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The majority of gamers are male, and I think that maybe one factor is the way in which many men play games. To make sense of what am I about to say though requires a bit of background knowledge in the differences between men and women according to books like 'Men Are From Mars' and 'Women Are From Venus', and 'Why Men Don't Listen And Women Can't Read Maps'. I'm not suggesting you go out and read these mind numbingly tedious and repetitive books, but if you have already then this will make more sense.
Women communicate by talking a lot of rubbish, about Eastenders, what they ate for dinner that day, recounting their days in intricate detail to each other, what Doris's cat had done at the vets, and...well, you get the drift. They can do this because they are able to listen to each other and empaphise. They are sharing their experiences through talking about them. If you or I could do this (talking to the male audience here) then we would be getting laid every day, so don't look down on it. We can't though. So we communicate through other means.
One such way is through the miracle of gaming. Co-op modes, or turn about play working through a game, or even versus modes are all ways of interacting with another human being, and this is something we all crave.
When you last played Halo on co-op (if you're lucky enough to have done anyway) how much communication was there between you and your team-mate, and I don't mean just saying 'Oh dear, this little bagger is ragging my backside'? So what I'm saying is that we use games to communicate, and to share experiences, and empathise (to a certain extent). And women who game maybe don't think of games as as important in this aspect, which is maybe why gaming is predominantly male, and games seem male orientated (goal orientated).
At the same time, gaming also satisfies the male competitive urges too. I talk more about gaming when not playing, than while playing. I've had really long conversations with my girlfriend about games, but conversations about games we both actually play only lead to arguments. I still feel that women and gaming is my holy grail; it's an atomically booby trapped holy grail of destruction and rowing, and should be left well alone. I suppose I'm suggesting that gaming is a substitute for human interaction? Talk about reinforcing the gaming geek sociophobe stereotype eh?
At the end of the day, it all boils down to how people are brought up as kids, not what gender they are. This may seem stereotypical, but my point is we raise our kids to follow these stereotypes. Boys grow up playing games and having fun. It's expected of them and the parents and society understand this stereotype and live with it as the norm. Boys keep some of this playfulness as adults and carry on playing games or taking up hobbies. Girls grow up trying to be adults as soon as they can. They want to play dress up, wear make up, find boyfriends, gossip to each other like their mums do, etc. It's expected from them and again accepted as the norm. This is why many girls think computer games are pointless (you'll also notice that they follow pop culture, unlike boys who take an active interest in films, music and so on).
This is the underlying problem with girls and computer games. You won't find a computer game that all girls like because that is a myth. The few girls who do like computer games like exactly the same games as we do. It's a credit to their parents that they didn't let these girl gamers grow up too fast. I'm certainly no psychologist, so I won't profess to be putting across a professional viewpoint, but I think I'm right in saying that a 'nature vs nurture' experiment occurred (not exactly undertaken) by some of the more extreme feminists in the US trying to bring up their boys with dolls and girls with guns. Both rejected the suggested opposite gender role. This would tend to suggest that nature rather than nurture is the determinant for video games playing.
It's also proven genetics that a person isn't just decided by either their genes or their upbringing, but both together are major factors. While I'm sure that some of the reasons that girls don't play games is due to them just simply being girls, society and their parents also have a hand in how they turn out (same with boys). Fact: there are girl gamers. It's entirely possible for a girl to enjoy games. I've seen lots of girls play games in the past, and have fun, but they don't make a habit of it because society says that games are for kids. Proper girl gamers are just girls who can see past that and learn that games can have a healthy part of your daily life.
Is this all something to do with the fact that women can enjoy conversations which revolve around what variety of heinz bean they enjoyed for lunch whilst men would rather DO or at least talk about something more worthwhile (as we see it)? Do games, with there clear aims and methods of achievement fulfil this feeling of needing to accomplish something, even though in reality the achievement is not necessarily 'worthwhile'?
Thanks for reading,
LF.
Women communicate by talking a lot of rubbish, about Eastenders, what they ate for dinner that day, recounting their days in intricate detail to each other, what Doris's cat had done at the vets, and...well, you get the drift. They can do this because they are able to listen to each other and empaphise. They are sharing their experiences through talking about them. If you or I could do this (talking to the male audience here) then we would be getting laid every day, so don't look down on it. We can't though. So we communicate through other means.
One such way is through the miracle of gaming. Co-op modes, or turn about play working through a game, or even versus modes are all ways of interacting with another human being, and this is something we all crave.
When you last played Halo on co-op (if you're lucky enough to have done anyway) how much communication was there between you and your team-mate, and I don't mean just saying 'Oh dear, this little bagger is ragging my backside'? So what I'm saying is that we use games to communicate, and to share experiences, and empathise (to a certain extent). And women who game maybe don't think of games as as important in this aspect, which is maybe why gaming is predominantly male, and games seem male orientated (goal orientated).
At the same time, gaming also satisfies the male competitive urges too. I talk more about gaming when not playing, than while playing. I've had really long conversations with my girlfriend about games, but conversations about games we both actually play only lead to arguments. I still feel that women and gaming is my holy grail; it's an atomically booby trapped holy grail of destruction and rowing, and should be left well alone. I suppose I'm suggesting that gaming is a substitute for human interaction? Talk about reinforcing the gaming geek sociophobe stereotype eh?
At the end of the day, it all boils down to how people are brought up as kids, not what gender they are. This may seem stereotypical, but my point is we raise our kids to follow these stereotypes. Boys grow up playing games and having fun. It's expected of them and the parents and society understand this stereotype and live with it as the norm. Boys keep some of this playfulness as adults and carry on playing games or taking up hobbies. Girls grow up trying to be adults as soon as they can. They want to play dress up, wear make up, find boyfriends, gossip to each other like their mums do, etc. It's expected from them and again accepted as the norm. This is why many girls think computer games are pointless (you'll also notice that they follow pop culture, unlike boys who take an active interest in films, music and so on).
This is the underlying problem with girls and computer games. You won't find a computer game that all girls like because that is a myth. The few girls who do like computer games like exactly the same games as we do. It's a credit to their parents that they didn't let these girl gamers grow up too fast. I'm certainly no psychologist, so I won't profess to be putting across a professional viewpoint, but I think I'm right in saying that a 'nature vs nurture' experiment occurred (not exactly undertaken) by some of the more extreme feminists in the US trying to bring up their boys with dolls and girls with guns. Both rejected the suggested opposite gender role. This would tend to suggest that nature rather than nurture is the determinant for video games playing.
It's also proven genetics that a person isn't just decided by either their genes or their upbringing, but both together are major factors. While I'm sure that some of the reasons that girls don't play games is due to them just simply being girls, society and their parents also have a hand in how they turn out (same with boys). Fact: there are girl gamers. It's entirely possible for a girl to enjoy games. I've seen lots of girls play games in the past, and have fun, but they don't make a habit of it because society says that games are for kids. Proper girl gamers are just girls who can see past that and learn that games can have a healthy part of your daily life.
Is this all something to do with the fact that women can enjoy conversations which revolve around what variety of heinz bean they enjoyed for lunch whilst men would rather DO or at least talk about something more worthwhile (as we see it)? Do games, with there clear aims and methods of achievement fulfil this feeling of needing to accomplish something, even though in reality the achievement is not necessarily 'worthwhile'?
Thanks for reading,
LF.
As you say somehwre in that piece, it's all about the upbringing of that person.
There is one, single female in both my Physics and Computing classes (she's the same person), and any mention of games scares her off, despite having a large band of male friends.
There is one, single female in both my Physics and Computing classes (she's the same person), and any mention of games scares her off, despite having a large band of male friends.
I love games I own well over 100, and I can read maps, do you think that there is some sort of link there?
You make it sound like women only talk rubbish all of the time, I think you will find that this isn't true, while Women need to wind down from a days work, etc, by talking about it and can have, gossipy conversations, we also have meaningfull disscusions as often if not more often than men (at least we don't sit around grunting all the time).
I think that most female prefer co-operative/mutiplayer gameplay. Certainly in my Student house at University all of the girls used to love to get together around my playstation and have a good session of such games as bomberman or bishi bashi. I was the only girl in the household to play single player games ever.
I recently played through Balders gate on Co-operative mode with my Boyfriend (he isn't into games as much as I am), and I felt that it definitly helped us communicate and brought us together as a couple. So I think you are wrong about this being something that only men enjoy, when you say women who game don't think of this as important I think you are wrong as I have really appreciated this aspect of gaming . I only have my experiances as a woman who loves games though, so I am willing to admit that I may be unusal.(because I don't know any other women who love gaming as much as me).
This is very interesting, I am an only child but being brought up I had a lot of male friends and so I got involved in playing computer games with them. I also loke cult/manga movies and Heavy metal music, is this all unusual for a girl. This would seem to suggest that it nuture NOT nature that is involved in this (again I am willing to admit that I may be an unusual case)
I wrote a post about a week ago on Gaming for Girls, (posted for me by Goatboy) in which I cover some of the issues here from a girls point of view.
I see nothing in Gaming that would dissuade girls from getting involved apart from the bigoted attitudes that I often come across when I say yes I like gaming. Often I get answers such as pfft yeah like bust-a-move and echo the dolphin. If i want to take part in group games of Halo or like i often get told I can't play because i am a girl,
Fortunatly I have now found a group of (male) friends who have accepted me as one of them and I regularly thrash them all!
So remember lads, you could be wrong about us girlies, give us a chance and see how we do before you judge our gaming ability.
sorry for any typos.
You make it sound like women only talk rubbish all of the time, I think you will find that this isn't true, while Women need to wind down from a days work, etc, by talking about it and can have, gossipy conversations, we also have meaningfull disscusions as often if not more often than men (at least we don't sit around grunting all the time).
I think that most female prefer co-operative/mutiplayer gameplay. Certainly in my Student house at University all of the girls used to love to get together around my playstation and have a good session of such games as bomberman or bishi bashi. I was the only girl in the household to play single player games ever.
I recently played through Balders gate on Co-operative mode with my Boyfriend (he isn't into games as much as I am), and I felt that it definitly helped us communicate and brought us together as a couple. So I think you are wrong about this being something that only men enjoy, when you say women who game don't think of this as important I think you are wrong as I have really appreciated this aspect of gaming . I only have my experiances as a woman who loves games though, so I am willing to admit that I may be unusal.(because I don't know any other women who love gaming as much as me).
This is very interesting, I am an only child but being brought up I had a lot of male friends and so I got involved in playing computer games with them. I also loke cult/manga movies and Heavy metal music, is this all unusual for a girl. This would seem to suggest that it nuture NOT nature that is involved in this (again I am willing to admit that I may be an unusual case)
I wrote a post about a week ago on Gaming for Girls, (posted for me by Goatboy) in which I cover some of the issues here from a girls point of view.
I see nothing in Gaming that would dissuade girls from getting involved apart from the bigoted attitudes that I often come across when I say yes I like gaming. Often I get answers such as pfft yeah like bust-a-move and echo the dolphin. If i want to take part in group games of Halo or like i often get told I can't play because i am a girl,
Fortunatly I have now found a group of (male) friends who have accepted me as one of them and I regularly thrash them all!
So remember lads, you could be wrong about us girlies, give us a chance and see how we do before you judge our gaming ability.
sorry for any typos.
This is an interesting topic... can't think of anything argumentative or complimental to say at this time, though.
Whoa! Excellent post, Lawless Fever, and that was (be honoured) so interesting that it's in the minority of posts that I've read all the way through!
*Ponders over what to say next*
I agree that most girl gamers either think gaming is totally pointless, or they are interested, but they don't pursue the interest, as in play regularly.
My sister likes games, but you don't see her asking me if she can play a game on the PS2 or GC, do you? (Probably due to me telling her to get lost :D) No, she rarely does. She only plays when we visit my dad every Saturday. She's good, I have to say, and it's a shame she doesn't buy games herself, because then I'd save some money :-D
*Ponders over what to say next*
I agree that most girl gamers either think gaming is totally pointless, or they are interested, but they don't pursue the interest, as in play regularly.
My sister likes games, but you don't see her asking me if she can play a game on the PS2 or GC, do you? (Probably due to me telling her to get lost :D) No, she rarely does. She only plays when we visit my dad every Saturday. She's good, I have to say, and it's a shame she doesn't buy games herself, because then I'd save some money :-D
The majority of gamers are male, and I think that maybe one factor is the way in which many men play games. To make sense of what am I about to say though requires a bit of background knowledge in the differences between men and women according to books like 'Men Are From Mars' and 'Women Are From Venus', and 'Why Men Don't Listen And Women Can't Read Maps'. I'm not suggesting you go out and read these mind numbingly tedious and repetitive books, but if you have already then this will make more sense.
Women communicate by talking a lot of rubbish, about Eastenders, what they ate for dinner that day, recounting their days in intricate detail to each other, what Doris's cat had done at the vets, and...well, you get the drift. They can do this because they are able to listen to each other and empaphise. They are sharing their experiences through talking about them. If you or I could do this (talking to the male audience here) then we would be getting laid every day, so don't look down on it. We can't though. So we communicate through other means.
One such way is through the miracle of gaming. Co-op modes, or turn about play working through a game, or even versus modes are all ways of interacting with another human being, and this is something we all crave.
When you last played Halo on co-op (if you're lucky enough to have done anyway) how much communication was there between you and your team-mate, and I don't mean just saying 'Oh dear, this little bagger is ragging my backside'? So what I'm saying is that we use games to communicate, and to share experiences, and empathise (to a certain extent). And women who game maybe don't think of games as as important in this aspect, which is maybe why gaming is predominantly male, and games seem male orientated (goal orientated).
At the same time, gaming also satisfies the male competitive urges too. I talk more about gaming when not playing, than while playing. I've had really long conversations with my girlfriend about games, but conversations about games we both actually play only lead to arguments. I still feel that women and gaming is my holy grail; it's an atomically booby trapped holy grail of destruction and rowing, and should be left well alone. I suppose I'm suggesting that gaming is a substitute for human interaction? Talk about reinforcing the gaming geek sociophobe stereotype eh?
At the end of the day, it all boils down to how people are brought up as kids, not what gender they are. This may seem stereotypical, but my point is we raise our kids to follow these stereotypes. Boys grow up playing games and having fun. It's expected of them and the parents and society understand this stereotype and live with it as the norm. Boys keep some of this playfulness as adults and carry on playing games or taking up hobbies. Girls grow up trying to be adults as soon as they can. They want to play dress up, wear make up, find boyfriends, gossip to each other like their mums do, etc. It's expected from them and again accepted as the norm. This is why many girls think computer games are pointless (you'll also notice that they follow pop culture, unlike boys who take an active interest in films, music and so on).
This is the underlying problem with girls and computer games. You won't find a computer game that all girls like because that is a myth. The few girls who do like computer games like exactly the same games as we do. It's a credit to their parents that they didn't let these girl gamers grow up too fast. I'm certainly no psychologist, so I won't profess to be putting across a professional viewpoint, but I think I'm right in saying that a 'nature vs nurture' experiment occurred (not exactly undertaken) by some of the more extreme feminists in the US trying to bring up their boys with dolls and girls with guns. Both rejected the suggested opposite gender role. This would tend to suggest that nature rather than nurture is the determinant for video games playing.
It's also proven genetics that a person isn't just decided by either their genes or their upbringing, but both together are major factors. While I'm sure that some of the reasons that girls don't play games is due to them just simply being girls, society and their parents also have a hand in how they turn out (same with boys). Fact: there are girl gamers. It's entirely possible for a girl to enjoy games. I've seen lots of girls play games in the past, and have fun, but they don't make a habit of it because society says that games are for kids. Proper girl gamers are just girls who can see past that and learn that games can have a healthy part of your daily life.
Is this all something to do with the fact that women can enjoy conversations which revolve around what variety of heinz bean they enjoyed for lunch whilst men would rather DO or at least talk about something more worthwhile (as we see it)? Do games, with there clear aims and methods of achievement fulfil this feeling of needing to accomplish something, even though in reality the achievement is not necessarily 'worthwhile'?
Thanks for reading,
LF.
Women communicate by talking a lot of rubbish, about Eastenders, what they ate for dinner that day, recounting their days in intricate detail to each other, what Doris's cat had done at the vets, and...well, you get the drift. They can do this because they are able to listen to each other and empaphise. They are sharing their experiences through talking about them. If you or I could do this (talking to the male audience here) then we would be getting laid every day, so don't look down on it. We can't though. So we communicate through other means.
One such way is through the miracle of gaming. Co-op modes, or turn about play working through a game, or even versus modes are all ways of interacting with another human being, and this is something we all crave.
When you last played Halo on co-op (if you're lucky enough to have done anyway) how much communication was there between you and your team-mate, and I don't mean just saying 'Oh dear, this little bagger is ragging my backside'? So what I'm saying is that we use games to communicate, and to share experiences, and empathise (to a certain extent). And women who game maybe don't think of games as as important in this aspect, which is maybe why gaming is predominantly male, and games seem male orientated (goal orientated).
At the same time, gaming also satisfies the male competitive urges too. I talk more about gaming when not playing, than while playing. I've had really long conversations with my girlfriend about games, but conversations about games we both actually play only lead to arguments. I still feel that women and gaming is my holy grail; it's an atomically booby trapped holy grail of destruction and rowing, and should be left well alone. I suppose I'm suggesting that gaming is a substitute for human interaction? Talk about reinforcing the gaming geek sociophobe stereotype eh?
At the end of the day, it all boils down to how people are brought up as kids, not what gender they are. This may seem stereotypical, but my point is we raise our kids to follow these stereotypes. Boys grow up playing games and having fun. It's expected of them and the parents and society understand this stereotype and live with it as the norm. Boys keep some of this playfulness as adults and carry on playing games or taking up hobbies. Girls grow up trying to be adults as soon as they can. They want to play dress up, wear make up, find boyfriends, gossip to each other like their mums do, etc. It's expected from them and again accepted as the norm. This is why many girls think computer games are pointless (you'll also notice that they follow pop culture, unlike boys who take an active interest in films, music and so on).
This is the underlying problem with girls and computer games. You won't find a computer game that all girls like because that is a myth. The few girls who do like computer games like exactly the same games as we do. It's a credit to their parents that they didn't let these girl gamers grow up too fast. I'm certainly no psychologist, so I won't profess to be putting across a professional viewpoint, but I think I'm right in saying that a 'nature vs nurture' experiment occurred (not exactly undertaken) by some of the more extreme feminists in the US trying to bring up their boys with dolls and girls with guns. Both rejected the suggested opposite gender role. This would tend to suggest that nature rather than nurture is the determinant for video games playing.
It's also proven genetics that a person isn't just decided by either their genes or their upbringing, but both together are major factors. While I'm sure that some of the reasons that girls don't play games is due to them just simply being girls, society and their parents also have a hand in how they turn out (same with boys). Fact: there are girl gamers. It's entirely possible for a girl to enjoy games. I've seen lots of girls play games in the past, and have fun, but they don't make a habit of it because society says that games are for kids. Proper girl gamers are just girls who can see past that and learn that games can have a healthy part of your daily life.
Is this all something to do with the fact that women can enjoy conversations which revolve around what variety of heinz bean they enjoyed for lunch whilst men would rather DO or at least talk about something more worthwhile (as we see it)? Do games, with there clear aims and methods of achievement fulfil this feeling of needing to accomplish something, even though in reality the achievement is not necessarily 'worthwhile'?
Thanks for reading,
LF.