Anonymous
1. How many hours a day do you play video games?
- 7-8 on “game days” (1-2x a week)
2. Do you see yourself in the video games? (i.e. sex, color, body type)
- Not really. I usually have to make someone I want to be.
3. Do you think that the women in the games you play are exploited sexually, if so, how?
- Not at all. They may be hypersexualized, but they are also pretty badass.
4. When did you start playing video games?
- In the 1980s.
5. What is your favorite genre of video games?
- MMORPGs
6. How many of your friends play video games?
- Most of them
7. What was the first console that you owned?
- Commodore 64
8. What video game character do you identify with the most?
- Probably Lady Van Helsing in City of Heroes (my own character)
9. What made you start playing video games?
- They are fun
10. How do you feel about women’s representation in advertisements and media?
- I don’t think about it much. I feel like when people start overthinking it, the fun stops. Probably women are overly sexualized for men, but look at the male characters in media and tell me they are not exaggerated and unbelievable.
11. Are you satisfied with the diversity of characters in video games or is it lacking?
- It depends on the game you are playing, but they are pretty diverse now. Maybe a little more white or pseudo-Japanese than anything else.
12. What are some of the worst/best examples of portrayals of women in video games?
- Well, I hate how the female characters in World of Warcraft are portrayed – strong women are always ugly women in WoW. So I refuse to play it.
13. Have you ever felt marginalized as a female gamer?
- Not at all. I am really good at what I do, so I get a lot of respect.
14. What are some misconceptions that you have or may face throughout your gaming career?
- Sometimes guys think I will be an easy target or that I can’t play because I’m a woman. I love proving them wrong.
15. Do you play solo, with friends or online?
- With friends online 95% of the time. I feel like playing alone is a lot like masturbation – fun for awhile, but not that exciting.
16. Do you wait in line at the midnight releases?
- Never – my friends all work at Gamestop, so I don’t have to!
17. Would you date a nongamer? Why?
- I am dating a nongamer. It has nothing to do with our relationship as long as my gaming is respected, and it is.
18. Do you have fantasies of video game characters?
- I have fantasies about BEING those characters – does that count?
19. Does gaming interfere with personal relationship? If so, how?
- Not at all. We both know I need it to blow off steam.
20. What was your favorite “classic” video game?
- Probably Goldeneye.
21. Have your taste in video games changed over time?
- Only in that when I started gaming there were no MMORPGs and that’s what I prefer. I like first person perspective games, but I prefer a combination of a good story and fighting, rather than just “shooter” games.
22. How often do you buy video games and how much do you spend on them?
- Not too much – I tend to gravitate towards certain games and play them for months or years at a time. I have been on LotR since it was in beta, and City of Heroes for many years now.
23. Do you prefer console, PC gaming or both? Why?
- PC gaming first and foremost, but I own consoles as well.
24. How do you feel about women’s representation in video games and advertising?
- Even though most of the women I know are gamers, it seems like video game companies still think only men and boys game and that’s ridiculous. But look at the ads – who are they aimed at?
25. Are you ever turned away from a game due to the characters?
- Just WoW.
- 7-8 on “game days” (1-2x a week)
2. Do you see yourself in the video games? (i.e. sex, color, body type)
- Not really. I usually have to make someone I want to be.
3. Do you think that the women in the games you play are exploited sexually, if so, how?
- Not at all. They may be hypersexualized, but they are also pretty badass.
4. When did you start playing video games?
- In the 1980s.
5. What is your favorite genre of video games?
- MMORPGs
6. How many of your friends play video games?
- Most of them
7. What was the first console that you owned?
- Commodore 64
8. What video game character do you identify with the most?
- Probably Lady Van Helsing in City of Heroes (my own character)
9. What made you start playing video games?
- They are fun
10. How do you feel about women’s representation in advertisements and media?
- I don’t think about it much. I feel like when people start overthinking it, the fun stops. Probably women are overly sexualized for men, but look at the male characters in media and tell me they are not exaggerated and unbelievable.
11. Are you satisfied with the diversity of characters in video games or is it lacking?
- It depends on the game you are playing, but they are pretty diverse now. Maybe a little more white or pseudo-Japanese than anything else.
12. What are some of the worst/best examples of portrayals of women in video games?
- Well, I hate how the female characters in World of Warcraft are portrayed – strong women are always ugly women in WoW. So I refuse to play it.
13. Have you ever felt marginalized as a female gamer?
- Not at all. I am really good at what I do, so I get a lot of respect.
14. What are some misconceptions that you have or may face throughout your gaming career?
- Sometimes guys think I will be an easy target or that I can’t play because I’m a woman. I love proving them wrong.
15. Do you play solo, with friends or online?
- With friends online 95% of the time. I feel like playing alone is a lot like masturbation – fun for awhile, but not that exciting.
16. Do you wait in line at the midnight releases?
- Never – my friends all work at Gamestop, so I don’t have to!
17. Would you date a nongamer? Why?
- I am dating a nongamer. It has nothing to do with our relationship as long as my gaming is respected, and it is.
18. Do you have fantasies of video game characters?
- I have fantasies about BEING those characters – does that count?
19. Does gaming interfere with personal relationship? If so, how?
- Not at all. We both know I need it to blow off steam.
20. What was your favorite “classic” video game?
- Probably Goldeneye.
21. Have your taste in video games changed over time?
- Only in that when I started gaming there were no MMORPGs and that’s what I prefer. I like first person perspective games, but I prefer a combination of a good story and fighting, rather than just “shooter” games.
22. How often do you buy video games and how much do you spend on them?
- Not too much – I tend to gravitate towards certain games and play them for months or years at a time. I have been on LotR since it was in beta, and City of Heroes for many years now.
23. Do you prefer console, PC gaming or both? Why?
- PC gaming first and foremost, but I own consoles as well.
24. How do you feel about women’s representation in video games and advertising?
- Even though most of the women I know are gamers, it seems like video game companies still think only men and boys game and that’s ridiculous. But look at the ads – who are they aimed at?
25. Are you ever turned away from a game due to the characters?
- Just WoW.