Deep, darkish goblins are out, and all issues sparkles and rhinestones are in. In Infinity Nikki, I costume my character in copious ruffles, sheer layered silk pastels, and varied outfits good for essentially the most glamorous of Disney princesses. Even the cities within the recreation, with their lovable cottages and overgrown flowers and vines, effuse a type of coziness and “cottagecore” aesthetic I’ve seen popularized by girls on social media websites like Tumblr and TikTok.
Due to particulars like these, I’d say Infinity Nikki leans into what I’d affiliate with historically female or “excessive femme” aesthetics and style. And whereas it’s advantageous to say that this recreation could possibly be aimed toward a feminine viewers, that definitely has not stopped all kinds of individuals from enjoying it. Since Infold Video games launched Infinity Nikki on Dec. 5, the biggest subreddit for the sport has turn into the platform for a brand new — and engaging — debate on gender and video video games.
The dialog began kind of like this: After the builders launched Infinity Nikki, a number of self-identified males posted on the subreddit saying that they’ve been enjoying and having fun with the sport. Though these posts differ in wording and tone — some appear to be far more lighthearted than others — every one kind of touches on the truth that grown males are out right here enjoying a girly dress-up recreation. One individual posted, “Jesus, lastly a manly recreation. Having a blast,” and one other mentioned, “I’m a 35 yr previous man. […] This recreation is so significantly better than I may have hoped. Completely in love!”
After I noticed one in all these posts for the primary time, I believed it was a candy approach for males to have fun a dress-up recreation and their extra female facet. I believe that’s as a result of it seems like gender norms are being enforced greater than they ever have been. Not too long ago, we’ve seen the continuous concentrating on of people who find themselves perceived as difficult gender norms. The previous decade has seen the emergence of a number of masculine subcultures, like “sigma males” and cryptocurrency tech bros. I needed to dwell by a interval the place one way or the other Harry Types sporting a costume turned essentially the most debated and analyzed cultural occasion on the web.
However as different members of the subreddit have identified, these posts also can have the exact opposite impact. One message — which has now turn into essentially the most upvoted put up on the complete subreddit — took concern with the posts the place males flexed their love of Infinity Nikki.
“The moment a lady recreation turns into in style it turns into ‘i’m a 25 yr previous man and i like this recreation’ [and] ‘hope no one is aware of i play this recreation for women,’” IntrinsicCarp mentioned on Reddit. “This recreation doesn’t should be relegated to your soiled little secret, at the same time as a joke.”
One other responded, “It was good to see the primary 2 occasions, however not after the twenty ninth of the identical put up…”
Relatively than normalize the truth that males can, and do, get pleasure from actions usually seen as female, posts like these can perpetuate the concept that it’s one way or the other exceptional that males dare to love a dress-up recreation. What’s extra is that ladies have lengthy performed what some may categorize as masculine video games.
“You don’t see us saying ‘tee hee i’m enjoying pink useless redemption how shameful’. Please develop up and simply play the sport for women with out performing this manner,” IntrinsicCarp mentioned.
Infinity Nikki has impressed some males to have fun their female facet and others to carry consideration to potential pitfalls of these sorts of posts. I’ve seen individuals touch upon all the pieces from illustration in Infinity Nikki to girls who have fun the sport for the way it empowers girls to specific themselves in whichever approach they need. On the finish of the day, Infinity Nikki is the type of recreation that enables its gamers to decorate up in any approach — whether or not that prioritizes appears which are cute, attractive, adventurous, or one thing else totally. No matter fashion every individual embraces is as much as them.
