Research On The Narrative Structure Of Video Games For Female Players

According to the China Game Industry Report 2021,the scale of game users in China will maintain a steady growth to reach 666 million in 2021.At the same time,the development of the game market is also facing great challenges.On the one hand,the industry has become increasingly competitive in recent years,the increase in user scale has slowed down and the demographic dividend is becoming saturated;on the other hand,the audience of video games is gradually becoming younger and younger,and the game industry,as an important part of socialist cultural undertakings,should shoulder its due sense of social responsibility.In addition,some games have a negative portrayal of female characters in their plotting and characterisation,which turns away potential female players and is detrimental to the overall development of the market,and some studies have shown that violence and sexualisation of female characters in games affects gamers’ perceptions of women in reality and that violence against women is permissible,especially for teenagers.Therefore,this paper will first review previous research and literature on women and games,analyse the key issues raised in the discourse on femininity and video games,and identify areas of weakness in previous research.The article then analyses the attempts made by game manufacturers to tap into the female market in different periods,and compares the development of the narrative structure of video games for female players,especially the progress and limitations.Through the analysis of classic cases,the article divides the games for female players into five stages and summarises them into five typical narratives.On the basis of this,the independent game WHAT IF THE PLAYER IS FEMALE is designed to demonstrate the development of the narrative framework of video games for female players through the game’s unique interactivity and narrative experience,and to deconstruct and reconstruct its classic narratives.This paper combines theoretical research and case studies to summarise the narrative structure of past video games for female players,point out their shortcomings and what is still worth learning from them,and try to propose possible future directions for future game design,in order to provide reference and innovation for future game design,with a view to opening up the game market and to encourage the public and manufacturers to reflect on the stereotypical image of femininity in games.