Video games, body image, and masculinity

On a typical Sunday morning, I turn on my TV, connect my Wii, and select my video game of choice. The screen lights up and I am transported into the world of Zelda, Breath of the Wild. Upon entering the game, I am met by its thin, tall, and blond male protagonist, Link. Link drops from the sky, wielding his sword in his hand, ready to fight through several levels to save Princess Zelda. Both Zelda and Link look like Barbie dolls to me: small and beautiful and utterly unrealistic. 

Like many action-adventure games, the available characters in Zelda, Breath of the Wild have “desirable” body proportions in order to create a stylized realism that entices gamers. However, it also succeeds in creating comparison between the average human body and the distorted proportions of the playable characters. 

Individuals between the ages of 15 to 24 spend an average of 39 minutes each day playing video games. According to an experiment conducted by Hannah Murphey at the University of Minnesota, these idealized characters result in body image dissatisfaction in gamers. 

When I began playing video games at 11 years old, I had little knowledge of the effect of the physical appearance of the characters on my body image. In Star Stable, a video game in which I explored my love of horses online, I designed my avatar with a slim waist, large breasts, and long legs. During the hours that I spent playing the game, my character became my identity. Once I logged off, however, I was surprised to look in the mirror and see a different figure than the one I created in the game.

Although lack of body diversity in video games affects people of all genders, games like Overwatch, League of Legends, and Mortal Combat overtly sexualize women. In these games, the female heroes primarily reflect body type: tall and thin. Female heroes are specifically designed to be appealing to male gamers, with the camera in video games often lingering on the female heroes’ butts and breasts. According to a study conducted by The Temple University, this sexualization leads to the increase of the sexual harassment of women.

High school senior Kambi Chukwuma enjoys playing video games like Apex Legends. She believes that video game industries are becoming more inclusive to a wider audience of different genders, ethnicities, and ages. However, Chukwuma understands that certain games perpetuate heteronormative stereotypes. 

“Apex legends is a very inclusive game that shies away from stereotypes, but games such as Grand Theft Auto are made to perpetuate the male gaze,” Chukwuma said. “Even the game options are not made for girls and a lot of the players are heterosexual men.”

On the opposite end of the spectrum, male video game characters conform to hyper-masculine stereotypes. Games like Street Fighter VI, Metroid, and Red Dead Revolver feature male characters who are either muscular and ferocious or tall and slim. These standards perpetuate the ideal that only men who conform to the standard of beauty can be heroes. 

High school junior Casper Van der Wuden believes that the typical heroine of a video game perpetuates unrealistic stereotypes of physical appearance. In Fortnight, Van der Wuden’s favorite game, there is little diversity in character skins. 

“I think that the character models can perpetuate an unrealistic body image for many,” he said. “Most of the characters are very skinny, which may not be realistic.” 

Targeting specific demographics of video game players makes it easier for industries to increase profit. Catering video game adds exclusively to heterosexual, young males has transformed gaming into an expression of masculinity. This form of gaming has the consequence of cultivating toxic masculinity and male superiority in its gamers. 

The gaming industry can easily afford to prioritize inclusivity. According to Tech World, gaming revenue climbed up to $180 billion in 2021. Instead, the industry continues to perpetuate overtly sexualized and gender-exclusive characters. That only increases negative body image. Including a variety of body types, gender-inclusive characters, and less sexualized characters would be beneficial to gamers. These are some of the many things video game industries need to improve on in order to take responsibility for the negative effect they have on gamers worldwide. 

Breaking out of the heteronormative, body exclusive worlds created by most video games is the only way to reclaim individual power. Giving video games that prioritize thinness and the sexualization of characters a platform to spread their toxic message only feeds this toxic industry. Players should instead prioritize games which don’t perpetuate these stereotypes.