{"references": ["Beaubien, J. (2017). Save the princess: Depictions of gender in indie video games [Yay\u0131nlanmam\u0131\u015f y\u00fcksek lisans tezi]. Texas State University.", "Bitette, N. (2020, Haziran 25). Why Showtime believes in pushing boundaries. Paramount. https://www.paramount.com/news/content-and-experiences/why-showtimer-believes-in-pushing-boundaries", "Braid. (PC Version) [Video Game]. (2008). Number None.", "Canbazo\u011flu Bilici, S. (2012). Fen bilgisi \u00f6\u011fretmen adaylar\u0131n\u0131n teknolojik pedagojik alan bilgisi ve \u00f6zyeterlikleri [Yay\u0131nlanmam\u0131\u015f doktora tezi]. Gazi \u00dcniversitesi.", "Coltraine, S., & Messineo, M. (2000). The perpetuation of subtle prejudice: Race and gender imagery in 1990s television advertising. Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, 42(5-6), 363\u2013389. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007046204478", "Corr, C. A. (2020). Elisabeth K\u00fcbler-Ross and the \"Five Stages\" model in a sampling of recent American textbooks. OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying, 82(2), 294\u2013322. https://doi.org/10.1177/0030222818809766", "Dietz, T. L. (1998). An examination of violence and gender role portrayals in video games: Implications for gender socialization and aggressive behavior. Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, 38(5/6), 425-442. https://doi.org/10.1023/A%3A1018709905920", "Freud, S. (1909). Family Romances. The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud, Volume IX (1906-1908): Jensen's 'Gradiva' and Other Works, 235-242.", "Giannetti, L. (2005). Understanding Movies (10th Ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Education.", "Grand Theft Auto IV. (PC Version) [Video Game]. (2008). Rockstar Games.", "Gris. (PC Version) [Video Game]. (2018). Nomada Studio.", "Heineman, D. S. (2020). Game studies' elephant in the room. New Media & Society, 22(6), 1116\u20131121. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444820922164", "Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice. (PC Version) [Video Game]. (2017). Ninja Theory.", "Idris, N. (2013). Damsel in shining armor & knight in distress - Role reversal of mythical gender archetypes in Shakespearean comedies. Ruminations: The Andrean Journal of Literature, (3), 138-146.", "Kiley, A. T. (2016). Indie inclusion?: Analyzing diversity in the independent video game industry [Yay\u0131nlanmam\u0131\u015f y\u00fcksek lisans tezi]. University of Oregon.", "Kulak, \u00d6. (2020). Theodor Adorno: K\u00fclt\u00fcr end\u00fcstrisinin k\u0131skac\u0131nda k\u00fclt\u00fcr. \u0130thaki Yay\u0131nlar\u0131.", "Marcuse, H. (1975). Tek boyutlu insan. \u00c7ev. Af\u015far Timu\u00e7in, Teoman Tun\u00e7do\u011fan. May Yay\u0131nlar\u0131.", "Mulvey, L. (1981). Afterthoughts on 'Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema' inspired by 'Duel in the Sun' (King Vidor, 1946). Framework: The Journal of Cinema and Media, 0(15-17), 12-15. http://www.jstor.org/stable/44111815", "Muriel, D., & Crawford, G. (2018). Video games as culture: Considering the role and importance of video games in contemporary society. Routledge Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315622743", "Myers, V. (2022, \u015eubat 10). Our Progress in inclusion: 2021 update. Netflix. https://about.netflix.com/en/news/our-progress-on-inclusion-2021-update", "Near, C.E. (2013). Selling gender: Associations of box art representation of female characters with sales for teen- and mature-rated video games. Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, 68(3-4), 252-269. https://doi.org/10.1007%2Fs11199-012-0231-6", "Newzoo. (2021). Diversity and inclusion in gaming: Insights and opportunities. https://newzoo.com/insights/trend-reports/diversity-inclusion-report-intel-newzooo", "Newzoo. (2022). Global games market report. https://newzoo.com/insights/trend-reports/newzoo-global-games-market-report-2022-free-version", "Onay, C. Z., & K\u0131yl\u0131o\u011flu, L. (2021). Dijital oyunlarda kad\u0131n ve erkek temsilinin toplumsal cinsiyet i\u015faretleri ba\u011flam\u0131nda de\u011ferlendirilmesi. Uluda\u011f \u00dcniversitesi Fen-Edebiyat Fak\u00fcltesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 22(41), 955-993. https://doi.org/10.21550/sosbilder.866001", "Perry, K. (2021). Damsels and darlings: Decoding gender equality in video game communities. Feminist Media Studies, 22(5), 1102-1119. https://doi.org/10.1080/14680777.2021.1883085", "Ruch, A. W. (2012). Grand Theft Auto IV: Liberty City and modernist literature. Games and Culture, 7(5), 331\u2013348. https://doi.org/10.1177/1555412012454221", "Sandra, N., & Mutiaz, I. (2022). The embodiment of K\u00fcbler-Ross Model through game elements in GRIS and it's impact on player experience. Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, 625, 252-260. https://dx.doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.211228.033", "Sarkeesian, A. (2013, A\u011fustos 2). Damsel in Distress: Part 3 - Tropes vs Women in Video Games [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjImnqH_KwM", "Sethulekshmi, R.S. (2019, Nisan 19). A damsel in distress: Study of Princess Peach in Super Mario Bro series videogames [Conference presentation]. 3th International Conference on New Horizons in Science, Engineering and Management and Humanities, IIMT College of Engineering, Greater Noida, India.", "Smith, S. L., & Cook, C. A. (2008). Gender stereotypes: An analysis of popular films and TV. The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media Conference, 208, 12-23. https://seejane.org/wp-content/uploads/GDIGM_Gender_Stereotypes.pdf", "Tadeo, J. E. A. (2020). Deconstruction of themes in 'Grand Theft Auto IV'. Interdisciplinary Research Journal, 12(1), 15-29.", "Taylor, I. (2020, Haziran 26). Ubisoft and Insomniac face allegations over mistreatment of women. GamesIndustry. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/ubisoft-and-insomniac-face-dozens-of-allegations-over-mistreatment-of-women", "Tompkins, J. E., & Martins, N. (2022). Masculine pleasures as normalized practices: Character design in the video game industry. Games and Culture, 17(3), 399-420. https://doi.org/10.1177/15554120211034760", "Thach, H. (2021). A cross-game look at transgender representation in video games. Press Start, 7(1), 19\u201344.", "WarnerMedia. (2022). WarnerMedia Equity & Inclusion Report 2020/21. https://static-wmwm.warnermediacdn.com/2021-10/WarnerMedia%20Equity%20and%20Inclusion%20Report%202020-1.pdf", "Willis, S. (2022, Temmuz 14). Gaming, gender and how diversity is growing in the industry. dbsinstitute. https://insider.dbsinstitute.ac.uk/gaming-gender-and-how-diversity-is-growing-in-the-industry", "Y\u0131ld\u0131r\u0131m, A., & \u015eim\u015fek, H. (2008). Sosyal bilimlerde nitel ara\u015ft\u0131rma y\u00f6ntemleri (6. Bask\u0131). Se\u00e7kin Yay\u0131nc\u0131l\u0131k.", "Yip, D. K. M. (2021). The hidden art of transmedia storytelling across cinema and video game. In International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics (pp. 569-573). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-80094-9_68"]}

There are many studies in the literature addressing the under-representation of women in video games. These studies draw attention to some basic problems such as the fact that female characters are few in number and only play supporting roles in video games as passive characters who are at the forefront with their sexual attractiveness, waiting to be rescued or demanded as a reward for the male protagonist. However, in recent years, there has been an effort to change the inadequate and stereotypical representation of women in the video game industry. As a reflection of this change effort, the most well-known character archetypes such as 'damsel in distress' have begun to be reinterpreted in some video games. In the study, four games selected by purposive sampling method were discussed in order to examine innovative interpretations of the damsel in distress archetype. In purposive sampling, the researcher chooses sample situations that contain rich information to solve the problems in his study. The four selected games are Braid, Grand Theft Auto IV, Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, and Gris, respectively. The descriptive analysis method explains how the archetype of damsel in distress and the narratives associated with this archetype are reinterpreted in four video games. The data obtained according to the descriptive analysis approach are summarized and interpreted according to the previously determined themes. As a result, it has been determined that innovative damsel in distress narratives in video games give positive messages to overcome the under-representation of women. The games in the sample show that the female characters can fight alone without waiting for help and get rid of the victimization. It has also been seen that video games can draw attention to the problems of traditional narratives by questioning the reasons that put a woman in the damsel in distress situation. Finally, it has been determined that a damsel in distress can play a leading role in video games and that female characters do not need to be commodified over their physical characteristics in order to be interesting.