Alright, time to get me a girlfriend!
According to CNN, a recent study shows that almost half of all gamers are adult women. This isn’t that much of a surprise, considering the changing tide of the gaming world, thanks in part to the introduction of Nintendo’s Wii, that opened up a whole new group of people to gaming.
Video games are more than just the shoot ‘em ups and racing games people associate them with. And just like the wide variety of games offered, there is a wide variety of people playing them. According to the “2013 Essential Facts About The Computer And Video Game Industry” report, 45% of all adult game players are women. Millions of women are enjoying the “hardcore” type games like shooters and strategy games, and others have gotten into gaming through social media and smart phones. Candy Crush, anyone?
Gamers have gotten a reputation of being single lonely men, sitting alone in the dark on a beanbag chair while their mom calls for them that they’re going to be late for dinner, so this study is also great for our reputation! We’re a diverse crew!
One of the top reasons that people buy games is the interesting storylines, which are probably more appealing to women than the games that center on violence nad brute force. There has been a definite rise in games with more complex themes, that require decision making, and those appear to be the ones that adult women are flocking to. Not to mention a rise in lead female characters. Once upon a time it was rare to come across a Jill Valentine or a Princess Peach, but these days, strong females are feature much more prominently. Equality, you guys! This comes from the gaming industry’s realization that with the rise of female gamers, comes more of a need for them to see themselves represented within the games themselves.
According to the study, a majority of gamers play with their family, whether parents, other family members, or significant others. Sadly, nobody in my family is interested in gaming, but I can definitely see how gaming could bring families together. I’ve tried to play games with my Grandma, but she hasn’t been interested. She’s too busy sleeping and eating and when she’s not doing either of those, she’s spending “alone” time in her room. Not sure what that’s all about, but it means no gaming with Gram!
