:: netwoman's blog ::

Call for radical rethink of games

Alfred Hermida
Technology editor, BBC News website, in Los Angeles

"Testosterone hobby

It is clear that women do like to play games. ESA figures show that a third of console players are women.

But many of these women are casual gamers, who play far fewer games, far more infrequently, than their male counterparts.

Gamer at the E3 expo
Games need to change to be topics of conversation at dinner parties
"We need a cultural shift so that young girls and women feel that playing games is not a testosterone monopolised hobby reserved for their boyfriends and husbands," urged Mr Lowenstein.

For this to happen, game producers need to think radically about the sorts of games they make, said the ESA president.

As part of this, games had to become easier to play, as often people are intimidated by the technology or the complexity of a title. "

I'm not sure it's really all about the skill to play the game - but rather finding interesting games. They're definitely missing something in what other gamers want to play. Sounds like some good research is needed...spend the bucks - do the research.

posted by Netwoman @ 3:28 PM