This thesis analyzes the ideological functions of gameplay mechanics in five mobile and online girl games. The subjects of close reading in this study are Tampon Run, Wonder City, Barbie Fashionistas, Style Studio, and Central Park Wedding Prep. First, a review of the literature is presented. Video game studies and ludology, identity in game studies, and performativity and game studies are examined as the central areas of literature from which the thesis draws. The thesis then explores the historical context of the problem, investigating politics and ideology in gaming spaces and considering the activist and educational games Tampon Run and Wonder City. Finally, the thesis analyzes three traditional girl games: Barbie Fashionistas, Style Studio, and Central Park Wedding Prep. This study argues that activist games rely on limiting mechanics to convey feminist ideologies, while traditional games rely on the perceived mechanics-based empowerment of their players to convey patriarchal ideologies.

This research explores player motivations in first-person shooter competitive multiplayer games and proposes game mechanics illustrated in gameplay contexts that promote competence, relatedness, and autonomy. By adopting a self-deterministic lens for exploring player motivations and experiences, and how they are negatively affected by toxic play, the study aims to identify insights that could diminish the negative effects for standard players. Following a design-based research approach, the project employed player-centred methods to explore personal accounts of experience in the researched context. The end result is an annotated portfolio presenting game mechanics in gameplay contexts that allow players to understand who they are playing with and against, to bond with their teammates, and to get a second chance to rejoin the game. The annotated portfolio frames the knowledge contribution as insights into how the designs enhance perceived competence, relatedness, and autonomy.