Shane Heckel

Monstrosity Paradise

Name a popular video game character. Whom did you pick? Mario, or perhaps Pacman? Or maybe you thought of a newer generation, such as Master Chief from the Halo franchise. Regardless of whom you think of, these video games all have the same character structures that reinforce A-B gender stereotypes by being male or female structured [1].

Gender identity, as a fluid construct rather than a single identifiable form, has garnered more research and expression in recent years thanks to younger generations expressing themselves openly. But recent video game releases have not matched this new level of gender fluidity, instead choosing to continue with A-B gender forms. This creates a disparity between the games and the players, as the players are unable to connect with the characters in the game that they are meant to be embodied. As more households begin to normalize video game consoles as a form of relaxation and social connection, gaming companies need to adapt and design characters that can immerse different identities of players. 

Monstrosity Paradox is a character design concept that works to solve the imbalance of gender representation in the video game industry. Through the development of characters who are genderless, players can focus on their connection to the character rather than the gender identity of the character alone. Each character contains a dynamic backstory that gives the player clues into how they interact and fight in the game. As such, the player will connect with how they respond to the character and their abilities and have the freedom to place a gender identity on the character themselves that resonates with their interpretation of the character. This creates a stronger connection between the player and character, and eventually a stronger connection to the game itself.

[1] Oscar. “Diversity in Gaming: An Analysis of Video Game Characters.” DiamondLobby, September 17, 1 2021. https://diamondlobby.com/geeky-stuff/diversity-in-gaming/.