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ESA Study Shows 40% of Gamers Are Women
The Entertainment Software Association has released the 2008 Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry, revealing demographic information about the contemporary gaming market.
Some of the study’s most interesting findings include that:
- 40% of US gamers are female
- The average age of the gamer is now 35 years old
- 65% of American households play video games
- 38% of households contain a video game console
- 25% of gamers are over 50
- 33% of gamers are women over 18, while 17 year-old and younger boys represent only 18%
The study also focused on concerns about parents informing their children’s game consumption, stating that 94% of parents are present during kid’s game purchases while 64% believe that games are a positive part of their children’s lives. The study also concludes via NPD data that only 15% of games sold last year were rated “M” for mature by the ESRB.
"This new data underscores the fundamental principle that computer and video games are a mainstream entertainment form, which captures the imagination of every segment of our society," said ESA CEO Michael Gallagher. "No longer is there a stereotypical gamer.”
The complete study is available via PDF at The ESA website.
40% is a realistic number when causal games are included. that is a huge population
You are right, women do play games more than most people know. However, there is no way in hell that they make up 40% of the gaming community. "33% of gamers are women over 18, while 17 year-old and younger boys represent only 18%". Seriously? I have been gaming since I was 9, and so have most/all of my friends, and their friends. There is no way that male child/teenage gamers in this country make up less than half of the female gamer community. I play Xbox Live, and I also play online on the PC. This 40% of women is like saying that in any given Call of Duty match you are likely to encounter an average of 4 women/girls for every 6 men/boys. You must be kidding.
No, that doesn't mean these women represent 40% of Xbox Live subscribers. It means there are so many girls playing games on DS, cell-phones, laptops, PS2 and Wii, that it far offsets the number of under-17 years old boys playing on the 360. If you try to measure worldly statistics only by the circle of your peers/close_friends, you won't get a realistic picture of what is going on. Which is why some people spend time compiling statistics.
Indeed, girls are not massively playing CoD 4. They do play Nintendogs, Animal Crossing, Second Life, The Sims, Mario Galaxy, Brain Training, and a large range of games that appeal to them about as much as war and car games appeal to you. By the time you'll understand and tolerate that, you'll probably be mature enough to date these 18+ girl gamers, and maybe you'll end up marrying one of them despite the fact she loves movies, music, TV series, books, sports and games that you dislike ;)
Dude, what is your problem? Someone misunderstands a statistic and you go and talk a bunch of crap? I don't know what girls you have met, but none of them have loved all those things. You're a lucky SOB if all the 18+ y/o girls you've met liked all those things.
Oh 'crap', a 'bunch-o' Yanks are here!
Dumb down your comments or prepare for stupid replies...
Women have always been playing games. I don't know why this should be a shock to anyone.
The question isn't even whether you should design to target them, but rather how do you target EVERYONE while growing their percentage?
Brian
www.brianwoods.com