Slashdot Mirror
Girls Got Game
Via Joystiq, a story on the ABC News site discussing the (gasp) rising interest in games within the fairer sex. From the article: "I think it's easy to kind of stereotype that women don't want to shoot or that women don't want to do sports or that women don't want fast-paced action...I don't think that's true. I think that was part of the reason the industry wasn't speaking to women before." As Mr. Zackheim comments, I believe it more to be a lack of interest/effort on the gaming publisher's part that has resulted in the current player demographic profile.
One of my female friends who is studying to get into the gaming industry believes that some girl gamers, particulary those in development roles, push other girls away. She backs this up by saying that the majority of girl gamers (that she observes) play games "like men."
She thinks that there is probably a greater percentage of girls who enjoy games like The Sims or many MMORPGames, and I happen to agree. She further thinks that if there were more games like this brought to the market that focused on girls then there would be more girls in games (both developing and playing), as opposed to the girls who play FPS and other primarily male-orientated games.
I'm reluctant to agree, as I'm not a girl, but I still find it an intersting viewpoint.
The eternal struggle of good vs. evil begins within one's self.
Heh...
I find it sort of funny that a girl is gaming right next to me. PLaying stepmania on her laptop.
Of course, she also plays RPGs and MMORPGs and, like the article mentioned, Sims2.
I find it funny, though, that they talk about stereotypes... And then almost perpetuate them. Anecdotes != proof, but aside from FFXI and then one of my friends playing Sims... None of my female gaming friends fit the stereotype. They all play action games, and most of them love RE (Which, you know, is mentioned... But to me, those seemed to be portrayed as the exceptions to the rule in the article. *shrug*).
(Again, funnier, she turns to me and mentions how she beat her boyfriend in Halo over the weekend. Hahah...)
I was quite surprised to learn recently that 40% of PS2 gamers were female. Mostly children and teens, but even so, I had expected the numbers to be way more seriously skewed. Based on my completely scientific analysis of the people I know, it sure seems that the adult gamers are still very much predominately male though.
For whatever reason, these types of articles or comments always put me into this semi-amused/semi-annoyed mood, as if girl-gamers are so difficult to figure out.
The PS2 and the Cube are *mine*; they do not belong to my brother. Of course, my game library contains "typical attractive to female gamers" games (RPGs), but on the Mac, I can hold my own. My Scintillating Sphere saved our arses last night when we were playing through NWN, and I've brought the flag over to our side a few times in Elite Force. I may not be into the war games of which my brother is so fond, or the whole 'Rainbow-6' genre like my brother, but I do like the sci-fi FPS. I even liked Oni, a shame what happened to Bungie... I also happen to be a regular on a gaming forum, but I'm one of two female regulars.
I play the SIMS, but my brother plays it more than I do since there's a distinct lack of magic missiles in that game. I didn't play FFX-2.
So how hard can it be? But then, perhaps I fall into 'atypical', seeing as how I'm the only one at the store who can recognise that the shirts a regular customer of ours wears come from ThinkGeek.
Skip that last post. you can't hit "cancel" after "submit" when you meant to hit "Preview." It doesn't work. Here's the last post, properly formatted:
... there is a good range. Now you have to give them a REASON to play. It seems all the guys I know just enjoy the time to waste. But I need a reason to give up 3 hours to get my char one level instead of playing Mario Party with my daughter, oil painting, gardening, doing homework, reading, cleaning, giving daughter a bath, or doign ANYTHIGN with daughter while she's still young enough to like me...
/. equation:
*~*
Being the afore-mentioned wife, I think the reason I play MMORPG's without him, and other games only with friends, is the personal aspect.
As the old adage goes: "a man may work from sun to sun but a womans work is never done". I have only really wanted to play games to waste time when I'm waiting in line or at work between tasks. When I get home, I have things that need to get done, and I don't have 5 hours to sit mindlessly at a computer just to finish a game. It seems senseless. if I'm going to play a game, something needs to come of it!
however, if it becomes a sort of contact sport, such as an MMORPG, or ET where you kill your husband in the next room and his friends.. that is a lot more worth it. Playing Fatal Frame, Resident Evil, Mortal Kombat with your mate is a form of "together" time that is actually interesting, cooperative, and productive -- definitely moreso than TV.
However.. reading FP up there.. I suddenly have a distinct need to play Bloodrayne... alone...
But, back on topic... I say that girls have the games out there
So, to answer the
1) Create games
2) Advertise games so men like them
3) Advertise female aspect of already-bought game as:
a) a way to talk to boyfriend that owns the game already and WILL be on it anyway.
b) a way to get out frustration on boy that wouldn't go to family easter party by killing him repeatedly with knife in ET... and then taunt him to his friends that he's getting killed by a girl. Oh, and have a cheat code for girls that boys do NOT want. For example: Girls get pink skirted uniforms, but higher computer-controlled aiming. Because c'mon, it needs to be fair against these guys that HAVE played non-stop for 3 years. Pink frilly skirt can be modified depending on how much cheating you want to use. if you're going to cheat up to almost-god-mode, you have to wear a bikini. That seems fair.
c) a way to find other friends that agree that the rumble packs & BloodRayne are heaven-sent, if only you could set the vibration on controller 2 to "constant" while using controller 1.
4) Offer 30day trial for solely "trying out" afore-mentioned game without having to borrow other friends computer.
5) End of 30 day: Profit!!
~*~
"There is a reason Linux is free"
~me~