BOOM Salad Interview #2: FuzzeePickle: Fierce…Ferocious…and Unapologetically FEMALE!

FP: “Yeah, I played Golden Eye 007 with my brother all the time. (see Figure 3)”

Golden Eye 007
Figure 3: Golden Eye 007

BOOM: “So then, even at early age, you had an affinity for, let’s call them “violent video games” like the FPS. What was it that attracted you to them?”

FP: “I think it’s that each time you play, it’s never the same. When you play over and over again, you are going to die at different times and you do different stuff every single time. It’s never the same so it’s always exciting to see what’s going to happen next.”

BOOM: “Are you speaking of the online multiplayer or the campaign?”

FP: “Both, because if you’re playing the campaign it’s the same, you never know when you are going to die…”

BOOM: “Right.”

FP: “And you can take different paths as well, does that make sense?”

BOOM: “Yes, absolutely, but in terms of which you prefer, it seems you enjoy the online multiplayer more. In fact, according to your Battlelog, you’ve never even started the campaign on Battlefield 4.”

FP: “Nope (laughs). I get bored with campaigns. I really do. I think the only campaign I actually completed was Battlefield: Bad Company. It was either the first one or second one, and that was the only campaign I have ever completed. Oh and HALO.”

BOOM: “Ahh you’re a HALO fan too?”

Figure 4: Battlefield: Bad Company.
Figure 4: Battlefield: Bad Company.

FP: “Yeah, but I haven’t played since I sold my X-BOX.”

BOOM: “So would you say that Battlefield 4 is your favorite game right now?

FP: “Actually, I’ve been playing a lot of Elder Scrolls.”

BOOM: “That’s a very different playing experience from the Battlefield. Is it because it’s so different that you enjoy it?”

FP: “Well, it’s this huge, massive, online game that every one’s in…and you can see what they are doing, and they can see what you are doing and…I don’t know…I just like that.”

BOOM: “What is it about that experience that attracts you?”

FP: “It’s like that person is seeing exactly what you are seeing…but from their screen…I don’t know how to explain it, but I like it.”

BOOM: “I think you did just fine. So is that your favorite?”

FP: “I don’t really have a favorite. I like all games, I play all games, and I don’t really judge.”

BOOM: “Well said. Let’s switch gears a bit and talk about the male-oriented nature of certain games. Would you agree that Battlefield, the franchise, and Battlefield 4 in particular are 100% masculine in their content.”

FP: “Yeah.”

BOOM: “Well, what is it? Do you think the developers of games like Battlefield and Call of Duty are being sexist since they feature male-only characters in their online play?”

FP: “Personally, I don’t think they are and the reason is because I really don’t care if my character is a male or a female. That has nothing to do with it. I don’t understand why the gender role you’re playing should have any effect on your play.”

BOOM: “That’s a good point, but let me ask you, what’s wrong with having female characters in the games? Can you think of any justifiable reason why the developers wouldn’t include female characters as part of the online multiplayer?”

FP: “Maybe it’s because the military is more gender-based and they feel like they have to follow that example.”

BOOM: “So do you think these games are reflective of a broader societal view as far as how women are represented in the military and in combat situations?”

FP: “I don’t know. I like when they include female characters, but it’s not important to me.”

BOOM: “What about multi-gender persons? Should they also be represented?”

FP: “Oooh. I don’t know.”

BOOM: “Well, let me ask you, can you envision a time in the future in which games like Battlefield and COD will include not only female roles, but also transgender?”

FP: “Not all games. I feel like war-based games won’t. I feel like they never will have a strong, female character.”

BOOM: “If it turns out that the reasons developers exclude multi-gender characters from their games is because of some type of sexism, will you still play the games?”

FP: “Yeah (laughs)!”

BOOM: “Well done! Would you say then, that as far as you are concerned, gender issues don’t belong in gaming?”

FP: “Pretty much. I don’t understand why people make such a big deal about it. I really don’t.”

BOOM: “What about female gamers and their participation and contribution as members of the community and culture, do you feel that they are getting the credibility and attention they deserve? (see Figure 5)”

Figure 7: Girl Gamer's KICK ASS!
Figure 5: Girl Gamers KICK ASS!

FP: “I don’t think they are. Growing up, I would hear people say that girls shouldn’t play video games or that they suck at playing video games.”

BOOM: “How did that make you feel?”

FP: “I was pretty young and didn’t really think about it.”

BOOM: “What about now?”

FP: “I could care less what people say.”

BOOM: “Nice. So, let me ask you Fuzzee, have you ever been sexually harassed while playing?”

FP: “Yeah. In Call of Duty.”

BOOM: “Wow. Can you talk about it?”

FP: “I used to play this one mode, Search and Destroy I think, and when the guys would hear I was a girl they would start talking to me and sending me messages.”

BOOM: “When you have that kind of negative energy directed at you, how do you respond?”

FP: “I usually tell them off (laughs)…or I block them so I can’t hear them.”

BOOM: “Do you ever T-bag them? (see Figure 6)”

FP: “Oh yeah (laughs out loud)”

BOOM: “Fuzzee likes to T-bag!

Figure 8: Battlefield T-BAG.
Figure 6: Battlefield T-BAG.

FP: “On Battlefield, I do it ALL the time. In fact, if I T-bag you first, and you T-bag me after, I HAVE to kill you and get the T-bag.”

BOOM: (Laughs)

FP: “And If I get a knife kill, I have to T-bag you to show how awesome I am.”

BOOM: “Very good, very good indeed.”

FP: (Laughs)

BOOM: “So, bottom line, do you think that things are starting to change and that there is more acceptance and tolerance of female gamers both in the community and the culture?”

FP: “I think there has been a change, by far. I feel like there are more female gamers than what there used to be.”

BOOM: “Excellent. To wrap this up then Fuzzee, do you think that the developers of games like Battlefield and COD, need to do more to engage the female community of gamers? I mean, do you think there should be a more concerted effort on the part of these companies to reach out to the female gamers and embrace them as an important part of their consumer base?”

FP: “Yeah, I feel like when girls see a game like Battlefield they think of it as a “man’s game” and maybe don’t want to play it. So, yeah, I think they should do more to show that it isn’t.”

BOOM: “And on that note of brilliance, we will say, “thank you,” and, “goodnight Miss Pickle.”

FP: “Thank you and good night to you!”

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