Högskolan i Skövde

Sexism in digital games has received a lot of attention in recent research. Most such studies are addressing the perception of sexist content in games and the attitude in gaming communities. This article analyses the digital game Behind Every Great One, which portraits benevolent sexism, i.e. sexism that may appear positive but that has a damaging effect. What is unique with this game is that it is played from the victim's perspective, a housewife. The article presents an inductive analysis of the game using a triangulation of three different methods: a textual analysis, a player study, and an interview with the developer. The result shows that the game manages to convey benevolent sexism to players and evoke empathy for the victim. This is achieved through a combination of mechanics, narrative, and visual and musical aesthetics. For example, the physical space available for the protagonist is constantly shrinking and crying is used as a powerful mechanics in the game. The player needs to find an empty space for the protagonist to cry and this provides insight into her emotional state. Through the game, the developer reflects upon his own behaviour towards women and the consequences it might have had for them. In particular how his, and other men's, self-absorption forces their female partners into an undesirable social role, in which their needs are constantly neglected. The combination of a meaningful gameplay and the use of game mechanics to convey a message lead us to suggest that the gameplay can be characterized as a persuasive meaningful play. The game has a potential to be used in educational environments as a starting point for discussions regarding gender roles and benevolent sexism.