Posted August 10, 2015
high rated
1 - the internet culture in general
2 - avatar / player dissonance
3 - worldbuilding?
I guess, I'm not sure there's something inherent about the net that is unwelcoming to women. It's just a reflection of broader society - anonymity cuts both ways, as it can increase sexist viciousness, but it can also isolate one from it.
Lack of choice in avatar is definitively a cause, but there are many genres where there are no avatars at all - which might be a gendered factor in itself actually.
Not sure what you meant with the third group... something like having a lot of naked women as background decoration?
I think the main thing not welcoming women to gaming is inherent in gaming itself. But of course it's taboo to suggest there are gendered preferences in leisure activities due to nature rather than nurture... so I'll leave it at that and hope I'm wrong, and that more diversity of designs: more casual, more textual / language, more social - will do the trick.
1. Rare instances of women getting harassed online.
2.Yes, but one more. I don't think playable characters need not add as much immersion as one might think, especially in non RP games. Consider games like Tomb Raider 2013 where male players didn't experience disconnection because of playing a female character. Same with Gone Home. In an RPG, players being able to choose is almost industry standard / given and is also in the commercial interests of the company as being able to roleplay as a male and female will add replay value. What I'm saying here is to provide choice of characters when plausible or intended from early planning onwards but otherwise stick to the artistic vision. This should go both ways. If the only playable character is a gay man, no need to shoehorn in the other 20 or so genders because IMO, GENDER IS NOT AS SIGNIFICANT IN IMMERSION AS OTHER FACTORS. Will a shy girl relate more to an extroverted female character or a shy male character? Basically, gender is one trait that determines immersion and I believe there shouldn't be undue focus given to that factor only.
3.Yes. Worldbuilding. Some women may find certain stuff awkward and its natural and any other gender in their place will feel the same. So in the instance that games have such scenes or such content, make it optional or skip able.