Female Impersonators Abound In Online Gaming
We’re pretty sure a lot of you have gone through the stage where your life revolved around online chatting. Sure, you’ve met some great people along the way, but admit it, you’ve had your share of weirdos and impersonators. Handles and avatars may have led you to believe that the person on the other end of the screen is a female, when in reality, she’s a he. This practice is hardly new in online communities, and has since found its way into the online gaming scene. But unlike in online chats, “it has nothing to do with exploration of sexual identity,” said Brenda Brathwaite, author of the soon to be released “Sex in Video Games.”
If it’s not about sexual identity, then why come out of the MMORPG closet? It’s about capitalizing on the “damsel in distress” scenario. Having a scantily clad female as an avatar has it perks. Female avatars usually get more attention from male gamers. They’re showered with gifts of sword and armor. Not surprising at all as mostly male gamers populate the expansive MMO universe.
While online games deal in fantasy, a lot of gamers tend to stick to their real-life persona, which explains why the male kind’s first instinct upon seeing a female avatar is to assume that the operator is a female. According to Kathryn Wright, consulting psychologist at WomenGamers.com, 60% of male gamers don female avatars to gain an advatange in game play. It’s best to keep that in mind, so you won’t easily get smitten by a female avatar.
We’re pretty sure a lot of you have gone through the stage where your life revolved around online chatting. Sure, you’ve met some great people along the way, but admit it, you’ve had your share of weirdos and impersonators. Handles and avatars may have led you to believe that the person on the other end of the screen is a female, when in reality, she’s a he. This practice is hardly new in online communities, and has since found its way into the online gaming scene. But unlike in online chats, “it has nothing to do with exploration of sexual identity,” said Brenda Brathwaite, author of the soon to be released “Sex in Video Games.”
If it’s not about sexual identity, then why come out of the MMORPG closet? It’s about capitalizing on the “damsel in distress” scenario. Having a scantily clad female as an avatar has it perks. Female avatars usually get more attention from male gamers. They’re showered with gifts of sword and armor. Not surprising at all as mostly male gamers populate the expansive MMO universe.
While online games deal in fantasy, a lot of gamers tend to stick to their real-life persona, which explains why the male kind’s first instinct upon seeing a female avatar is to assume that the operator is a female. According to Kathryn Wright, consulting psychologist at WomenGamers.com, 60% of male gamers don female avatars to gain an advatange in game play. It’s best to keep that in mind, so you won’t easily get smitten by a female avatar.
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