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[notworksafe]

Pretty much. Flavor-of-the-month click bait ...

Get money how you want to get money, that's okay. I just would rather see proper discussion on this topic. Not ambushing with ridiculous question at a press event and then declaring victory because everyone at the event rolled their eyes at you.

Hopefully that roundtable comes before all this nonsense clickbait poisons the well on the topic.

 

[antitrop]

I hope those that feel so passionate about this type of issue also feel that violence has no place in videogames.

Surely you wouldn't suggest that guns, gore, and gratuitous violence are less harmful than a roller girl character, right? I assume you would avoid and decry all violence in videogames, right? Where is the gamer outcry on NeoGAF about this?

This whole thing feels like arguing about sex vs violence in media. It's hypocritical to sit here and suggest this roller derby outfit is not OK yet the overwhelming amount of violence is.

I think most of these male internet feminists would cower in fear when violence is brought up, but at least Lime was always consistent about it and never shied away from tackling both issues equally.

So many times I just feel like people are jumping on the feminism bandwagon without any real conviction, but at least I can't say that about Lime, and I respect that conviction. You can tell when someone is truly being genuine, and that's worthy of respect, even if you don't necessarily agree with them.

I really can't respect much of the pro-RPS feminism that has been on display in this thread.

 

[Pyronite]

While I can understand what they are trying to do I feel they are going too far. When is Blizzard EVER the company to be pushing out massages like that. It's just entertainment. This is just looking for something not even on the development team's mind.

As someone who worked closely with concept artists for years, I can tell you that character design and sexualization is 100% on their mind. These things don't just appear – producers work closely with concept artists to achieve these final results. Everything is considered.

 

[UrbanRats]

I think most of these male internet feminists would cower in fear when violence is brought up, but at least Lime was always consistent about it and never shied away from tackling both issues equally.

"was"? Lime isn't around anymore?

 

[antitrop]

"was"? Lime isn't around anymore?

Well, he sure as hell doesn't post as often as he used to and he hasn't made his voice heard in this thread (when he was usually the ones making these types of threads in the first place), so, it is what it is.

Again, he was just someone whose opinion I could see coming from absolute sincerity and conviction, even if I (usually) ended up disagreeing. At least he wasn't a condescending asshole, like so many other feminists that are just interested in attempting to shame those that don't agree with them.

And isn't that important when you're trying to get other people to come around to your point of view?

 

[Murder. She Wrote]

There's no need to act rude towards someone who may be ignorant towards your views. Maybe his/hers views towards "Modern Day Feminism" isn't the same as that wikipedia pages.

Yeah that was a bit assholish, but I just get angry because feminism has been turned into such a bad word by it's detractors. Like fox news and calling someone a communist.

Edit- Which is funny because getting angry just separates the other person from your train of thought even more (the exact opposite of what should be happening).

 

[antitrop]

Yeah that was a bit assholish, but I just get angry because feminism has been turned into such a bad word by it's detractors. Like fox news and calling someone a communist.

I'm open to new ideas and new ways of thinking, but I think interviews like this do more harm to the supposed cause than they help.

The only people that agree with the way this interviewer handled the situation are the ones that already agree with the agenda presented, so in the end, nothing was accomplished and I suppose that's pretty sad.

 

[TaroYamada]

Well, he sure as hell doesn't post as often as he used to and he hasn't made his voice heard in this thread (when he was usually the ones making these types of threads in the first place), so, it is what it is.

Again, he was just someone whose opinion I could see coming from absolute sincerity and conviction, even if I (usually) ended up disagreeing. At least he wasn't a condescending asshole, like so many other feminists that are just interested in attempting to shame those that don't agree with them.

And isn't that important when you're trying to get other people to come around to your point of view?

I would disagree, Lime had a tendency to do a lot of one word "wow" replies that basically lead me to believe Lime was inferring the person was either ignorant or morally inadequate. I don't like either of those inferences and I would consider them both condescending, albeit common in these threads.

 

[jay]

No money from clicks, while every other place is able to cover this event, you just sit there and stew. Not only that, you piss of Blozzard where they might never do another interview with you again, even if it is just cookie cutter questions.

The journalist has no right no ask interview people, they do so becuase its a mutual understanding that it will help both companies. If you start to ruin it for another company, they have the right to deny you interviews so that destroys any type of future relations

They're in it together, this is how it works

Sorry, I didn't mean what if one guy doesn't do PR journalism. I mean what is the downside if no one does PR journalism?

 

[Murder. She Wrote]

I'm open to new ideas and new ways of thinking, but I think interviews like this do more harm to the supposed cause than they help.

The only people that agree with the way this interviewer handled the situation are the ones that already agree with the agenda presented, so in the end, nothing was accomplished and I suppose that's pretty sad.

The biggest problem wasn't the fact that the interview asked the question (I think ever game designer should be asked the question). The biggest problem was that the interviewer went on a rant which is not his job. If he wants to be a pundit that's fine, he just did it at the wrong place.

An interviewers job is to ask interesting questions to get interesting answers.

 

[Pau]

I hope those that feel so passionate about this type of issue also feel that violence has no place in videogames.

Surely you wouldn't suggest that guns, gore, and gratuitous violence are less harmful than a roller girl character, right? I assume you would avoid and decry all violence in videogames, right? Where is the gamer outcry on NeoGAF about this?

This whole thing feels like arguing about sex vs violence in media. It's hypocritical to sit here and suggest this roller derby outfit is not OK yet the overwhelming amount of violence is.

Contrary to what posters in this thread like to think, feminism isn't about being puritanical about sex but rather in this case about asking for representations in media that don't just devolve into women being shown as primarily sex objects. It's about having options, not saying no female character should ever be sexualized or ever be hyper-sexualized. I'd say the same about violence in video games. Not every game needs to be super violent or about violence. Nuance can be had in this discussion and the two options aren't: YOU'RE A PRUDE IF YOU DON'T WANT SEX ALL THE TIME or YOU'RE A PERVERT IF YOU LIKE A DESIGN THAT SHOWS CLEAVAGE OR SOME T&A.

EDIT: My first sentence got erased but: Just because the people who are talking about the representation of women in video games aren't talking about violence in video games (or talking about it as much) does not make their points invalid.

 

[antitrop]

The biggest problem wasn't the fact that the interview asked the question (I think ever game designer should be asked the question). The biggest problem was that the interviewer went on a rant which is not his job. If he wants to be a pundit that's fine, he just did it at the wrong place.

An interviewers job is to ask interesting questions to get interesting answers.

Yup, this was my problem from the very beginning, I'm not opposed to designers being held accountable for their decisions, but everything about this interview just feels "wrong".

As I stated back from page 1, there are just better ways to go about this sort of thing. Not that this thing shouldn't be brought up or that it isn't important.

 

[DSix]

Sounds like an old man protesting against the miniskirt. Saying that he wouldn't be able to respect a sexy woman.

 

[Delusibeta]

Hopefully that roundtable comes before all this nonsense clickbait poisons the well on the topic.

I think you'll probably find you're about 12 months too late on that count.

 

[Road of Ease]

I hope those that feel so passionate about this type of issue also feel that violence has no place in videogames.

Surely you wouldn't suggest that guns, gore, and gratuitous violence are less harmful than a roller girl character, right? I assume you would avoid and decry all violence in videogames, right? Where is the gamer outcry on NeoGAF about this?

This whole thing feels like arguing about sex vs violence in media. It's hypocritical to sit here and suggest this roller derby outfit is not OK yet the overwhelming amount of violence is.

I still remember the criticism from some journalists in past E3s on the violence in most games (the cheers after a shotgun bullet in a person's head in The Last of Us, the hyper-violence in God of War, the shooters galore) and how that's a depressing and kind of sickening trend in videogames. Gamers bitched about them too. I strongly agreed with the journalists.

So there are people who want to have a conversation about violence in video-games too, but for some reason they're way more afraid of the gamer backlash than the feminists - maybe because they're much closer to the community.

 

[Cyrano]

Yup, this was my problem from the very beginning, I'm not opposed to designers being held accountable for their decisions, but everything about this interview just feels "wrong".

As I stated back from page 1, there are just better ways to go about this sort of thing. Not that this thing shouldn't be brought up or that it isn't important.

I hear this argument so often that it's somewhat ridiculous.

There is never a "wrong" time to ask for consideration on important issues in games and a lack of variety for female representation is a question that needs to be asked far more of game developers and directors today. The representation of characterization of females in games is extraordinarily marginalizing and objectifying. Stating that your game is apolitical is not an excuse for lazy (or in most cases, sexist) design.

 

[inm8num2]

I hear this argument so often that it's somewhat ridiculous.

There is never a "wrong" time to ask for consideration on important issues in games and a lack of variety for female representation is a question that needs to be asked far more of game developers and directors today. The representation of characterization of females in games is extraordinarily marginalizing and objectifying. Stating that your game is apolitical is not an excuse for lazy (or in most cases, sexist) design.

No, we must continue sweeping this issue under the rug and validating the existence of said characterization by pointing toward noble examples like romance novels.

 

[antitrop]

I hear this argument so often that it's somewhat ridiculous.

There is never a "wrong" time to ask for consideration on important issues in games and a lack of variety for female representation is a question that needs to be asked far more of game developers and directors today. The representation of characterization of females in games is extraordinarily marginalizing and objectifying. Stating that your game is apolitical is not an excuse for lazy (or in most cases, sexist) design.

Yelling at brick walls makes you look like a crazy person.

Browder obviously wasn't open or interested in what the interviewer had to say on the matter, because the situation wasn't hospitable to such a conversation, so in the end it just makes the RPS writer look foolish. He did himself and his cause no favors by the tone of the interview in the setting that it took place.

"Uh-huh. Cool. Totally." was all it took to show just how much this righteous, crusading games journalist accomplished.

 

[TaroYamada]

Stating that your game is apolitical is not an excuse for lazy (or in most cases, sexist) design.

I don't think the character Nathan used as an example looks sexist or lazy. I also don't think they need to have a particular excuse to design the characters the way they do beyond the one Dustin gave, them thinking they look cool is a fine enough reason for me.

 

[Metrotab]

Stating that your game is apolitical is not an excuse for lazy (or in most cases, sexist) design.

Can videogame developers create games without having to think of socio-political imbalances in representation? Must all character design be burdened with upholding the moral imperative?

 

[Jarate]

Sorry, I didn't mean what if one guy doesn't do PR journalism. I mean what is the downside if no one does PR journalism?

nobody will ever get to do interviews. If you piss off the company too much, they just wont interview, if you're only looking for negative spins on everything

there's a time and place for everything

 

[Cyrano]

Can videogame developers create games without having to think of socio-political imbalances in representation? Must all character design be burdened with upholding the moral imperative?

Assuming that they can prove that they can actually think about it all? Sure. But the history of games is not one that shows that most game designers (Blizzard included) actively thinks about the messages behind the representations of the characters in their games. Game designers, developers, and directors clearly still think that this is a non-issue, yet when the issue gets brought up they still act as if they're a deer caught in the headlights of some issue they had no idea existed.

This has been an issue that has existed alongside videogames for decades now. How can you be developing games and still be totally oblivious to it unless it's intended?

 

[UrbanRats]

Well, he sure as hell doesn't post as often as he used to and he hasn't made his voice heard in this thread (when he was usually the ones making these types of threads in the first place), so, it is what it is.

Again, he was just someone whose opinion I could see coming from absolute sincerity and conviction, even if I (usually) ended up disagreeing. At least he wasn't a condescending asshole, like so many other feminists that are just interested in attempting to shame those that don't agree with them.

And isn't that important when you're trying to get other people to come around to your point of view?

I like Lime a lot.
Even though i don't always feel as strongly as he on some positions, he always has something to back those positions up with.
Also he's a Silent Hill fan, so.. it'd be plenty sad if he had left.

That said i have opinion of "other feminists" as i would consider one myself, since as far as i know means striving for equality.
If then someone uses the term to push some other agenda or ideology, that's their business, i guess.

 

[Pau]

Can videogame developers create games without having to think of socio-political imbalances in representation? Must all character design be burdened with upholding the moral imperative?

Of course they can create the games, but that doesn't mean that others can't criticize those decisions just because the developers didn't want to think about it. If they didn't care about it in the first place, they might not care about any criticism that comes after anyways. Or they might listen and keep it in mind next time. I don't see the problem of brining it up, although I agree that there are better ways to do it than how it was done in this interview.

 

[antitrop]

I like Lime a lot.
Even though i don't always feel as strongly as he on some positions, he always has something to back those positions up with.
Also he's a Silent Hill fan, so.. it'd be plenty sad if he had left.

That said i have opinion of "other feminists" as i would consider one myself, since as far as i know means striving for equality.
If then someone uses the term to push some other agenda or ideology, that's their business, i guess.

Feminism is an extremely easy ideology to agree with on the base level, but the way some choose to go about it is beyond off-putting and sometimes downright hostile.

I like having conversations, but I don't like being personally attacked. And who does?

 

[RockTurtle]

That’s sort of where we’re at. But I’ll take the feedback. I think it’s very fair feedback.

Browder gave his response. It was honest and came from his heart. and even offered to take feedback. Then RPS went ham and couldn't accept a differing opinion. No, RPS had to make his stance known and pushed his agenda and wanted to prove Browder wrong, not offer a solution. that last exchange felt like a quest to appear morally superior, with a follow up story basically confirming it.

 

[tranciful]

nobody will ever get to do interviews. If you piss off the company too much, they just wont interview, if you're only looking for negative spins on everything

there's a time and place for everything

You do understand that companies want media coverage, right? If they do zero interviews, they get zero coverage. If they can do fine with zero coverage, journalists like you truly are unnecessary. And you were supposed to be mr expert.

 

[TaroYamada]

You do understand that companies want media coverage, right? If they do zero interviews, they get zero coverage. If they can do fine with zero coverage, journalists like you truly are unnecessary. And you were supposed to be mr expert.

Blizzard doesn't struggle to sell to their audience, at all. RPS is definitely in the weaker position here.

 

[UnrealEck]

The amount of objectification of women that goes on causes real harm. And Blizzard is particularly guilty, doing it non-stop with almost every female character.

Do you have some examples?

 

[jakonovski]

Feminism is an extremely easy ideology to agree with on the base level, but the way some choose to go about it is beyond off-putting and sometimes downright hostile.

I like having conversations, but I don't like being personally attacked. And who does?

This is true, but which societal movement ever got anywhere without getting up in people's faces? Not saying I'm like that (I'm just a rude bastard), but in general.

For every MLK there needs to be a Malcolm X, so to speak.

 

[Hedja]

I think the "Uh-huh. Cool. Totally." pretty much sums it up. Terrible "journalism". If you want your questions answered, ask the right questions when it's relevant instead of pushing your opinionated statements. It's an interview, not a lecture.

This is what happens when bloggers become so-called "journalists". They clearly aren't trained to do any of this properly.

 

[SaggyMonkey]

Because it's not just a "roller derby outfit" it's a systemic problem.

I believe people have pointed out a pattern, not a problem.

 

[RockTurtle]

I just want to say that i find it extra peculiar RPS has been on this trend and yet doesn't have a single minority or female employee on board. might add some credibility to the arguments.

 

[staticneuron]

I hear this argument so often that it's somewhat ridiculous.

There is never a "wrong" time to ask for consideration on important issues in games and a lack of variety for female representation is a question that needs to be asked far more of game developers and directors today. The representation of characterization of females in games is extraordinarily marginalizing and objectifying. Stating that your game is apolitical is not an excuse for lazy (or in most cases, sexist) design.

There is nothing lazy or sexist about it. It is not prejudiced or discriminatory. Most video games with the hyper sexualized unreal view of both women and men tend to take them from comic book tropes (heroic build).

The thing about that trope is that it isn't supposed to be taken in any literal manner because the perfection/ideal that both the males and females portray are literally not meant to be real. They are designed to be larger than life.

Not all entertainment is created to express a message. And trying to assign one to every form of media regardless of creators intent is obnoxious. To point to fictional character designs, about people with powers that don't exist in this world, in a realm that doesn't exist in this universe, just shows how you can take something "too" far.

If anyone is getting self image or identity issues from entertainment based titles like this, they need to visit a doctor.

 

[TaroYamada]

Do you have some examples?

Not likely, I'd imagine that much like the claims of feminists regarding the harm porn supposedly causes to women, data isn't there to back it up.

 

[Aeneas]

Yes, not all characters need to be sexualised and can have more nuance. But clearly blizzard isn't going for that, what is the point of this interview? Pointing out that a character is sexy and asking why? Please if it offends you just don't play it. There is room for everything, and going on a crusade trying to shame a particular piece of entertainment over this is just silly. Aesthetics are what they are and obviously many enjoy it. It's a freaking MOBA, there is virtually no relevant story, what nuance is there to be had, it is all in how a character looks at first sight.

 

[tranciful]

Blizzard doesn't struggle to sell to their audience, at all. RPS is definitely in the weaker position here.

I wasn't suggesting Blizzard lives and dies by RPS' coverage and I'm quite confident RPS knew what they were doing. You don't aspire to be a great journalist by following the pack. You don't grow your audience by imitating your larger competitors who get more interviews and have more connections and can do a much better job at that brand of journalism (there's certainly nothing hard about asking questions that companies want to give answers to -- it's more about resources). RPS is focusing on a niche of more politically minded readers and it can certainly pay off if they do it well.

 

[Kinyou]

One.
How do you know.

Two that is not the point of the comic.

What exactly is the point of the comic if not that? And as already pointed out, in that other pic that sets it's next to the romance novels, chibi Batman seems to miss the demographic by a mile.

Has anyone ever considered that there might be a crossover between sexualization and power fantasy?

 

[Cipherr]

I hear this argument so often that it's somewhat ridiculous.

There is never a "wrong" time to ask for consideration on important issues in games and a lack of variety for female representation is a question that needs to be asked far more of game developers and directors today. The representation of characterization of females in games is extraordinarily marginalizing and objectifying. Stating that your game is apolitical is not an excuse for lazy (or in most cases, sexist) design.

You aren't hearing anything at all. That's probably why you think you hear that argument so much. Noone wants to sweep it under the rug or never talk about it. We do however want it to be approached with the intent of actually starting a worthwhile dialog that may end in improvement or something equally valuable. And NOT to be approached in some hilariously offbeat bullshit click bait way where the interviewer never really sought a dialog as much as he sought to make a scene.

That's horseshit, and all it does it make people clam up, and end the interview. Approach the issue with some class, tact, and leave the snark at home.... In short, act like an adult, and maybe we might get a chance at a valuable exchange.

But to you, anyone asking for something so reasonable wants to 'sweep it under the rug and never talk about it'. Folks like you do more harm than good patting these guys on the back for taking what is an IMPORTANT issue, and turning it into click baiting sideshows. This was a pretty big missed chance at maybe getting some back and forth about this issue with one of the largest companies in gaming. I consider that an awful waste; absolutely nothing was gained here except the author feeling superior for 15 minutes or so.

 

[Cyrano]

There is nothing lazy or sexist about it. It is not prejudiced or discriminatory. Most video games with the hyper sexualized unreal view of both women and men tend to take them from comic book tropes (heroic build).

The thing about that trope is that it isn't supposed to be taken in any literal manner because the perfection/ideal that both the males and females portray are literally not meant to be real. They are designed to be larger than life.

Not all entertainment is created to express a message. And trying to assign one to every form of media regardless of creators intent is obnoxious. To point to fictional character designs, about people with powers that don't exist in this world, in a realm that doesn't exist in this universe, just shows how you can take something "too" far.

If anyone is getting self image or identity issues from entertainment based titles like this, they need to visit a doctor.

This is from nearly a decade ago: http://spooky.ms11.net/pages/p2.html

This is from this year: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/194571/Video_Sexism_and_sexuality_in_games.php

It is surprising how little things have changed, despite a clear urgency from many sides of the aisle.

Also, you don't get to escape "expressing a message," even if your message is claiming you're not spreading a message (which is a stance, like it or not). It comes off as lazy, as I've said before. It's trying to ignore other people by way of claiming ambivalence while taking part in something that is clearly constructed to promote a certain viewpoint.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_tdztHiyiE

 

[Amibguous Cad]

Yelling at brick walls makes you look like a crazy person.

Browder obviously wasn't open or interested in what the interviewer had to say on the matter, because the situation wasn't hospitable to such a conversation, so in the end it just makes the RPS writer look foolish. He did himself and his cause no favors by the tone of the interview in the setting that it took place.

"Uh-huh. Cool. Totally." was all it took to show just how much this righteous, crusading games journalist accomplished.

The PR guy isn't the audience.

 

[Kadayi]

Contrary to what posters in this thread like to think, feminism isn't about being puritanical about sex but rather in this case about asking for representations in media that don't just devolve into women being shown as primarily sex objects. It's about having options, not saying no female character should ever be sexualized or ever be hyper-sexualized. I'd say the same about violence in video games. Not every game needs to be super violent or about violence. Nuance can be had in this discussion and the two options aren't: YOU'RE A PRUDE IF YOU DON'T WANT SEX ALL THE TIME or YOU'RE A PERVERT IF YOU LIKE A DESIGN THAT SHOWS CLEAVAGE OR SOME T&A.

^Pretty much agreed. Character customization would resolve much of these issues, though saying that I presume people have a choice with regard to appearance with these games in some way, just as they have a choice when it comes to which games they choose to play.

Personally I'm always amazed at the degree of presumption of the SJW. The gall to step up and appoint themselves the spokesperson for an entire demographic they are not actually a part of without any sense as to how in doing so they actually denigrate said demographic never ceases to amaze truth be told. The only person one can speak for with any certitude is oneself, anything beyond that is largely speculation and wishful thinking.

 

[Moral Panic]

RPS: You have some interesting alternate outfits for heroes. Roller Derby Nova, especially, caught my eye. On its own, that’s totally fine – just a silly, goofy thing. A one-off. But it got me thinking about how often MOBAs tend to hyper-sexualize female characters to a generally preposterous degree – that is to say, make it the norm, not a one-off at all – and StarCraft’s own, um, interesting focus choices as of late. How are you planning to approach all of that in Heroes?

This is an ambush?

This?

 

[UrbanRats]

Feminism is an extremely easy ideology to agree with on the base level, but the way some choose to go about it is beyond off-putting and sometimes downright hostile.

I like having conversations, but I don't like being personally attacked. And who does?

I think that has less to do with the ideology and more with the person.

Some people are more rude than others when sending back food at a restaurant, for example.

 

[7Th]

The 2nd to last panel is every show CW/WB ever aired.

and possibly Val Kilmer Batman

There is an artist that draws Batman just like that, no? The guy behind the new Lobo.

 

[Moral Panic]

Do you have some examples?

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11199-009-9683-8

The present study utilized an experimental design to investigate the short term effects of exposure to sexualized female video game characters on gender stereotyping and female self-concept in emerging adults. Bussey and Bandura’s (1999) social cognitive theory of gender development and differentiation was used to explicate this relationship. Undergraduate students (N = 328) at a large U.S. Southwestern university participated in the study. Students were randomly assigned to play a “sexualized” heroine, a “non-sexualized” heroine, or no video game; then completed an online questionnaire. Female self-efficacy was negatively affected by game play with the sexualized female character. Results cautiously suggest that playing a sexualized video game heroine unfavorably influenced people’s beliefs about women in the real world.

 

[Kinyou]

This is an ambush?

This?

Well it's not like Browder expected that question

 

[Hubb]

This is an ambush?

This?

Well, ambush is a big stretch but did you read the interview or just what was posted? When an interview is about to finish it usually isn't a good time to ask the most thought provoking question of the whole interview. Specially when you aren't expecting a short answer and ask follow ups.

The whole line of questioning could have been handled better.

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11199-009-9683-8

Have you read the whole study or just the abstract? a study with >400 and 200 or so being female and no ages were disclosed. Very small sample size.

EDIT: Looking further into this study, it is actually a terribly done study.

 

[staticneuron]

This is from nearly a decade ago: http://spooky.ms11.net/pages/p2.html

Ok....

If one has sex with a prostitute in the game, one can then beat the prostitute up (some reports say that one can murder the prostitute) and take one's money back, and this, my friends, constitutes rape.

1. Rape is sex without consent.
2. After the action happens, the player beating up or killing the prostitute is considered robbery.

I am incredulous and amazed that males who play GTA do not realize that prostitution in and of itself is sexist, and that to merely include it in a game, and to furthermore allow a player to increase his health meter by having sex with a prostitute in the game, is also sexist.

Prostitution is sexist?

I really do not want to spend $40 - $50 on a prodcut that tells me that I'm a brainless piece of trash and that any value I may have as a human being is to be based upon my sexuality.

Really?

These "jiggly" effects and scenes are the equivalent of the game designer yelling in my ear as I play the game, "That's right, in this part, Rayne is a giggly, jiggly airheaded Playboy Bunny! Forget all the previous scenes where she seemed to be smart and able to knock down men twice her size!"

Wait what? What does this have to do with each other? She isn't even human, she is a supernatural being.

This is from this year: http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/194571/Video_Sexism_and_sexuality_in_games.php

This is a different discussion entirely. He is talking about being inclusive and further more inclusion in WRPG's in which player agency is a driving motivator for character progression.

This is more about representation in a setting and not about portrayal of predefined characters in a fixed setting.

It is surprising how little things have changed, despite a clear urgency from many sides of the aisle.

Also, you don't get to escape "expressing a message," even if your message is claiming you're not spreading a message (which is a stance, like it or not). It comes off as lazy, as I've said before. It's trying to ignore other people by way of claiming ambivalence while taking part in something that is clearly constructed to promote a certain viewpoint.

It has nothing to do with laziness. It has everything to do with projection.

When a game designer puts forth a heroic design, where normally females and males are designed to represent figures that don't really exist in the world, and some gamer's reaction is "OMG, they have large breast and are shaking them, which means they can't be intelligent/powerful/deadly despite showing that in every other aspect of their character" is a reflection on the gamer, not the design itself. And that is what happens when something is presented absence of context and definition. It is assigned one by the gamers and their projection is more of a reflection of the environment and society around them versus what is presented to them.

 

[Moral Panic]

Well, ambush is a big stretch but did you read the interview or just what was posted? When an interview is about to finish it usually isn't a good time to ask the most thought provoking question of the whole interview. Specially when you aren't expecting a short answer and ask follow ups.

The whole line of questioning could have been handled better.

Look at how politely he phrases the question: "How are you planning to approach all of that in Heroes?". Theres no "gotcha", no HAHA didn't expect that did ya? If the guy didn't have time to answer the question, he could've clearly indicated that in some way, but he didn't. There was indicator that the interview was over until they decided it was over because they couldn't deal. The question is simple , it's about the game, it's relevant. It's RPS, they have shown they are concerned about this and aren't going for short term clicks. "We’re not running for President"? The fact that this came out of his mouth and he didn't immediately face palm himself is shocking to me.

P.S Sample size of the study is fine.