Breaking News: Video Games Still Sexist

I had a bruising encounter with a copy of USA Today (which I found on top of a trash bin in the Oakland Airport) this morning. Apparently they’re making Desperate Housewives into a video game. Why? They needed something with stereotypes in it:

“As fans of the show would expect, the game is loaded with gossip, betrayal, murder and sex — you know, all the things women like,” says Mary Schuyler, the producer of the title at Buena Vista Games.

Housewives, a dialogue-heavy mystery with an emphasis on social interaction and character customization, is geared toward female players. “There aren’t a lot of games for women today, but this is one where women will really have a good time,” Schuyler says.

And by “really have a good time” she means “squeeze our traitorous eyes and gossip-hungry ears shut to ignore it while waiting patiently for Civilization IV to come out for the Mac”. Or maybe she just means “have more fun than we would at a gaming industry party“:

As foretold, I was the only woman not hired to be there. This produced a subtle sapping of my spirit, as I was bombarded with the sight of all other women at the party serving the male attendees food, giving them little gizmos, being paid to flirt with them, to dance for them, to smile. The men had judging, patronizing expressions, which didn’t change when their gaze flickered from the dancers briefly onto me as I moved about the party. Rarely have I encountered so many instances of men openly looking me up and down.
[...]
I walked down the street and ran into the Xbox engineer who had invited me. “What? You’re leaving? It’s just getting started!” he exclaimed.

“Yeah, it’s not my thing,” I said.

“You’re not much of a party person, huh?”

“I am, but –” I saw his look bordering on bruised ego, and changed my tune. “That’s right, I’m super lame like that.” I finished.