From Barbie (R) to Mortal Kombat

Many parents worry about the influence of video games on their children's lives. The game console may help to prepare children for participation in the digital world, but at the same time it socializes boys into misogyny and excludes girls from all but the most objectified positions. The new "girls' games" movement has addressed these concerns. Although many people associate video games mainly with boys, the girls' games movement has emerged from an unusual alliance between feminists activists (who want to change the "gendering" of digital technology) and industry leader (who want to create a girls' market for their games). Contributors explore how assumptions about gender, games, and technology shape the design, development, and marketing of games as industry seeks to build the girl market. They describe and analyze the games currently on the market and propose tactical approaches for avoiding the steroetypes that dominate most toy store aisles. The lively mix of perspective and voices includes those of media and technology, educators, psychologists, industry insiders, and girl gamers.