The video game industry asserts it is a leading form of mass-market entertainment, surpassing even the Hollywood box office in revenue. But the $9.4 billion industry has a pronounced blind spot: Women and girls.
While million-selling games like “The Sims” and “Roller Coaster Tycoon” have attracted female players to the PC, the larger console market, which accounts for 73 percent of sales, remains the digital equivalent of the Augusta National Country Club.
Three out of four console players are boys or men under age 35. And the most popular games of the year reflect the skewed demographic. Eight of the top 10 selling console games, as tracked by NPDFunworld, tilt the testosterone scale with super heroes, military shooters, carjacking and dudes-only sports (NFL football and car racing).
Only two best-selling games–Nintendo’s Super Mario Advance 2 and Super Mario Sunshine–seem to acknowledge a two-gender world.
“This is an industry that’s built itself and has grown making particular kinds of products that appeal to particular kinds of audiences,” said Doug Lowenstein, president of the Interactive Digital Software Association. “Those that have sought to come up with really specialized products targeted at girls have proven unsuccessful. People don’t forget those things.”
“Girls are there ready and willing to play games,” said Laura Groppe, head of Girls Intelligence Agency, a firm that studies girls’ buying habits.
Konami’s arcade-tested console game, “Dance Dance Revolution.” was a smash hit with girl gamers, who enjoyed taking turns holding dance competitions in their bedrooms, Groppe said. So are racing games that get the adrenaline pumping, or character-driven games like Nintendo’s timeless “Mario.”
