Dissecting Smite #1: Oversexualization, Stereotyping, Double-Standards, and Other Misogyny in Smite

wait what?

i have never seen those...

...so it's just straight softcore porn then?

Misogyny is the hatred of women. I heavily doubt that Hi-Rez hate women.

I think the problem, as was said in the cubits video, isn;t with the sexeualisation but rather with the lack of variety in design choices. Interestingly enough you may realise that in 2014 the sexual level has increased.

I put this down to Tencent. In China women are basically viewed as sex toys (hell, some parents discard their female children at birth to make sure their one child leads a good life) and as such releasing less sexual gods wouldn't be viewed well over there hence why the redid Nu Wa and plunged Chang'e top more in the Chinese client.

But either way I don't have too much of a problem. Because, surprise surprise, these women aren't even real. No one is being oppressed, hated or otherwise mocked in the creation of a video game character unless they are of a certain stereotype for example how Jinx was viewed as mocking African Americans or how in the development of Xenoblade they changed the food delivery by a woman from a curry to avoid sexual stereotypes.

My only real design problems in terms of the females lie with Awilix (only the jiggle physics for god's sake), Nox with her elegant design and huge coconuts and then somewhat Neith who I think would look better in a dress.

I personally love bastet's design these days as while it does show midriff it keeps relatively modest and of course the way that Chang'e is done.

If anything were to be done (even though it couldn;t because someone would throw in their ten cents....) then I would cover up Neith, make Nox look more regal and maybe give arachne some spidery armour. Either way the post was well done even if I think it's a bit blown out of proportion.

Wow, actually the first time I read sth that long and are willing to respond the first time in a direct personal form at this forum.

First I have to agree with Sub. Every single female god is oversexualized (well except for Chang'e maybe). And I asure you that I would find it way better to play a armored goddess instead of a stripper one. There some minor issues I have with your text, but I would totally agree with you.

That's right: WOULD.

Because on the other hand I work at a TV-station in Real Life. And I hve a different (maybe coldblooded) view of the world.

So let me tell you Sub: Hi-Rez is a company that has millions of income. And EVERY company at that lvl wants more money. I think we all agree on that.
The target age of Smite is 14+! >>14<< That's the age where almost every game puts in the "sex sells" part. It's pretty obvious what they are doing (oversexualizing) but it's also REALLY obvious WHY they are doing this. In a world where 14 y.o. children are allowed (by their parents) to play games like Call of Duty (airport-lvl anyone?) you have to come up with stereotypes, sex and violence. That's no platitude, it' a fact. A sad fact if you ask me.

So is it your fault for being to sensitive? Not a single bit
Is it Hi-Rez fault for swimming along the mainstream? Maybe a little
but the problem you stated is a problem of worlds society and not of a game company. Sure you can work otherwise, but this is what the world (or the gamer-world) has become! Sure you find PLENTY of better examples. But I even think that half your examples of LoL-charakters are sexualized too.

TL;DR: This is a problem of society.

Again: I don't want to say "here it is, eat it or go". I'm actually quite positiv with your opinion. But it is as the world is and as long as the money flows nothing will every change.

also sub from what i can see nox is ment to be their milf. if she has a cliché then its that.

but i dont know here taunts or jokes so i am not entirely sure.

The Zoey part is a huge stretch. Like "I need to **** on everything, and I missed Scylla".
And Chang'es muteness gives her personality that way. Makes her more mysterious and kind of lonely. As she should.

So, Chang'e, perfect design.

Everyone loves that joke. He just wanted to be a baker :(

Like. Her taunt is literally her shaking her tits. I'm not even in the slightest exaggerating. Like. Hirez.

No, misogyny is prejudice, being discriminatory, against women, not active hatred.

For example, slavery. Most slaveowners didn't hate slaves, just treated and believed them to be under them. Likewise, one can like women in general, but thinking they belong in the kitchen or something still makes you misogynistic.

I highly doubt anyone at HiRez hates women are wish they all burn, but there is definitely some misogyny in that company.

Anyway, I know that these aren't real people being oppressed and stuff, but that isn't why I said it was harmful. I never equated stereotyping and sexualization to actual, IRL harm. I just said that this stuff was harmful because of the way it helps internalize prejudices. Yeah, the game doesn't actually hurt women, but it reflects HiRez' attitudes toward women, and that attitude itself is unacceptable.

Or in short, Smite proliferates misogyny. It's reflected in ourselves, whether you like it or not. It's not directly harmful, but it's not harmless, either.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internalized_sexism

"The world will never change." "It's part of life."

You know, I'm really sick of that mindset. The world is changing. More and more female gamers are gaming. Attitudes toward female characters are changing - female Call of Duty protagonists. Mass Effect. Overwatch. League of Legends. Dawngate. Heroes of the Storm. All of these games have advanced in leaps and bounds toward the goal of being more fair to the female gender - and meanwhile, you say that it's impossible to change?

It's not. Times are changing. If a completely new company like Waystone could decide to treat women more fairly than a bigwig company than HiRez, and if older companies like Blizzard and Riot are actively striving to make changes, then so can Smite. The whole "it's part of life" argument doesn't work anymore, because changes are happening.

HiRez could have done literally ANYTHING else. Literally, ANY other combination of name genders, any other step in the process would have removed Scylla from the list of problems. But they nailed the one specific combination of names and genders to make the thing look as misogynistic as possible. I refuse to believe that's a coincidence.

*rolls eyes*

Muteness gives her personality? No. No, it doesn't.

Chell from Portal is silent and has a personality because the only thing she can talk to is something intent on killing her. Her silence indicates defiance.

But Chang'e can laugh. She can make a joke. She can talk to her teammates. She can communicate to someone she actually wants to communicate with, and she doesn't. She doesn't even talk to her own rabbit, which makes literally zero sense.

"Mysterious and lonely, as she should?" You know that in the actual lore, Chang'e does communicate, right? Also, I hope you know that silent and pretty women who have no voice of their own isn't a good thing.

She doesn't have a "lonely" personality. She doesn't have a personality, period. And she's a "dancer," out of many occupations and stuff. Yet another stereotype out of a big list of stereotypes.