How I started the WIP
Bringing together all the interests and subjects I wanted to talk about.
A large part of the development of my project during the WIP comes from reflections I had during my thesis work, in particular the question of gender inequalities in a professional context.
My thesisprogramming
To model computer material through lines of code, whether for a programming card or for any other support.
video games
Video games and in this case, the gameboy. A console that marked me during my childhood
prototyping
Coming from a rather technical and product design background, I also enjoy working with physical matter.
sexism
Something that I am gradually discovering, or at least becoming aware of. In Western societies, more precisely in Europe and in France.
Video games
The GameBoy
The Gameboy is a handheld console developed by Nintendo in 1990. Initially released with a monochrome screen, it evolved with the Gameboy colour with a colour screen or the Gameboy Advance, more powerful and with a different design.
It works with game cartridges that can be inserted into the back of the console. These games are very varied and reach more than 1000 titles.
Today, it is still in third place in the ranking of the best-selling consoles in history, behind its successor the Nintendo DS.
sexism and video games
My perception of the GameBoy
Personal experience and analysis of Nintendo’s marketing for its console.
For my part I have always been frustrated that I never had this console. My parents thought I was too young to have my own console and judged it not to be suitable for girls.
With the ads in this video and the quick analysis of the marketing, it is easy to see why my parents might have had this thought.
The Gamegirl color
Creation of gamegirl universe
What happens if the roles are reversed? What would the Nintendo console look like if it had been made for girls in a world where women would be the stronger sex?
Existing biases would then be reversed in favour of the female gender. Classic games, where it was all about saving the princess from the bad guy’s hands over and over again, would be reversed. For example, The Legend of Zelda: Link who will save the princess would become -> The Legend of Zolan where Erza will save the prince.
The same could be done with advertising and marketing around the console. It is also appropriate to ask about the design, how would it be influenced by sexist biases? What would the GameGirl look like?
In search of balance
Having gone from one extreme to the other, I then wondered about how to balance the sexes. After several theoretical researches on sexism, I came to the conclusion that we must first understand the inequalities present in our societies today. And even if we talk about it more and more, sexism is paradoxically more present. Not as blatantly as before, but in a more subtle way.
This is the subject that I have decided to deal with for the continuation of my practical project.
