A4 Article in conference proceedings
"There Are No Women and They All Play Mercy" : Understanding and Explaining (the Lack of) Women’s Presence in Esports and Competitive Gaming (2018)

Ruotsalainen, M., & Friman, U. (2018). "There Are No Women and They All Play Mercy" : Understanding and Explaining (the Lack of) Women’s Presence in Esports and Competitive Gaming. In DiGRA Nordic '18 : Proceedings of 2018 International DiGRA Nordic Conference (2018). Digital Games Research Association. Conference of Digital Games Research Association. http://www.digra.org/wp-content/uploads/digital-library/DiGRA_Nordic_2018_paper_31.pdf

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Ruotsalainen, Maria; Friman, Usva

Parent publication: DiGRA Nordic '18 : Proceedings of 2018 International DiGRA Nordic Conference

Place and date of conference: Turin, Italy, 25.-28.7.2018

Journal or series: Conference of Digital Games Research Association

eISSN: 2342-9666

Publication year: 2018

Volume: 2018

Publisher: Digital Games Research Association

Publication country: Finland

Publication language: English

Persistent website address: http://www.digra.org/wp-content/uploads/digital-library/DiGRA_Nordic_2018_paper_31.pdf

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/82815

Abstract

In this paper, we explore women’s participation in esports and competitive gaming. We will analyze two different types of research material: online questionnaire responses by women explaining their reluctance to participate in esports, and online forum discussions regarding women’s participation in competitive Overwatch. We will examine the ways in which women’s participation – its conditions, limits and possibilities – are constructed in the discussions concerning women gamers, how women are negotiating their participation in their own words, and in what ways gender may affect these processes. Our findings support those made in previous studies concerning esports and competitive gaming as fields dominated by toxic meritocracy and hegemonic (geek) masculinity, and based on our analysis, women’s room for participation in competitive gaming is still extremely limited, both in terms of presence and ways of participation

Keywords: electronic sports; online games; game culture; gender; gender roles; masculinity; meritocracy; participation

Free keywords: gender; esports; hegemonic geek masculinity; toxic meritocracy; Overwatch

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

Preliminary JUFO rating: 1