Most feel confident in making the assumption that video games are by and large a male-dominated market. The use of violence, fast cars and generously endowed female characters fits right into our gender expectations of what the rough, steak-eating MAN is all about. And the little niche market of girl gamers is gaining visibility slowly with an incresing library of games featuring Barbie and the Olsen Twins. Right?
That's what Gamestop seems to think, at least. The video game chain has recently put up a "Games 4 Girls" display up in their stores, showcasing a line of products geared specifically for their female playerbase. The display features games such as "Cooking Mama", "My Little Pony", "Bratz", and "My Little Mermaid". And we all feel confident in making the assumption - despite our gender expectations - that this did not go over too well.
A number of customers have already complained about the display, and as to be expected, Gamestop is currently recieving some online backlash around gaming blogs. And the census is? Female gamers have no interest in being singled out and told what to buy - and they are perfectly capable of shooting guns and driving fast cars as well as the rough-and-tough male.
However, some feel Gamestop isn't out of line. While girls would enjoy a game of Ridge Racer or Metal Gear Solid, would guys buy into a game based around fashioning-up a sassy Bratz character? It is an idea that is debated within other fields of design as well - it's better to make a product for a male customer base because both genders would accept it, but a product designed for a female in mind would never appeal to males.
As a follow-up, I decided to look into some statistics of the gender make-up of video gamers. At one site, research by Canada's ESA (Entertainment Software Association) shows that most female gamers are over the age of 45... perhaps not the best demographic for My Little Pony. However, it is fairly obvious that Gamestop is strictly targetting the young'uns with the bright pink display and cartoonish figures. Maybe it isn't the best idea to lure little girls into playing Doom and Grand Theft Auto, anyway.
In another study done by the U.S. ESA shows that females make up 38% of all gamers. Is this growing demographic something video game companys have to start marketing towards? Or, do they even have to?
Destructoid blog entry on "Girls 4 Gamers" Gamestop display
Comments (1)
Good observations and good links.
There's an assumption that we all need to be equally involved in video games. I would agree with that but only so far as it is necessary to understand an important cultural phenomenon. Why games? Why now? What cultural function do they perform? Realization of the Situationist idyll of life as play? Acceleration of the colonization of all areas of life by capitalism? A new participatory/emancipatory medium? A waste of time and resources?
Posted by Andy | November 27, 2006 12:05 AM
Posted on November 27, 2006 00:05