Gaming: Where do Women Fit?
Ask any guy gamer, particularly one who plays MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games), and he will acknowledge the presence of girl gamers that exist in the world. Long gone are the days of shock at the idea a girl might actually be playing. Accepted knowledge though it may be, I am often referred to as “he” on my favorite online game, World of Warcraft. Playing a female character makes no difference after countless pranks from guys on female characters across a span of previous online games.I find this to be a very interesting paradox. Though the existence of girl gamers is acknowledged, most guys still assume none are in their group or on their team, reading that degrading commentary regarding women in the chat box. I guess it’s like the lost continent of Atlantis – sure, it’s out there somewhere, but not where the guys can see the proof. The truth is, we females that actually do play video games and know what we’re talking about are still vastly outnumbered – even with more “girls” playing than ever. Among the testosterone-packed shooters and complicated controls, where do we fit?
This is answered with games like The Sims, Nintendogs, Dance Dance Revolution, role-playing games, and other titles that aren’t just for the guys. There are games featuring cute, furry animals or aliens, or female characters that aren’t dressed for the beach while they’re heading to the Alps. The problem is all of these games are single player. Massively multiplayer games are still catering to both the guys and the experienced gamer.
The other problem is that there aren’t enough women interested in video games to create a demographic to target. This creates a cycle: games come out targeting young adult men and experienced gamers, women get the impression all video games are like that and don’t want to play, and the companies don’t see a reason to release anything different. Except for Nintendo. Their next console, Wii, was designed for the following purpose: “Wii will break down that wall that separates video game players from everybody else.”
Video games have gotten complicated over the years, isolating anyone new who wants to play. An example: recently my brother, Papasan, and I tried to get my mom to play one of our favorite PC games. She’s never had an interest in games, but she decided to set that aside to spend time with us on something we enjoy. She was so new to the system that it took several minutes for her to figure out how to walk around. Then, we tried to introduce her to the other aspects of the game. She was overwhelmed, she got frustrated, and the game turned into an unpleasant job for her.
This is something Nintendo is trying to change, but right now it is the only company trying. Most of the industry seems to have gotten comfortable with targeting the experienced gamers – the ones guaranteed to buy the games. Until they change that thinking (and hopefully Nintendo will lead the way), the chasm between the gaming industry and the new person who wants to try it will continue to grow. Since more women fit into the demographic of a new player than not, they will continue to be isolated until the industry opens up to everyone.