Asena Güney Aslan
İ. Asena Güney was born in Ankara in May 1996. After completing her high school education at Gölbaşı Anatolian High School, she graduated from TED University, Department of Architecture, in 2019. During her university years, she worked as an intern architect in the construction of YDA Center Ankara in 2017 and later as a design intern at Ziya İmren Architecture Office in 2018.
After graduating, she attended a summer school on Community Engagement at Bauhaus University in Germany and then studied Architecture for Museums and Exhibitions for four months in a course organized by the Young Architects Competition in Italy. Following these experiences, she decided to merge her architectural knowledge with game design to adapt to the evolving digital landscape. In September 2020, she started her master's studies in the Digital Game Design program at Bahçeşehir University.
She completed her master's degree with her thesis titled "Autoethnographic Space Experience on Virtual Universes in the Metaverse Discipline." Alongside her academic work, she continues to work as a freelance designer for various companies. As of September 2024, she has started her Ph.D. in Architectural History at Middle East Technical University (METU). In her free time, she enjoys reading books, exploring cultural sites, and writing.
Outside the Magic Circle
This exhibition seeks to draw attention to what lies beyond the so-called magic circle—the immersive space where players feel a sense of belonging within a game world.
Games have historically been a sector primarily designed for and marketed toward young white men. The industry’s marketing strategies, in-game characters, and narratives have reinforced this bias, shaping both the audience and the representation within games. Gender has played a pivotal role not only in defining the player demographic but also in determining the limited and often stereotyped presence of women in the sector.
Video games contribute significantly to the construction of social gender roles, yet women continue to face challenges in securing a place within the industry. The idea that games are made by and for men has long been considered the natural order of things, while women’s involvement in game production has been perceived as an exception. When games have been designed for women, they have typically been restricted to romanticized and narrowly defined roles, failing to reflect their full potential. Instead, these portrayals have reinforced objectification and constrained women to rigid stereotypes.
The representation of women in games has often been an extension of male figures rather than an assertion of independent identities. Female characters have frequently been created through minimal alterations to male counterparts or as objects of sexualization—Minnie Mouse, for example, was merely Mickey Mouse with the addition of a bow. Despite recent efforts toward greater inclusion—such as the increasing number of women working in the industry and the diversification of game narratives—the gaming world remains dominated by men. Gender equality in this field, along with the widespread production of women-friendly games, remains an unfulfilled goal. As games play a fundamental role in children’s development, they influence how gender roles are perceived from an early age. Games have the potential to empower girls, instill confidence, and foster a sense of equality, while also helping boys move away from patriarchal norms. Just as gender inequality exists in the real world, it is reflected in the world of games and toys.
This exhibition seeks to draw attention to what lies beyond the so-called magic circle—the immersive space where players feel a sense of belonging within a game world. By shifting focus to the unseen structures that shape this experience, the exhibition explores the role of gaming in defining gender norms. Furthermore, it aims to initiate a critical dialogue on the presence of women in the gaming industry, the portrayal of female characters in games, and the ways in which toy production contributes to gender inequality.