The case espoused against female video game players and opposing
arguments has seen itself in a virtual deadlock in recent years, but
not especially so with the boom of social games. What was once an
argument quickly shot down, and the role of female video game players
put into question by stereotypical macho gamers have now seen female
video gamers in a role reversal. Gamer elitist have now been competing for
publishing giant's devotion and even competency in a realm which was regarded once as a man's arena for the man's video game.What we now see is an uptake in simple, novel, social games with gateway platforms such as Facebook, Steam, PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade, and the myriad of other platforms. And with statistics provided by such video gaming tracking services such as the ESA. The question isn't so much of do females play video games, rather it is what games do they play?
If that is indeed the question posed today, this will lead to other
questions. And if the average age of video game players is 30 years
old, no question seems more important than will your wife play games?
This was actually a question posed to me by one of the many gamer
friends I've made over the years. A good friend and gaming buddy
in fact. He asked me what games he could buy for his wife so she could
get into video games, which was not really a question I had not
thought about before, and it piqued my interest enough for me to think
about it for a moment, so I could give him my opinion on the subject.
Keep in mind, I have a girlfriend, and a few other gaming girl buddies
that play video games online, and not surprisingly, they will kick
most other girl's asses online! Guys can test these ladies as well, as
it's a tough life out there on the online battlefield. These are
hardcore gamers, make no mistake; these are not the aforementioned
social gamers that occupy much of today's gaming arena.
Generally, females gamers have had a hard time playing the games they
enjoy without being stigmatized or criticized one way or another for
their abilities at playing video games, but statistics prove this is
not the case! Now for the fun part; here are some statistics on social
gaming, the average age of gamers, and female gamers provided by the
Entertainment Software Association (ESA:)
[http://www.theesa.com/facts/gameplayer.asp] The Entertainment
Software Association (ESA)
"Today, adult women represent a greater portion of the game-playing
population (30 percent) than boys age 17 or younger (18 percent)."
"The average gamer is 30 years old and has been playing for 12 years.
Sixty-eight percent of gamers are 18 years of age or older."
"Forty-seven percent of all players are women, and women over 18 years
of age are one of the industry's fastest growing demographics."
"Thirty-three percent of gamers play social games."
"Sixty-two percent of gamers play games with others, either in-person
or online. Seventy-eight percent of these gamers play with others at
least one hour per week."
[http://www.theesa.com/facts/gameplayer.asp] The Entertainment
Software Association ESA
play interesting and compelling video games, and the argument that
these smaller social games and gamers are our ambassadors to sort of a
gateway drug experience to even a bigger games community is a valid
one. A virtual passport to transcend the boundaries and familiar
territory associated with female gamers for greener pastures. Only
then, may we be able and willing to tap into a well of endless
possibilities for new genres and spins on old and tried genres of
video games. So, with all this talk of greener pastures,
I'd swap a couple of my exes for some of this video gaming greener
pastures, but let us instead swap some of these old traditions, and
not conform anymore to old rigid thinking because what transpires now
will shape the future of video gaming. So I took a moment to think
about an answer to my gaming buddies' question, and I took into
account what I've seen over the years gaming. The evolution of social
interaction within the gaming realm have caused me to a come to a
definitive conclusion; and with the aforementioned statistics
highlighting this, I believe female gamers are more comfortable in an
environment where they can play socially with friends, family or
spouses because there is no judgment or criticism when the whole
family is involved. Their particular gaming habits and tendencies
tend to make later for great quips and stories to share around the
dinner table.
My girlfriend for instance has been playing games since she was 7
years old. She's 30 now. And I wouldn't consider her a hardcore gamer
per se, as some of the games she does plays includes, Grand Theft Auto, racing games,
and surprise, the Sims Pets, which also includes a social element I
believe she may be intrigued by, even though it is a single player
experience. Her and many other female gamers may be intrigued by this
characteristic social gaming element, which is why the Sims ranks as
one the top games females play, or why the Nintendo Wii was so popular
with females. I speculate another facet of the social gaming element
is mental stimulation, which arises outside the social gaming arena
when females gamers want to unwind and relieve stress and seek out a
challenge in a confined environment with clearly defined rules.
Remember, females like a challenge! Stress at work, stress in life
where the rules in life are not always clearly defined; and with so
many things that can go wrong in real life, little outside of life's
mandates is as safeguarded as much as our hobbies and interests are.
So why not seek out a game where so little can go wrong if you play by
the rules.
What games will your wife play? The ESA proves with their statistics
that females gamers play video games and it is a growing demographic,
and some of the most popular games are the games they do play. Look
for games that provide a social element of sorts, and maybe something
a little challenging, and provides good mental stimulation. Female
gamers are coming guys, will you be able to handle the apron or the
heat?
I think the learning curve can be a major issue too, which is another area where the Wii broke barriers. Because of the cultural and/or psychological differences we don’t get drawn to the same types of games (as you noted) and so when we ask our lady to play a game with us its usually OUR game, and the long learning curve for the game/controller/genre is often enough to discourage them. With the Wii, almost any games’ controls are accessible and 80% of controls (not the games themselves, but the controls) are possible to quickly master. The Playstation Move has similar potential but there are not many good titles yet for move. Thanks for your opinions; I look forward to your next post.
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