From Barbie® to Mortal Kombat: Gender and Computer Games (Book review)

Abstract

The corporate response to the dominance of 'boy culture' in mass distribution computer games has tended to be to incorporate an active 'girl' in the cast of shoot-rem-up characters, such as Tomb Raider's impossibly curvaceous Lara Croft, or to market a 'girl culture' computer product in the pink aisle of Toys R Us, such as Mattei's phenomenally successful Barbie, Fashion Designer. Running alongside these products, however, are more sophisticated approaches to including girls in popular computer culture, involving boundary-crossing, 'neutral' or queering game spaces. This book explores and critiques the emerging 'girl game' market in the United States by bringing together perspectives from academic theorists, university-based game developers, industry interviewees from large corporations (Mattei, Sega). high-profile independent companies (Purple Moon, Chop Suey, Girl Games) and game players.