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  • WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 22 2010 11:04 PM

Believe it or Not, We’re Gaming Online: The Rise of the Female Gamer

Submitted by Bob

Edited by SG_Blog

Tags: Blog, Entertainment, Gaming, Geek, Internuts

by Bob Suicide

Generally, I’m the first person to lecherously nod and mumble “breast physics” when a new game like Soul Caliber comes out – which means I’m the last person to be leading the charge at the feminist forefront that is “hardcore girl gaming.” I have thoroughly entrenched myself in the male-gaming mindset: I want my explosions epic, my ladies sexy, and my multi-players noob-free.

However, every once in a while someone emails me just the right words to make me turn into the feminist Hulk, “Bob SMASH!”





The “right words” being something along the lines of: “It’s hard to believe that there are still female gamers…” (Name redacted to protect the sexist!)

What I find hard to believe is that there’s so little acknowledgment of the female presence in the gaming community. Gaming girls are not a dying breed; they’re not unicorns. They exist and their numbers are growing all the time.

While Australia hasn’t always treated video games with the respect they deserve, a study found that a whopping 46% of gamers in the land down under were female. By the end of this year, that same Interactive Australia 2009 study projected that the gender split for gamers would reach 50/50. In case you have trouble believing the words of a ‘lil ole female, here’s the complete report that shows the steady-fucking-increase of females in the gaming community.

Believe it.

Furthermore, here in the US the Entertainment Software Association said 40% of all game players are women, up from 38% in 2006. In fact women over the age of 18 represent a significantly greater portion of the game-playing population (33%) than boys age 17 or younger (18%). And, ESA’s State of Gaming report predicts that this demographic shift will continue in the ensuing years.

Believe it.

And, if fancy numbers don’t sway you, take it from me:

Speaking as a female who own’s the Girl Gamer group, appears on every person’s XBL in a video for Community Games, and blogs regularly about hardcore gaming topics.

Believe it.

The SuicideGirls Girl Gamer Group, specifically, is about 642 members strong. And, let me tell you, we’re strong! Everything from iPhone games all the way through hardcore console titles, MMOs, and game development is discussed within our threads. It’s not for the casual-of-heart.

Finally, after all of this, I hope you understand why the statement, “It’s hard to believe that there are still female gamers,” is uninformed and idiotic. We’re not going anywhere (accept online to frag your ass back to the menu screen).

The ranks of women are projected to equal those of men in the gaming world by the end of this year, and will likely dominate in the not so distant future if the trend continues. So, start preparing to welcome your new overlords…or, ahem, ladies.

Believe it!

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Comments
Dryad

Dryad

Asheville, NC
July 2008

DEC 23, 2010 11:14 AM

I don't know why people find it so hard to believe. But yes, we're "still" here, and we're not going anywhere!

Gearhead78

Gearhead78

Quebec, QC
August 2009

DEC 23, 2010 11:40 AM

Funny 'cause I had a feeling that there were more and more lady gamers nowadays and not that you were some rare species. I think some men just can't take the fact that now some ladies can beat the crap out of them at their favourite game. tongue

duncanj100

duncanj100

United Kingdom
April 2006

DEC 24, 2010 10:04 AM

I've seen a lot of girl gamers, more than half of them kick my ass tongue

Cate

Cate

SUICIDEGIRL

I'm lost

DEC 24, 2010 12:10 PM

I just joined that group. Ty Bob.

WingZephyr

WingZephyr

New Orleans, LA
October 2010

DEC 24, 2010 12:43 PM

oh my god they're trying to take over the world through video games. RUN FOR YOUR EXTRA LIVES!!!!!!!

good article. smile

Mr_Feel_Good

Mr_Feel_Good

Germany
January 2008

DEC 24, 2010 02:18 PM

Yeah, that's a good article ... it may help to bring to mind the fact that a lot of female gamers exist nowadays.

On the other hand, I have to disagree with the group policy of the SG Female Gamers group. You complain that female gamers are not recognized enough in (male) society but at the same time you prohibit the guys to read what and how you girls think and feel about gaming by making it for girls only. WTF?! shocked

That's the kind of feminism I am strongly against. I am kind of a feminist in that I know (I have been raised that way) that females and males are capable of doing the same things and that there's not as much of a difference between the genders as is suggested by media. And I hate role models for both the genders. But you women joining forces to fight against the "evil" men is as bad as how men treated you until some decades ago. Leave those dumbasses like the one you cited in their little worlds and be open to the men that'd like to treat you as buddies at eye level.

Have fun gaming ... and see you online (battle.net preferably) smile

Flores

Flores

Santa Fe, NM
September 2005

DEC 24, 2010 02:39 PM

Darn right, we exist!

JaidenChow

JaidenChow

North York, ON
December 2010

DEC 24, 2010 02:40 PM

Sounds good to me. See you in COD and SC ii.

On a side note back in the early days being a gamer/nerd was kinda wierd and ment your an outcast. Nowadays people pride themselfs on nerdiness and almost everybody plays games.

LovelyGamer

LovelyGamer

USA
February 2010

DEC 24, 2010 02:56 PM

Huzza! Bitchin article and love that group of girls!biggrin

Dryad

Dryad

Asheville, NC
July 2008

DEC 24, 2010 03:30 PM

Mr_Feel_Good said:
That's the kind of feminism I am strongly against. I am kind of a feminist in that I know (I have been raised that way) that females and males are capable of doing the same things and that there's not as much of a difference between the genders as is suggested by media. And I hate role models for both the genders. But you women joining forces to fight against the "evil" men is as bad as how men treated you until some decades ago. Leave those dumbasses like the one you cited in their little worlds and be open to the men that'd like to treat you as buddies at eye level.



Just FYI, the Girl Gamers group is not about male bashing. We don't even talk about boys.
And there's a co-ed Gamers Group - they're very similar except for that one difference of who's allowed in. wink

WingZephyr

WingZephyr

New Orleans, LA
October 2010

DEC 24, 2010 03:30 PM

JaidenChow said:
Sounds good to me. See you in COD and SC ii.



Does anyone even still play SC2? every time i ask i get the silent treatment.

motorfirebox

motorfirebox

Pittsburgh, PA
March 2004

DEC 24, 2010 03:45 PM

Dammit, Bob. Your title got the theme song for Greatest American Hero stuck in my head. Girl gamers suck.

Mr_Feel_Good

Mr_Feel_Good

Germany
January 2008

DEC 24, 2010 03:53 PM

Dryad said:
Just FYI, the Girl Gamers group is not about male bashing. We don't even talk about boys.
And there's a co-ed Gamers Group - they're very similar except for that one difference of who's allowed in. wink



Well, that wasn't my point, sorry if that came out a bit unclear. I just meant to encourage you to share with the public how you deal with gaming to make yourself more recognized as gamers, which was the point of Bob's article if I got her right. You could set the group to read only for the public and give "write access" only to girls, if it's technically possible on the SG groups.

And yes I know that other gaming group, I'm already in there wink

BTW: Is your nick related to the night elve's unit of WC3?

Bob

Bob

SUICIDEGIRL

California, USA

DEC 24, 2010 04:22 PM

Mr_Feel_Good said:
I just meant to encourage you to share with the public how you deal with gaming to make yourself more recognized as gamers, which was the point of Bob's article if I got her right.



We do share with the public...we actively comment in the public gaming threads and we're actively gaming: you can hear girls voices on XBL, vent, ect.

Just because we happen to have a girls only gamer group doesn't mean we've relegated our ostracized ourselves to one corner of the gaming world.

The point of the article wasn't requesting "more recognition" it was requesting "basic recognition" from a small minority of people who seem to think we don't exist. It's not really about "haters" or getting more respect...it's more shock, confusion, and frustration that there are some people who don't know/believe/understand that we exist in the first place. You don't have to like us, you don't have to understand us; just acknowledge that we EXIST.

It'd be like someone sending you an email says, "whoah, it's hard to believe there are women out there who vote."

Yes, it's a relatively new occurrence, yes we're still in the minority...but, how can someone be so oblivious as to assume there aren't ANY?

That's all...and that's why it's a pet peeve.

MrDeeds

MrDeeds

USA
July 2007

DEC 24, 2010 05:04 PM

My girlfriend became a gamer almost over night after Red Dead Redemption came out. Shes beaten Red Dead, Dragon Age, Bayonetta, and a few other titles I cant remember before me. Now shes got a Wow account, and plays that while I play on the xbox, we even consider that "quality time". So it works out well, and I encourage anyone to get into gaming, great stress reliever!

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