Stephanie Harkin

Dr Stephanie Harkin has a PhD in Media and Communications from Swinburne University of Technology, where she researched girlhood and videogames. She teaches games culture at RMIT and has published in the journals Games and Culture and Game Studies. Twitter: @sa_harkin

Stephanie Harkin's Latest Articles

A history of Barbie video games made in Australia Krome Studios Torus Games.

Barbie Down Under: A History of Australian Barbie Video Games

Australian studios contributed creativity and humour to the Barbie franchise in an era when US publishers looked to the country for affordable labour.

Stephanie Harkin

July 28, 2025
A Mending

Exploring crafting games and storytelling traditions with ‘A Mending’

It's fun to gather friends for a tabletop game, but there are also several designed for solo play that invite contemplation and creativity.

Stephanie Harkin

July 28, 2025
Jane Friedhoff’s Lost Wage Rampage is a playful, political look at girlhood.

What can games tell us about girlhood?

From Life is Strange to The Walking Dead to Lost Wage Rampage, videogames can depict girlhood in groundbreaking, complex ways.

Stephanie Harkin

July 24, 2025
Girl Gamer Magazine

What happened to ‘Girl Gamer’? Searching for Nintendo’s forgotten pre-teen girl magazine

The era when a 'girl gamer' was highly valued by Nintendo might’ve been forgotten to history, were it not for Stephanie Harkin’s determined sleuthing.

Stephanie Harkin

July 20, 2025
Growing up and growing old in Wayward Strand

Growing up and growing old in Wayward Strand

A growing number of games are exploring teen and young adult perspectives, and Wayward Strand has its own unique interpretation. 

Stephanie Harkin

July 20, 2025