| Girl Gamers By: Alleliah Nuguid Though the term ‘gamer’ often elicits a mental image of a teenage boy playing Starcraft, the reality of the situation may surprise you. A study by the Entertainment Software Association shows that 38% of all gamers are female. Furthermore, among gamers, adult women outnumber males aged 17 or younger. What has caused this change in the demo- graphics of video game players? AMG interviewed college students Kristen and Kathy, who grew up gaming and witnessed its evolution. Kristen and Kathy note that video game developers are putting more effort into making female characters protagonists, rather than side characters or damsels in distress. Kristen suggests, “Games like that might be more accessible to girls who want to see themselves as strong, independent women.” She uses as an example the crossover fighting game Super Smash Bros. Back in its Nintendo 64 days, Samus of the Metroid series was the only playable female character. Compare this to the latest installment, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, which includes Samus, one half of the Ice Climbers, Princess Peach, and Zelda/Sheik. This is only 3.5 female characters out of 37, but it is still a marked improvement that reflects the changes within and without the video game industry. What about the notion of “guy games” and “girl games.” While the numbers state that gaming is no longer a “guy thing,” some gaming genres are definitely played more by one gender or the other. There is no question that first-person shooter enthusiasts are overwhelmingly male, while girls often prefer less violent games like The Sims. Girls are also more likely to be casual gamers who play only multiplayer games or only in social situations, such as Rock Band gatherings. Indeed, girls are not expected to be avid gamers, if they play video games at all. Kathy comments on the attitude toward female gamers, saying that “Male gamers seem to…act as if it is not their place.” She adds, “I feel like that disparity exists because video games are aimed more at males and are considered a male activity.” Undoubtedly, the video game industry is male-dominated. Sony Online Entertainment, developer and publisher of EverQuest, has recognized and is trying to remedy this problem. It has started the Gamers in Real Life Program, also known quite appropriately as G.I.R.L. The mission of G.I.R.L. is to get more women involved with the gaming industry and make the portrayal of women in video games more positive. There is an annual G.I.R.L. Scholarship of $10,000, awarded to an undergraduate interested in entering the gaming industry. In the meantime, Kristen and Kathy make recommendations. Kristen is a fan of the Legend of Zelda series, which spans 15 games over all Nintendo systems. “I love this series because it requires strategy and puzzle-solving on top of regular combat,” Kristen explains. Kathy’s favorite genre is role-playing games, or RPGs. “Most RPGs I’ve played have incorporated comedy, romance, and action, and often have underlying themes and social issues that are pertinent to our own society,” she says. |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |