Preferences and Motivations in Video Game Character Selection: A Studyon Gender and Identity in Latin America
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21142/DES-1804-2026-0102Keywords:
Video games, audience research, cultural users, cultural life, leisure, entertainment, Latin AmericaAbstract
This study analyzes the motivations and preferences behind the selection of video game characters among Latin American players of different genders. The objective is to explore players’ preferences regarding the characters they choose and to understand the engagement dynamics and interpretations they construct around characters of different genders. A quantitative online survey was conducted in several Latin American countries between April and May 2024, yielding 1,305 valid responses. The results show that, for female characters, aesthetics was the main criterion, although men prioritized physical attractiveness while women and non-binary players valued clothing, visual style, and design. For male, trans, non-binary, and genderless characters, gameplay and narrative were more prominent. Players of other gender identities showed greater affinity for non-binary or genderless characters. In conclusion, these choices reflect gendered imaginaries and differentiated forms of engagement within the Latin American gaming context.
Downloads
References
Calleja, G. (2011). In-game: from immersion to incorporation. MIT Press.
Cohen, J. (2001). Defining Identification: A Theoretical Look at the Identification of Audiences With Media Characters. Mass Communication and Society, 4(3), 245-264. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327825MCS0403_01
Corona, A. (2018). Identidad-Agencia-Espacio. El videojuego desde los estudios culturales. Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila
Corona, A. (2019). ¿Vestuario o agencia? Representación de género en cinco videojuegos de acción de la séptima generación. Anagramas, 17(34). https://doi.org/10.22395/angr.v17n34a8
Cote, A. (2020). Gaming Sexism. Gender and Identity in the Era of Casual Video Games. New York University Press.
Dietz, T. L. (1998). An examination of violence and gender role portrayals in video games: implications for gender socialization and aggressive behavior. Sex Roles, 38, 425-442.
Dill, K. E., Gentile, D. A., Richter, W. A. y Dill, J. C. (2005). Violence, Sex, Race, and Age in Popular Video Games: A Content Analysis. En E. Cole y J. H. Daniel (eds.), Featuring females: Feminist analyses of media (pp. 115-130). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/11213-008
Erikson, E. (1968). Identity youth and crisis. Norton.
Glaubke, C. R., Miller, P., Parker, M. A. y Espejo, E. (2001). Fair Play? Violence, Gender and Race in Videogames. Children Now.
Hart, C. (2017). Getting into the game: An examination of player personality projection in videogame avatars. The International Journal of Computer Game Research, 17(2). https://www.gamestudies.org/1702/articles/hart
Hefner, D., Klimmt, C. y Vorderer, P. (2007). Identification with the Player Character as Determinant of Video Game Enjoyment. En L. Ma, M. Rauterberg y R. Nakatsu (eds.), Entertainment Computing – ICEC 2007. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 4740. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-74873-1_6
Held, R. y Durlach, N. (1992). Telepresence. Presence (Cambridge, MA), 1(1), 109-112.
Hernández, R., Fernández, C. y Baptista, P. (2014). Metodología de la investigación. (6.ª ed.). McGraw-Hill.
Jansz, J. y Martis, R. G. (2007). The Lara Phenomenon: Powerful female characters in video games. Sex Roles, 56(3-4), 141-148. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-006-9158-0
Mayra, F. (2008). An Introduction to Game Studies. SAGE Publications.
Minsky, M. (1980). Telepresence. Omni Magazine.
Near, C. (2013). Selling gender: Associations of box art representation of female characters with sales for teen- and mature-rated video games. Sex Roles, 68, 252-269. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-012-0231-6
Partridge, C. (2005). Introduction to world religions. Fortress.
Reinecke, L., Trepte S. y Behr, K. (2007). Why girls play. Results of a qualitative interview study with female video game players. Hamburger Forschungsberichte zur Sozialpsychologie, 77. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/37368027_Why_Girls_Play_Results_of_a_Qualitative_Interview_Study_with_Female_Video_Game_Players
Saavedra Echenique, C. (2022). «Es mejor si eres tomboy»: Construcción de identidad de género en la performance de las practicantes de covers del k-pop limeño. Desde el Sur, 14(2), e0020. https://doi.org/10.21142/DES-1401-2022-0020
Sales, B. A. G. y Baía, D. C. P. (2024). Dibujos infantiles y cartografía sociocultural: producción de imágenes y trabajo de campo en torno a un área protegida en la región metropolitana de Belém, Pará (Brasil). Desde el Sur, 16(3), e0049. https://revistas.cientifica.edu.pe/index.php/desdeelsur/article/view/1750
Shaw, A. (2014). Gaming at the edge: Sexuality and gender at the margins of gamer culture. University of Minnesota Press.
Sheridan, T. B. (1992). Musings on telepresence and virtual presence. Presence, 1(1), 120-126. https://doi.org/10.1162/pres.1992.1.1.120
Slater, M. (2003). A note on presence terminology. Presence Connect, 3(3), 1-5. http://www0.cs.ucl.ac.uk/research/vr/Projects/Presencia/ConsortiumPublications/ucl_cs_papers/presence-terminology.htm
Slater, M. y Wilbur, S. (1997). A framework for immersive virtual environments. Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments, 6(6), 603-616.
Statista Research Department. (2024). Videojuegos en América Latina - Datos estadísticos. https://es.statista.com/temas/11329/videojuegos-en-america-latina/#topicOverview
Treviño, R. (2025). El involucramiento como mediación en las lecturas de personajes femeninos en videojuegos: un estudio comparativo entre jugadoras y jugadores [Tesis doctoral, Tecnológico de Monterrey]. https://repositorio.tec.mx/items/d675ff54-6708-44ec-89d4-34bf48f79c5b
Treviño, R. y Cobos, T. L. (2025a). Gamers en América Latina: Análisis comparativo de su iniciación, prácticas y preferencias según género. Dixit, 39, e4423. https://doi.org/10.22235/d.v39.4423
Treviño, R. y Cobos, T. L. (2025b). Explorando la trayectoria de las videojugadoras latinoamericanas: Iniciación, influencias y relevancia cotidiana. Austral Comunicación, 14(3). https://doi.org/10.26422/aucom.2025.1403.tre
Treviño, R. y Cobos, T. L. (2026). Videojugar en América Latina: prácticas de consumo, emociones, motivaciones y percepciones de impacto en la salud. index.Comunicación, 16(2), 91–114. https://doi.org/10.62008/ixc/16/02Videoj
Turkle, S. (1995). Life on the screen. Identity in the age of the Internet. Simon & Schuster.
Waggoner, Z. (2009). My Avatar, My Self: Identity in Video Role-Playing Games. McFarland and Company.
Wirth, W. (2006). Involvement. In J. Bryant y P. Vorderer (eds.), Psychology of entertainment (pp. 199-212). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers.
Witkowski, W. (2021). Videogames are a bigger industry than movies and North American sports combined, thanks to the pandemic. Marketwatch. https://www.marketwatch.com/story/videogames-are-a-bigger-industry-than-sports-and-movies-combined-thanks-to-the-pandemic-11608654990
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Esta obra está bajo una licencia http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
