SEA article analyses female gaming

 

 PMS Asterisk one of SEA Dota 2 Teams

 

 

A recent article by gaming journalist Xairylle has posed the question whether girl gamers need to be pretty or sexy in order to be successful in eSports. Straying away from the cultural studies, the author as well as her interviewees, put forward some interesting view points on the question at hand. What are your thoughts?

Xairylle discusses in her article the South East Asia eSports scene and the pressure that some of her fellow gamers face that a girl has to be pretty and/or sexy in order to stand out and prove herself in the eSports world. Being pretty doesn't hurt, but it can often feel that the physical appearance of a gamer can take away from the skills and hard work that has gone into the gamer's career. The way a person looks can be used as a career advantage, but there is a fine line between promoting yourself as a talented player and promoting youself as a pretty face for the sponsor.

Throughout the piece, she interviews Alix "Vixx" Chinnery from Southern Cross Dota, who provides some wonderful insights about the changing nature of eSports and that even though the scene might be taking steps forward, it can often take steps backwards.

"In a male-dominated scene, it is not surprising that the female minority have seized on the opportunity to use what 'equipment' they have to gain some ground. However, I don't think that it is the case 100% of the time. The question is whether they SHOULD be doing that and is it fair for girls who aren't willing to?...Curvy boobs do not enhance your last hit score in Dota 2. Pouty lips probably aren't going to improve the loot drops from an MMO boss."

 Image courtesy of Xairyll

Feel free to keep reading more about Vixx's opinions about female gamers in her personal blog. With the progression of eSports and the rise of female players, Xairylle suggests that "we need to make fans stay for the game or for the scene, NOT for the eye candy." But will this be possible? Will female players forever feel the pressure to have to sell their appearance to sell their skills? Check out this recent Reddit post , in which a reader wishes to eliminate all-female comeptitions and to break down the separation between male and female gamers.

What do you think about the physical appearance of gamers, particularly of the female persuasion, affecting their ability to be noticed in the world of competitive Dota? Should female Dota 2 players have their own separate competitions, or should they be able to prove themselves with the boys? Feel free to let us know in the comments, but keep it clean.

Sources : Joindota.com