frag /frag/ n. & v. • n. 1 number of kills. 2 a fragmentation grenade. • v. 1 to eliminate other players in multiplayer shooters (fragging).
rag•doll physics /ragdol fiziks/ n. 1 a program allowing videogame characters to react with realistic body and skeletal physics.
frag•doll /fragdol/ n. 1 a gamer girl with the skills to dominate in multiplayer shooters. 2 an unabashedly geeky female who is proud to love games and geek culture.
Imagine hordes of guys crowding around you cheering your name with awe and respect. Imagine little girls looking up to you, hoping to be like you one day.
Imagine playing video games for a living.
Being worshipped, getting admiration and drawing a cool salary from playing games is now real.
Girl Power
The Frag Dolls are an all-female professional gaming team. They were founded in 2004 by game publisher, Ubisoft, and made up of the top female gamers in the US.
Their debut game tournament playing Rainbow Six 3: Black Arrow sent men home with their tails between their legs.
Since then, they have made men who think video games are not for girls bite their tongues. Said Morgan Romine, better known as Frag Doll Rhoulette: “I think we'd like to see our sex as a non-issue. You know, a non-shocking thing that's we're girls”.
They finished 9th out of the 116 teams in the Penny Arcade Expo Halo 3 tournament in 2008. They also finished 11th during the Major League Gaming 2007 season in Rainbow Six Vegas, making them the first all-female team to make Semi-Professional status in Major League Gaming history.
The Frag Dolls are also vocal in their support of female gamers. They have spoken on panels at the Women’s Game Conference, Women in Games International and Game Developers Conference.
“Basically, we want to raise awareness that girls love games, too. It's something that's becoming more visible but still needs a lot of work. We're trying to change perceptions about girls that game”, said Rhoulette.
Not to mention, they’re hot.
I Wanna Be a Frag Doll!
Not so easy, young lady. The Frag Dolls are the best of the best after all.
What you can do is sign up for The Frag Doll Cadettes Academy
This is sort of like an internship programme for female gamers. Cadettes will be taught the inner workings of the video game industry and will get to attend industry events.
More importantly, the Frag Dolls will personally groom you to become a force to be reckoned with in the hardcore competitive gaming circuits.
“Our Cadette Academy is intended to get those gamers involved so that they may benefit from the cool opportunities that come with being part of the Frag Doll family, and so that we can benefit from their creativity, talent, and boundless energy”, said Rhoulette.
The selection criteria are tough. Literally thousands apply each year.
Applicants have to send in their resume, gaming history, game handle and complete a video interview. Only 12 of the best looking, speaking and shooting girls are allowed into the academy.
Blood, Toil, Sweat and Tears
Like any other skill, being the best at computer games takes skill, and a lot of commitment. Start small, practice often and before long, it will be your name that guys cheer in awe and wonderment.
Cheryl Cheong
Cheryl is a Staff Writer at MatchMove Games
