Long before GTA VI, these five female characters that marked the video game

On July 27, Bloomberg revealed that the next episode of the Grand Theft Auto series would give gamers the chance to play as a woman. A revolution in the universe of the saga, accused many times of giving a secondary place to female characters while sexualizing them.

For the game’s developer, Rockstar Games, this decision should offer a more inclusive and less misogynistic experience. The adventure plans to reinterpret the story of Bonnie and Clyde by introducing a couple. The woman of Latin origin will thus be the first playable protagonist of GTA.

But by letting the player control a female character, GTA VI doesn’t invent anything. The history of video games is already marked by the presence of iconic women. Let’s go back to five of them.

The most unexpected: Samus Aran (Metroid)

With Metroid, players have discovered a new gaming experience. With areas to explore, items to retrieve, all while battling enemies, the first episode of the saga has broken new ground. Released in 1986, like the first Castlevania, the two series had such an impact that they created a game category in their own right: Metroidvania.

But under the armor of its main character, Metroid introduces a woman: Samus Aran. If many gamers didn’t know this when they browsed the first few episodes, the information has spread a lot since then. The popularity of the series is such that in October 2021, it is with Metroid Dread that Nintendo chooses to accompany the launch of its Switch Oled.

The most bully: Chun-Li (Street Fighter)

Who doesn’t remember Chun-Li’s ultra-fast kicks? Since the Chinese fighter joined the cast of Street Fighter II in 1991, she has appeared in every episode of the series. Chun-Li, a martial artist, is the first woman to appear in a fighting game. Video game icon, she is featured in the movie Ready Player One, full of video game references, and even has her own skin in Fortnite.

The most emblematic: Lara Croft (Tomb Raider)

In 1996, it was in a 3D universe that players met a new adventurer – Lara Croft. The Tomb Raider video game tells of the expeditions of an archaeologist who explores the world in search of antiquities and legends. Armed with her two pistols, the female character is inseparable from the history of video games.

Nothing less than eleven games have starred the youngster. In the early 2000s, actress Angelina Jolie brought him to life in two films. Most recently, Alicia Vikander took on the role in a story based on the setting of the latest video game trilogy, published by Square Enix from 2013 to 2018. The Tomb Raider license is now held by Embracer.

Most Heartwarming: Ellie (The Last of Us)

With its post-apocalyptic story, inspired by Cormac McCarthy’s novel The Road, The Last of Us surprised many players in 2013. At the center of the story, Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, immune to the epidemic that has decimated the population , crosses the United States to join a group trying to develop a vaccine. She is escorted by Joel, the game’s main character, to stay alive during the journey.

If the first episode leaves little time to play in the skin of the teenager, its sequel (2020) focuses on the now young adult. While the previous intrigue moved by the relationship between the two protagonists reunited despite themselves, The Last of Us Part II surprises by the violent search for revenge that Ellie pursues. The title also allowed to discover the young woman’s homosexuality. A new version of the original game, scheduled for September 2, should benefit from the improvements developed for the second opus.

The most explorer: Aloy (Horizon)

The last among video game heroines, Aloy is the main character in Horizon Zero Dawn and its sequel Horizon Forbidden West. Released in 2017 and 2022, the titles each offer a grand adventure featuring open-world exploration.

Developed by Guerilla Games, the series places Aloy in a futuristic world where technology has escaped human control. Armed with her bow, the female character battles robotic creatures that take on animal forms as she embarks on the path of her origins.