Gaming Girl Power on the Rise

The latest NPD Group report further confirms something most of you knew already: Girls actually like playing games, too!

It's doesn't take a vast leap of logic to come to the realization males are not alone in their love of electronic gaming pursuits. Since the dawn of games, women young and old have shared an interest in play. But it seems that interest among younger girls, particularly on the gaming front, continues to grow at a steady pace.

"Socialization is gearing up among the pre-teens, and the advent of interactive gaming really hits home with these girls who are looking for friends from the confines of their homes," notes a NPD press release discussing the results of the group's most recent study. "Young Teens (age 13 to 14) are also gamers, but many girls this age are also now listening to music on portable digital music players and talking/texting on their mobile phones."

Over half of the 1,541 girls surveyed reported spending more time playing PC and videogames, according to a study, titled "Girl Power: Understanding This Important Consumer Segment," released by the marketing research company this week. The report also indicates girls age 2 to 14 are spending more free time on entertainment-related activities this year than in 2007. While many girls in the age group continue to enjoy more traditional toys, those in the tween category (age 9 to 12) are turning to videogames for entertainment with greater frequency.

"Girls, in general, are famously social creatures," said NPD analyst Anita Frazier. "The growth in use of social networking and virtual world websites by girls is a natural extension of this core value which needs to be recognized by manufacturers who count girls as primary market for their goods and services."

But what about girls who like to shoot stuff?

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Uh...huh. Well, I'm glad I guess, I *hate* most things labelled 'traditional'. As for the gaming, well, I'm still of the belief that serious games should be made for serious gamers. And casual games should be made for casual gamers. Gender should of course be taken into account when attempting to find your audience in the development stage, however, it would nice to see less segregation, i.e. the Pink vs. Blue effect.

On another note...it's not really news nice, to me at least, my sister has been borrowing my games for the longest time, mostly tycoon & adventure games, but she loves stuff like Neverwinter Nights and Morrowind etc. too. And maybe that's the key? In most RPG's it gives you a choice of your gender, what you look like etc. But in something like an FPS, -especially- historical shooters, but even in the majority of shooters that aren't historically themed, you play a male and only male. Maybe a choice would be nice? The only game I can think of that allowed this was Star Trek Voyager: Elite Force, you could pick an Alexander or an Alexandra, it was genius, yes, two voice actors, -but- all the other characters referred to you as Alex and in gender neutral terms, so minimal dialogue was affected, I don't know why we don't see more this!

Funniest thing that I've seen is the fact that you will meet more girls in college if you bring an N64 with mario kart. They like the N64 version the best. It's just odd to me though, when I was a little kid, girls hated games. maybe it was just the girls I knew.

Oh good God. Enough already.

It is taking every ounce of willpower I have not to make fun of girl gamers right now...

Oops, I fail.

Lol at the picture, but on topic it doesnt really surprise me and i reckon that as more time goes on that more people of both genders will turn to gaming in their free time although i suspect that the term gamer will probably change in meaning to more hardcore gamers soon.

Gxas:
Funniest thing that I've seen is the fact that you will meet more girls in college if you bring an N64 with mario kart. They like the N64 version the best. It's just odd to me though, when I was a little kid, girls hated games. maybe it was just the girls I knew.

there is a name for those kind of people 'emos'
trying to look individual and cool.

(I'm a girl) I love video games, including Halo which I'm not 'fantastic' at but that's because I don't have a Xbox to pratice on when I do play with my two male relatives (who do nothing but play video games).

I used to be a very obsessed gamer when I was younger, ya know, back in the day when I had time. Now I'll whip out Zelda: Twilight Princess to get my mind working so I can write (yes, I bought a Wii, now I'm starting to pine for a Xbox 360 >.<, the games for the little Wii are not...well...too gamey...)

H.R.Shovenstuff:

there is a name for those kind of people 'emos'
trying to look individual and cool.

I've never heard of 'emo' being used that way 0o...perhaps its because I live in the U.S (where we steal words and twist them until they cry out in agony) I actually like the N64, it brings back happy memories. Badly pixalated ones mind you but good memories all the same. ^.^

Edited: For missing word ^.^;

My female companion is somewhat of a casual gamer... if you really like to count things like Harvest moon as a game.

There was once a time where the idea of a girl gamers was really laughable but I find that as the years go by these jokes are less and less funny because i keep bumping into more and more girls online. Some of them are annoying and some of them really suck but so do most male gamers I meet.

Tell you this thou, there is not much different from testosterone fueled rage and estrogen fueled rage over a video game. A lot of girl gamers can be very scary ._.

Zallest:

Tell you this thou, there is not much different from testosterone fueled rage and estrogen fueled rage over a video game. A lot of girl gamers can be very scary ._.

Lol, rage is all the same

I hate Harvest Moon, I really, really do >.<

But I do have a festish for the Sniper rifles in Halo *drool* (and the Plamsa Gernades) ahh, I miss Halo...should've bought an Xbox huh?

i blame vibrating controllers...

Hmm... I'm not surprised that (insert vague percentage or adjective) number of *young* girls game. Hell, while we were waiting on our burette to turn whatever pink in Chem lab, one of my lab partners got out her laptop, and she played Spore. I think most girls "grow out" of games the way most parents want their sons to but will still pick up a DS or play Barbie's Riding Club on the PC when a new version comes out.

I don't see the importance of finding out young girls game. The only different between a young girl and a young boy is that a boy has a little something extra in the pants, imo. Now, as a female college student who plays everything from MMOs to FPSs to what's considered "casual gaming," I can say that I'm still and probably always will be in minority.

While I don't have a vague survey to back me up, I do know that I have many girl friends who will not join me when I host halo tournaments in the common room but will come to play (and generally suck) when I whip out my DDR dance pads.

Of course, that's in my opinion, and it's in no way representative of the nation (though I'm probably mostly right, in my experiences).

Lol, rage is all the same

I hate Harvest Moon, I really, really do >.<

But I do have a festish for the Sniper rifles in Halo *drool* (and the Plamsa Gernades) ahh, I miss Halo...should've bought an Xbox huh?

Not a Halo fan, I'm sure thou some guys would burst to tears when a girl kicks their ass at it.

Majority of Female gamers I've met are over MMO games like Warcraft and stuff.

Edit:
Also a fun note
I've tried to get my girlfriend to play games with me. First it was a small little online game that was cute enough to get her attention but I found that while me being a more... dare i say "Hardcore" gamer at heart and her being well...not she often got on my nerves. Still currently trying to convert her into a gamer/nerd but it is a hard a time consuming task... and not as fun or "hot" as most men would think...

Zallest:

Majority of Female gamers I've met are over MMO games like Warcraft and stuff.

Yeah, I would like those too if I dared to get into them, the closest thing I ever played to that were sad little Free Online Rpg's *shame*

I mainly enojoy JRPGs (hated Final Fantasy 10)but of course that's not my only love.

I'm terrible at DDR, but I guess that's another game most people have to practice to become good at (I don't own it)

Yeah, I would like those too if I dared to get into them, the closest thing I ever played to that were sad little Free Online Rpg's *shame*

I mainly enojoy JRPGs (hated Final Fantasy 10)but of course that's not my only love.

I'm terrible at DDR, but I guess that's another game most people have to practice to become good at (I don't own it)

"hated Final Fantasy 10"

You're a ....female and you hated... FFX... dear god you've stolen me away! Finally I've tried to convince so many female friends who love that game that it sucks!
I mean I don't enjoy any JRPGs but i hated FFX the most out of any the ones I played.

Zallest:

Yeah, I would like those too if I dared to get into them, the closest thing I ever played to that were sad little Free Online Rpg's *shame*

I mainly enojoy JRPGs (hated Final Fantasy 10)but of course that's not my only love.

I'm terrible at DDR, but I guess that's another game most people have to practice to become good at (I don't own it)

"hated Final Fantasy 10"

You're a ....female and you hated... FFX... dear god you've stolen me away! Finally I've tried to convince so many female friends who love that game that it sucks!
I mean I don't enjoy any JRPGs but i hated FFX the most out of any the ones I played.

It just bored me to death. I hated Tidus and his stupid smiling face >.<, I liked the big kitty guy and maybe two other characters but they weren't enough to save it in my eyes. My little brother LOVED it, but not me.

*Sigh* I've had an interest in games since I was 4, this isn't big news for me.

"but many girls this age are also now listening to music on portable digital music players and talking/texting on their mobile phones."

0_o What? Girls can't use mobiles or MP3s??? ARRGH! I AM WOMAN! I SCARED OF TECHNOLOGY!!!

Good god, we know by now. Stop beating a dead horse.

As far as I'm concerned, the only "girl gamer" news that should be of note in the future is if they start playing more hardcore games.

GothmogII:

In most RPG's it gives you a choice of your gender, what you look like etc. But in something like an FPS, -especially- historical shooters, but even in the majority of shooters that aren't historically themed, you play a male and only male.

Well, in defense of the historical based games like all those WWII ones, there were no girls in direct combat like those games put you in.

GothmogII:

In most RPG's it gives you a choice of your gender, what you look like etc. But in something like an FPS, -especially- historical shooters, but even in the majority of shooters that aren't historically themed, you play a male and only male.

I completely missed that... but I used to play a MMORPG and played female characters just for the sake of not having to look at a male ass as i ran around and "saved the world" with 1,000,000 other people.

but the point of playing a FPS isn't so you can have a totally sexy model as you "pwn noobs". The point is to "pwn noobs" so why should people care? Also if you ask me personally I'd say you're doing them a favor because knowing most nerds this scenario would occur
Male shut-in:"Oh emm gee, you has female model! are you bez girl"
Female Gamer: "Ummm...."
Male shut-in:"ASL ASL ASL ASL?!? PIX PLOX OMG!!!"
-Female Gamer has left the server-

I find myself in agreement with Zallest. As a male gamer with a decent social life, even I get sick of the aforementioned male idiocy in pre- and post- game lobbies.

And while I definitely do appreciate (despite having heard of) the increasing volume of female gamers, I tend to think it doesn't solve a few of gaming's more general PR problems - i.e. "games are for social rejects," "games aren't a legitimate pastime," et cetera. The study itself only notes an increase in young female gamers playing from "the confines" of their homes.

Zallest:

GothmogII:

In most RPG's it gives you a choice of your gender, what you look like etc. But in something like an FPS, -especially- historical shooters, but even in the majority of shooters that aren't historically themed, you play a male and only male.

I completely missed that... but I used to play a MMORPG and played female characters just for the sake of not having to look at a male ass as i ran around and "saved the world" with 1,000,000 other people.

but the point of playing a FPS isn't so you can have a totally sexy model as you "pwn noobs". The point is to "pwn noobs" so why should people care? Also if you ask me personally I'd say you're doing them a favor because knowing most nerds this scenario would occur
Male shut-in:"Oh emm gee, you has female model! are you bez girl"
Female Gamer: "Ummm...."
Male shut-in:"ASL ASL ASL ASL?!? PIX PLOX OMG!!!"
-Female Gamer has left the server-

Metal Gear Online has a choice of a Male of Female character (though technically not an FPS) but I've never had any problems with them playing though I did hope they would be based off the FROGS model.

As for the topic, not much to add really. This topic has been done again and again, we can't keep on reporting every time there's a 5% increase in women playing games.

Holy crap! Girls play Video games! This is so completely surprisng!

Things like these are what makes me want to be more sexist :/

Seriously, I don't give a crap that girls play games.
It does however annoy me when girls get undeserved attention for doing so.

Simski:
Things like these are what makes me want to be more sexist :/

Seriously, I don't give a crap that girls play games.
It does however annoy me when girls get undeserved attention for doing so.

Fair enough, but you must admit that gaming is much more often associated with the Y chromosome.

Dictaternutz:
Well, in defense of the historical based games like all those WWII ones, there were no girls in direct combat like those games put you in.

Mhm, I do understand that in the case of history based FPS, although that isn't -entirely- true, many women have over history been quite active during wartime. Just not as such on the frontlines (Although there are many reports of women fighting alongside the men in ancient times right?). Maybe the upcoming Velvet Assassin would be something to look out for in that regard?

Zallest:

GothmogII:

In most RPG's it gives you a choice of your gender, what you look like etc. But in something like an FPS, -especially- historical shooters, but even in the majority of shooters that aren't historically themed, you play a male and only male.

I completely missed that... but I used to play a MMORPG and played female characters just for the sake of not having to look at a male ass as i ran around and "saved the world" with 1,000,000 other people.

but the point of playing a FPS isn't so you can have a totally sexy model as you "pwn noobs". The point is to "pwn noobs" so why should people care? Also if you ask me personally I'd say you're doing them a favor because knowing most nerds this scenario would occur
Male shut-in:"Oh emm gee, you has female model! are you bez girl"
Female Gamer: "Ummm...."
Male shut-in:"ASL ASL ASL ASL?!? PIX PLOX OMG!!!"
-Female Gamer has left the server-

As for that...well, okay, maybe a lot of people don't mind playing exclusively as male characters in FPS'es. But I'm sure a lot of others are asking 'why not?' I mean, let's take something like Team Fortress 2, where's the harm in doing gender swapped versions of the Team eh? It doesn't have to be gameplay changing, but it does give the choice. And, as to the 'attractiveness' of the female char. models...well, why do they -have- to be sexy? Or oversexed even? I think I would almost bust a gut laughing at the addition of a female Heavy that looks basically like the Heavy in drag xD Just an example, jokingly of course.

GreenHerring:

Simski:
Things like these are what makes me want to be more sexist :/

Seriously, I don't give a crap that girls play games.
It does however annoy me when girls get undeserved attention for doing so.

Fair enough, but you must admit that gaming is much more often associated with the Y chromosome.

So is a jock strap, but you don't need to make everyone aware that a woman is doing and/or using something generally associated with men.

GothmogII:
As for that...well, okay, maybe a lot of people don't mind playing exclusively as male characters in FPS'es. But I'm sure a lot of others are asking 'why not?' I mean, let's take something like Team Fortress 2, where's the harm in doing gender swapped versions of the Team eh? It doesn't have to be gameplay changing, but it does give the choice. And, as to the 'attractiveness' of the female char. models...well, why do they -have- to be sexy? Or oversexed even? I think I would almost bust a gut laughing at the addition of a female Heavy that looks basically like the Heavy in drag xD Just an example, jokingly of course.

That makes me wonder, how'd the rumor of the Pyro being a female start up anyhow?

Jumplion:

GothmogII:
As for that...well, okay, maybe a lot of people don't mind playing exclusively as male characters in FPS'es. But I'm sure a lot of others are asking 'why not?' I mean, let's take something like Team Fortress 2, where's the harm in doing gender swapped versions of the Team eh? It doesn't have to be gameplay changing, but it does give the choice. And, as to the 'attractiveness' of the female char. models...well, why do they -have- to be sexy? Or oversexed even? I think I would almost bust a gut laughing at the addition of a female Heavy that looks basically like the Heavy in drag xD Just an example, jokingly of course.

That makes me wonder, how'd the rumor of the Pyro being a female start up anyhow?

Because of the flowery purse seen at one of the lockers.
The bag was associated with the pyro as all other characters had more easy to pick out stereotypical things at their lockers.

If you ask me, the bag was put there as a way of mocking the fact that no-one knows anything about the pyro for sure, something just there to confuse you.
The idea that the purse is proof that he's female is just laughable.

That makes me wonder, how'd the rumor of the Pyro being a female start up anyhow?

Edit: Beaten to it. Never mind.

Seriously though, every other month someone runs out of things to say so they fall back on the old stalwarts. "Girls play games" is one of them, and it's a "topic" that needs to die in a fire.

I'm with the rest here, and even as a girl, I am getting ridiculously sick of this "news". Yes. Girls play games. Big freaking deal. What's that you say? The majority of the girls that play games are only playing games like The Sims and Rosie's Little Flower Boutique? Who would have thought!

.. Once the majority of the girls play "hardcore" games, like the shooters, RTS games.. and all that. That would be news, and music to my ears.

Khell_Sennet:
It is taking every ounce of willpower I have not to make fun of girl gamers right now...

Oops, I fail.

Okay, thats the first genuinely funny thing I've seen today.

I wonder how the release of Home will affect these social girl gamers.