Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

Gender*in Games: Geschlechterbilder in analogen und digitalen Spielen des 21. Jahrhunderts

The exhibition project Genderin Games serves as a critical examination of gender representation within the landscape of 21st-century analog and digital gaming.

• The 'Genderin Games' exhibition demonstrates that while modern games increasingly deconstruct gender stereotypes and offer diverse representations, traditional tropes like the 'damsel in distress' remain prevalent and continue to be naturalized in game design.
• The exhibition highlights a persistent gap in academic research, noting that while gender is a central topic in some recent game studies, it is frequently omitted in foundational texts and general game studies literature.
• Curatorial analysis of games like 'Cluedo' (since 1949) and 'Superhirn Professional' (1976) reveals how gendered representations in both game mechanics and cover art have evolved or remained static over decades.