Gender and Identity in Game-Modifying Communities

This article discusses the practice of game modification among players of the computer game THE SIMS 2. It draws on a set of email interviews conducted with Finnish players of the game. From a cultural studies and media studies perspective, it considers the importance of, primarily, gendered identity and, to some degree, national identity, for such a practice. Focusing on the players’ constructed identities as women, game modifiers, THE SIMS 2 players, and Finns, this article highlights the importance of global game communities and discourses for their player identity. Game reviews and popular game magazine articles are used as secondary sources to establish the game within popular game discourse.