Girl Gamer's Opinion

[vxicepickxv]

I hate to sound a bit odd here, but I would like to point out the following.

There is a girl gamer demographic.

I don't really think there's an adolescent/adult female gamer market.

 

[Uncompetative]

I am male and without even thinking about it I created my custom characters in Oblivion and Mass Effect as realistic women with all their clothes on. The one in Oblivion looks a bit plain, like she comes from a farm and is called Delia. I stole her a full set of armor before I tired of the combat engine and reworked her garb as an assassin. The one in Mass Effect has very short cropped hair and is black. I was aiming for a lesbian look as I thought there should be more gay representation in games.

The reason I mention this is not to say "Hey, I am bucking the sex-object trend", but to suggest that the way forward for the market is to support advanced character customization, thereby allowing both genders and sexual-orientations to play with the avatar of their choice. It seems to me that it is inevitable that the costs of content-creation in next-gen HD games will compel the developers to utilize Sandbox style level editors and avatar creators with the assistance of a non-profit user community. Just look at the games that do this already:

Operation Flashpoint scripts (on PC)
Halo 3 Forge
Little Big Planet in game level creation and avatar customization
Crysis Sandbox 2 (on PC)
Far Cry 2 editor
Oblivion avatar customization and role definition
Mass Effect avatar customization
Forza car customization and decoration

 

[Galletea]

Maybe there isn't a 'woman' demographic because a large portion of the girl gamer demographic likes the same games as the guys.

Then again maybe that's just me. Though I doubt it.

 

[ThePlasmatizer]

Girls in marketing really works you only need to look at the number of replies in this topic to see that.

This topic should have been called Groundhog day since it's doomed to repeat itself for all eternity.

It has nothing to do with marketing really. It has to do with a debate.
There is controversy in this topic, and that's why people come here. If you think it is wrong that people come here and express their opinion, then maybe you fail to see the point of a forum of discussion. There is nothing wrong with people using it to talk on the topic they find the most interesting at the moment.
You can't expect everyone to read all 15 pages before they post to make sure they say something radically different. Just let them come in here, and add their grain of salt if they want to.
The fact that the thread hasn't been locked yet means that the discussion is still relevant and that new objects of thought are still brought to enrich its content.

It is sex appeal, I would stake all of my money that if the topic creator hadn't revealed her gender we wouldn't have half as much replies.

I'm all for discussion but I'm against wars of attrition.

 

[skakashijutsu]

Welcome to the world of video games.

Welcome to MY world. There's no beating the system, things aren't going to change; guys just like videogame characters that make them go "giggity". There's no way the game crowd is ever going to let that go. The best you can do is buckle down and keep kickin ass online, least thats what i'd do. FPS' tend to release any stress I have; maybe you should try it. brutal murder always takes your mind off of frustration.

 

[skakashijutsu]

Answer

I hate to sound a bit odd here, but I would like to point out the following.

There is a girl gamer demographic.

I don't really think there's an adolescent/adult female gamer market.

rubbish, there are tonnes of adolescent/adult females who play games I'm guessing you are using girl in the purely age context like 0-12yrs rather than teenager etc.. when people say they are girl gamers its the same as woman gamers its just shorter to type and a bit more in your face


http://www.girlgamers.com.au/

http://gamegirladvance.com/ (about [http://gamegirladvance.com/about.html])

http://lesbiangamers.com/ (about [http://www.myspace.com/lesbiangamers])

http://www.womengamers.com/

http://www.wonderlandblog.com/ (about [http://crystaltips.typepad.com/about.html])

http://www.thumbbandits.com/ (about [http://thumbbandits.typepad.com/tb/contact-thumb-bandits.html])

http://www.gamergirlsunite.com/ (about [http://www.gamergirlsunite.com/page.php?2])

http://www.killerbetties.com/ (about [http://www.killerbetties.com/node/3238])


ALSO:

Entertainment Software Association statistics [http://www.theesa.com/facts/index.asp]

Forty percent of all game players are women. In fact, women over the age of 18 represent a significantly greater portion of the game-playing population (33 percent) than boys age 17 or younger (18 percent).

more statistics [http://www.theesa.com/facts/pdfs/ESA_EF_2008.pdf]

Am I supposed to be impressed? How many boys under 17 are there vs the amount over 17? Answer me that Ms. I-only-answer-with-statistics-to-back-me-up. Who makes up the other 49%, hmm? It sure as hell aint the women! NHF, just speakin

 

[Toriad]

Answer

I hate to sound a bit odd here, but I would like to point out the following.

There is a girl gamer demographic.

I don't really think there's an adolescent/adult female gamer market.

rubbish, there are tonnes of adolescent/adult females who play games I'm guessing you are using girl in the purely age context like 0-12yrs rather than teenager etc.. when people say they are girl gamers its the same as woman gamers its just shorter to type and a bit more in your face


http://www.girlgamers.com.au/

http://gamegirladvance.com/ (about [http://gamegirladvance.com/about.html])

http://lesbiangamers.com/ (about [http://www.myspace.com/lesbiangamers])

http://www.womengamers.com/

http://www.wonderlandblog.com/ (about [http://crystaltips.typepad.com/about.html])

http://www.thumbbandits.com/ (about [http://thumbbandits.typepad.com/tb/contact-thumb-bandits.html])

http://www.gamergirlsunite.com/ (about [http://www.gamergirlsunite.com/page.php?2])

http://www.killerbetties.com/ (about [http://www.killerbetties.com/node/3238])


ALSO:

Entertainment Software Association statistics [http://www.theesa.com/facts/index.asp]

Forty percent of all game players are women. In fact, women over the age of 18 represent a significantly greater portion of the game-playing population (33 percent) than boys age 17 or younger (18 percent).

more statistics [http://www.theesa.com/facts/pdfs/ESA_EF_2008.pdf]

Am I supposed to be impressed? How many boys under 17 are there vs the amount over 17? Answer me that Ms. I-only-answer-with-statistics-to-back-me-up.NHF, just speakin

You got ownt, deal with it.

I am a guy, and I tend to enjoy female leads and I Agree with the main post, that most women in games do not lend themselves to a good story. However, there is one game with a female lead character that I loved to death and I Recommend it.

Dreamfall: The longest Journey.

Have fun.

 

[Joeshie]

That's not my stereotype

Yes it is. You said "pathetic and juvenile tastes of lonely 12-36 year old males", in which you implied that all 12-26 year old males have pathetic and juvenile tastes. You can cover your ears and say "LALALALA I DIDN'T SAY THAT", but that's clearly what you implied.

You see, not all stereotypes are created equal nor are they applied by society with the same effects on those being stereotyped.

And who determines which are worse than others? Society? You? One stereotype that you or society might not find offensive could be extremely offensive to someone else, even if that person is in the minority. Who are you to tell him or her that that stereotype isn't worse off than the others, especially when stereotypes are so extremely subjective.

But keep trying really hard to not address my points. It's been going really well for you so far :]

I say the same to you.

rubbish, there are tonnes of adolescent/adult females who play games I'm guessing you are using girl in the purely age context like 0-12yrs rather than teenager etc.. when people say they are girl gamers its the same as woman gamers its just shorter to type and a bit more in your face


http://www.girlgamers.com.au/

http://gamegirladvance.com/ (about [http://gamegirladvance.com/about.html])

http://lesbiangamers.com/ (about [http://www.myspace.com/lesbiangamers])

http://www.womengamers.com/

http://www.wonderlandblog.com/ (about [http://crystaltips.typepad.com/about.html])

http://www.thumbbandits.com/ (about [http://thumbbandits.typepad.com/tb/contact-thumb-bandits.html])

http://www.gamergirlsunite.com/ (about [http://www.gamergirlsunite.com/page.php?2])

http://www.killerbetties.com/ (about [http://www.killerbetties.com/node/3238])


ALSO:

Entertainment Software Association statistics [http://www.theesa.com/facts/index.asp]

Forty percent of all game players are women. In fact, women over the age of 18 represent a significantly greater portion of the game-playing population (33 percent) than boys age 17 or younger (18 percent).

more statistics [http://www.theesa.com/facts/pdfs/ESA_EF_2008.pdf]

As I've said time and time again, those statistics are extremely misleading. When you walk into a video game store, what are you going to see? A group of people who come from all ages and both genders? Nope, you are going to see largely young males in there.

Problem is that each group doesn't buy the same types of games or in the same amount. Likewise, many of the games that older people play and a larger percentage of women than men play are free web-based games. According to the ESA, someone who plays solitare or Bejeweled a couple times a week is a "gamer". Obviously, the term "gamer" will vary depending on who you ask, but it's clear that the ESA calls a gamer anyone who has ever played a video game in his/her life.

Now, obviously, this kind of distinction that ESA makes is of little importance to game developers. Developers know that not all gamers have the same kinds of tastes and that different groups are into different games. "Core" games, by which I mean video games with a reasonable amount of depth and aren't quite as easy to pick up and play, are still largely the domain of young males. Developers know this. This has obviously improved in recent years with more and more females being introduced to these core games, but it still favors young males despite these strides.

 

[TsunamiWombat]

I think games have gotten far better at treading women well recently. There are still some rediculous hold outs, like Dead or Alive and Soul Calibur, but...

 

[Joeshie]

Considering I'm a 12-36 year old male who doesn't have pathetic or juvenile tastes, there is no reason for me to imply that.

Hardly. One does not have to be outside of a group to dislike that group or be prejudiced against it. I've heard of plenty of women who have been quite sexist towards their gender.

If that's clearly what you thought I was implying, then that speaks volumes more about you and your assumptions (or lack of reading comprehension) than mine.

Say whatever you like, but you still made a very clear inference with your statement. Clearly, you lack the understanding to pick up on that inference.

You're missing my point. Some stereotypes and how they are applied in society are far more harmless than others.

And you're missing my point. As I've stated before, much of this comes down to subjectivity

In the same sense, being indirectly stereotyped for having pathetic and juvenile tastes isn't anywhere nearly as bad as being directly stereotyped for only being a tool for male satisfaction. In the first case, companies cater to you and in the second case, you're indirectly the one being catered out.

That's just your opinion. You really have very little way of proving that in this specific case, either is worse than the other. You are just using your subjective experience for the basis of your conclusion.

Do you recognize this subtle but significant difference? You can argue about subjectivity (which is a very valid point to a degree), but the research done by sociologists and anthropologists clearly point to a decidedly objective social and individual harm being done (both inflicted by extracultural forces and also self-inflicted) upon people living under certain stereotypes compared to other stereotypes.

I'll agree with you to a certain extent. Certain stereotypes compared to certain stereotypes can yield some sort of meaningful idea of which is worse than the other, but other smaller stereotypes, such as the ones we are discussing, are extremely hard to determine their effects. Likewise, it's extremely hard to find only the effects of a specific stereotype, while eliminating others that might also be in the same kind of stereotype.

Then again, considering how many of you all live happily in the socioeconomic hegemony, I wouldn't expect very many guys here to understand concepts like social harm.

Yes, being a white male completely excludes me and others from social harm. Not only that, but we are completely oblivious to the possibility of social harm to others. Nice assumption there.

 

[Gotham Soul]

I'm a bit ashamed to say that I haven't yet met any local females who play video games (at all, much less regularly) but I still believe in the existence of a demographic.

 

[Uncompetative]

Rather than engage in all this competitive grumbling, why doesn't someone propose a technical solution?

Oh wait... I did and it was completely ignored.