Female vs Male Gaming Gender Gap

Cimmerian Thief Female

As a member of the International Game Developer's Association, I recently read this quote from their board posted by a male in the gaming industry: I don't see any difference in game gender. What would a game geared towards female be like anyway? No guns? No fighting? Only barbie dolls?

The guy just contradicted himself because he is stating that games WITH guns and fighting and NO barbie dolls are for boys, so obviously there IS a difference in games geared towards boys and games geared toward girls. I’m an avid MMORPG girlgamer, game industry web developer, guildmaster of several MMORPG guilds, and mother of 3 (2 boys and a girl) and I walk the software departments and see games title “Preschool Education for Girls” and “Preschool Education for Boys” so that’s exactly where the gender gap starts. At such a young age, we are differentiating ourselves from each other, besides the fact that our sexual parts differ, thus does not mean my daughter does not want to play Command and Conquor or my son doesn’t want to paint and draw. When we see our sons telling their friends what to do, he is considered a “future brilliant leader”, but when we see our daughters doing that, she is “bossy”. Women in the gaming industry face similar situations, as I found myself the only female in my computer programming class at Hawaii Pacific University. My husband is military and his officers are female, yes they shoot guns in REAL life, so why should the gaming industry have “Software for girls” and “Software for boys”? We breed our children to this type of society, but those girl gamers who become mothers and teach their girls to game hardcore and kick ass — that’s where the gender gap will change.

My 6yr old plays World of Warcraft with my husband and I, but my 5yr old daughter loves to watch and is just as interested in learning it as he is. Would I allow my son to playa  female character? Would I allow my daughter to play a male character? Most certainly. Hell, half the female characters in these games are grown men anyways, but that doesn't mean they are gay or that they will start to play The Sims just to dress up the characters. These days developers need to focus on adding more potential for the female gamers as well. Since I have been playing games from pen & paper, to MUDs and MOOs, and now onto the virtual MMORPGs, I find that there is still a lack in characterization for females. I am not talking about cooking and tailoring skills, I am simply referring to "characterization" - don't limit me to playing one character or side because that is the only female you have and no don't assume that because the male's play female characters that the females will play a male character. Give me OPTIONS! Class choices, race choices, BOTH male or female!

What has also changed with girls gaming in the MMORPG industry rather than just men? Organization and respect. I see alot of younger males stealing kills, screaming obscenities on the PvP field, grouping only with people who benefit themselves …. since girl gamers arrived, they have managed to become guildmasters and group leaders who don’t tolerate that kind of behavior and don’t ignore it when the behavior arrives. That’s what’s changed. My husband and I both manage the guilds and where he is strongest in knowing tactics and combat, I am strongest at keeping the guild together, respectful, and communicating … I can LEARN his strengths by reading and experiencing, but for him to learn mine is a choice that only nature holds in her hands … but the main question was:

How do I feel about playing a man’s game? How do I feel about games marketed to women?

I think the MMORPG industry is getting better by adding a variety of “interests” not based on gender, but based on interest. Developers are listening to the gamers more, but the educational industry needs to adjust their gender software ASAP! It bothers me when they advertise to my daughter or my son because it makes my children feel guilty if they want a game that says it’s for the opposite sex and a child should never feel guilty.