Imagine.  Design.  Inspire.

     The Siyahhan and Gee article was written to portray a glimpse of the daily life of Mexican-American family homes involving gender based gaming; specifically, women and girls (Siyahhan and Gee, 2016).  It discussed a self-reporting study of multiple Mexican-American households use of gaming.  Initially, I was drawn to this article because for the first time in this program I was going to read an article that reflect me – a person with Mexican decent.  However, the articles title was misleading:

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Understanding Gaming and Gender Within Everyday Lives of Mexican-American Family Homes

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     I initially took the article to discuss families that were of Mexican decent.  Instead the study focused on families that were first generation or immigrants to the U.S.  The concept provided a glimpse into the daily lives of first generation or immigrants and the incorporation of gameplay for social interaction within the family focusing on behaviors and social norms among women and girls.  At first the article created resentment for the initial misrepresentation.  The article’s title could be retooled by the authors to reflect the accuracy of the subjects in the study.  An interesting aspect is that the study – although generally self-reporting – did provide an insight in the working dynamics of first generation Mexican families and the role women and girls operate within gameplay.  For this reflection, I’ll focus on that aspect and the fact that Latinos are an increasing population that need to be properly represented in game play.

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     The act of exploring Mexican-Americans (or Latino) use of digital content such as game play and the connection between culture, content, and community is important.  The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that the Latino population will reach 111 million by 2060; almost doubling the number in 2017 (Census, 2018).

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     The growth rate of the Latino population creates an opportunity for game developers to create games that positively portray Latinos as the protagonist and playable characters compared to current game trends.  According to the Media Education Foundation, eight out of the ten top-selling games feature White characters and portray racial minorities in stereotypical ways (Lavandier, A.M., 2016).

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     According to HispanicGamers.com, the number of Latinos that consider themselves hardcore or professional players increased based on Latinos two times as likely to refer to themselves in those categories than non-Latinos (Hispanic Gamers, 2014).  ThinkNow Research indicated that Latinos play video games more often than non-Latinos and play video games with other gamers.

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     This research aligns with the articles findings. However, the ThinkNow Research did not distinguish between female or male gamers based on mother, sister, or other female role; but it did provide a breakdown of females and males over a 12-month period and classified them based on casual, core, or hardcore/professional gamers.

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     The Latin Times, published an article in 2014, regarding the buying power and game play among Latinos is higher than the general market.  The study found that Latinos play games frequently on mobile and handheld devices as well as computers.  The study also found that Latino men played games like Call of Duty more frequently, while women played games like Candy Crush and Super Mario Bros.  There is a correlation between the findings of this study and those identified in the Siyahhan and Gee article.

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     The Siyahhan and Gee article is not a favorite, I challenged myself to look past my personal issue by uncovering research beyond the scope of the article.  Indeed, the additional research highlighted the importance the Latino community provides to the gaming community.  It also indicated that gaming interwoven into the Latino community.  It is also interesting that the Latino community continues to play games that do not represent them at all or in a negative manner (e.g. gangster, villain, etc.) because of the entertainment aspect and social connection.  The ThinkNow Research indicated that Latinos are more likely to game play online with stranger when compared to non-Latino players.

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     Latinos are starting to become a higher percentage of gamers, a change in the development of games need to occur.  Latinos need to start developing games to create story lines and characters that represent the Latino community in a positive manner throughout video games and general gameplay.  Characters that represent Latinos can help usher in a wave of connectivity among the Latin community.  From personal experience, it’s disheartening not being able to select a character that looks or represents my culture.  Latinos are not villains, drug lords, construction workers, garbage men/women, or other jobs that may illicit wrongdoing or subservient status.  We are doctors, lawyers, musicians, artists, bodybuilders, martial artists, designers, analysts, managers, owners, philanthropist, and so much more.  It would be great for diversity to rear itself in the entertainment and education that we consume.

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There is a long way to go before Latinos (and other minorities) are represented equitably in video games and over gaming (education, entertainment, assessment, etc.).  Further research is required to understand behaviors of Latinos because each ethnicity (Mexican, Costa Rican, Salvadorian, Columbian, etc.) has unique culture experiences.  Incorporating those elements will help non-Latinos understand Latinos better.  Positive incorporation of Latinos in gameplay will help future generations build confidence in their ability to achieve phenomenal goals.  A role model is a powerful motivator but a role model that has similar physical, cultural, and community attributes is a connection that inspires greatness.  It breaks down barriers and modes children to become well-adjusted adults.

Here’s to an article that missed the mark in my opinion but sparked a curiosity to research and learn more about the topic.  Prior to this class or article, I never gave much thought to gaming and the role Latinos play in it.  I’m not a huge gamer but I see value in it and an interesting field ahead.  Where this idea and concept takes me is still unknown, but regardless of the destination the ride will be fascinating!

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References: 

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Cannon, W. (2014). Hispanic buying power: study finds group

purchases and plays more video games than general market. Latin Times. Retrieved from https://www.latintimes.com/hispanic-buying-power-study-finds-group-purchases-and-plays-more-video-games-general-203557

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Lavendier, A.M. (2016). ¿Donde Estan?: Latino characters and video

games. Medium.  Retrieved from https://medium.com/the-nerd-castle/d%C3%B3nde-est%C3%A1n-latino-characters-and-video-games-76b3441fe70

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Hispanic Gamers. (2014). Think Now Research. U.S. Hispanics are

avid video game players, outpacing the general market in usage, purchases, and technology adoption. Retrieved from http://www.hispanicgamers.com/#bigpicture

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Siyahhan, S., Gee, E. (2016). Understanding gaming and gender within the everyday lives of Mexican-American family homes. Retrieved from http://remikalir.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/SiyahhanGee2016.pdf

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United States Census Bureau. (2018). Census Infographics &

Visualizations. Hispanic population to reach 111 million by 2060. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/2018/comm/hispanic-projected-pop.html