Ten Things Gaming Needs to Do to Grow Up

Gamervision: Video games have been in existence for over 40 years, and in our homes for over 30, but to the general public, gaming is still seen as a lesser entertainment medium. TV, movies, books, and music are all perceived as being more worthwhile pursuits than games, which are still seen by many adults as suited for only children. While there will likely always be a vocal minority that refuses to accept games as a viable medium, much less a legitimate art form, but many who have a negative opinion about the industry are likely misinformed, and would think differently if they understood the potential video games have as an entertainment and social medium. So how do we change these often ill-conceived perceptions of us? Here's a few ways…

4 – Some Women Are Chubby

Not every woman looks like Kristen Bell, Beyonce, or Mila Kunis. This may be hard news for publishers and developers to swallow, and God knows it's a constant disappointment for me, but it's the case. In fact, about 99% of women on Earth are less physically perfect than these women. That's probably why they're famous. Regardless, for some reason, game designers seem to have an extremely distorted view of the fairer sex, as they only allow perfectly proportioned, overly sexualized women and girls in their games. Seriously, when's the last time you saw an overweight female in a game where she wasn't played for laughs, or a woman over the age of 40 who isn't seen as either a kindly grandma or an evil crone? I understand that, much like in Hollywood, sexy female game characters tend to sell better than plain ones, and I do think there's plenty of room for the Bayonettas and Lara Crofts of the world, but a little more representation of realistic women, with believable dimensions and personalities, would be nice.

[DanCrabtree]

A solid list that developers can take to the bank.