in Science, Engineering and Management and Humanities, IIMT College of Engineering, Greater Noida, India. http://proceeding.conferenceworld.in/IIMT_April_2019/50NTLSFIXHhmRN121.pdf Tadeo, J. E. A. ( Taylor, I. (2020, Haziran 26). Ubisoft and Insomniac face allegations over mistreatment of women. GamesIndustry. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/ubisoft-and-insomniac-face-dozens-of- allegations-over-mistreatment-of-women Tompkins, J. E., & Martins, N. (2022). Masculine pleasures as normalized practices: Character design in the video game industry. Games and Culture, 17(3), 399-420. https://doi.org/10.1177/15554120211034760 Thach, H. (2021). A cross-game look at transgender representation in video games. Press Start, 7(1), 19–44. WarnerMedia. (2022). WarnerMedia Equity & Inclusion Report 2020/21. https://static- wmwm.warnermediacdn.com/2021- 10/WarnerMedia%20Equity%20and%20Inclusion%20Report%202020-1.pdf Willis, S. (2022, Temmuz 14). Gaming, gender and how diversity is growing in the industry. dbsinstitute. https://insider.dbsinstitute.ac.uk/gaming-gender-and-how-diversity-is-growing- in-the-industry Yıldırım, A., & Şimşek, H. (2008). Sosyal bilimlerde nitel araştırma yöntemleri (6. Baskı). Seçkin Yayıncılık. Yip, D. K. M. (2021). The hidden art of transmedia storytelling across cinema and video game. In International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics (pp. 569-573). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-80094-9_68