Mattel releases new ‘Game Developer’ Barbie doll

After the controversial release of 2013 sexist storybook, “Computer Engineer Barbie” which detailed Barbie ‘relying on two men’ to create a software, revered toy maker Mattel engineered a feminist doll which is destined to smash stereotypes that women can’t perform jobs once steered and overshadowed by males.

Mattel has released “Game Developer Barbie”, a petite, red-haired, chic female who wears blue jeans, olive green jacket, and a t-shirt. Not only that, the Barbie has its own set of gadgets, according to a report by Huffington Post . The fascinating plan to design a ‘techie’ doll was announced in January this year.

SCREENGRAB from Mattel’s website

SCREENGRAB from Mattel’s website

To sophisticatedly sculpt and decorate the doll’s prototype, Molly Proffitt, CEO of game developer company Ker-Chunk Games, LLC., teamed up with Mattel to model the techie Barbie, coupled with a luminous silver headset, a laptop with ‘real game code graphics’ and a tablet featuring an app game.

“The computer has [Javascript] on it and you can see various instances of game engines on her laptop,” Proffitt mentioned to The Huffington Post. “I really know that girls need an icon that shows that they can be a part of the [tech] space and Barbie does that. She has power to tell girls they can be makers and builders.” 

In a report by tech website CNet, Barbie can be an influential symbol for girls to dream big and become successful in life. “The idea here is that you can dream of becoming a professional ballerina or a veterinarian, but you can also be one of the people who creates the games you love to play,” the website wrote. On the other hand, according to anime website Kotaku, Game Developer Barbie is a stiff prototype that could neither move its limbs and arms nor sit. 

SCREENGRAB from Mattel’s website

Game Developer Barbie is Mattel’s 2016 Career of the Year. Previous unique and career-inspired Barbies include Fashion Designer Barbie, Movie Director Barbie, Entrepreneur Barbie, and even a Mars Explorer Barbie. Since late 2013, Mattel pampered Barbie prototypes with an ‘extreme makeover’ by mixing and matching dolls with various skin tones and body shapes based on Asian and African races. 

The doll, priced at $12.99 (601 PHP), is already sold-out at Mattel’s website. Gianna Francesca Catolico