Why do men like video games way more than women?
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Damigos
Member
I like the seriousness of this thread. It takes balls to talk about gender differencies when the trend these days is that we are the same. We are not, simple at that.
Now, while i understand that some women do play games, i do not have anyone that i know that do. I have a mother, grandmother, wife, niece, 3 cousins, 2 aunts, around 10 close friends and another 20 wives/girlfriends of friends. Not a single one plays games, not even the mobile ones. There is simply zero interest, except for a couple of those who play Candy Crush Saga from time to time (bleh..).
Now, while i understand that some women do play games, i do not have anyone that i know that do. I have a mother, grandmother, wife, niece, 3 cousins, 2 aunts, around 10 close friends and another 20 wives/girlfriends of friends. Not a single one plays games, not even the mobile ones. There is simply zero interest, except for a couple of those who play Candy Crush Saga from time to time (bleh..).
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GymWolf
Gold Member
2 girls 1 coop?
Kataploom
Gold Member
Not exactly, actually that comes more from the level of testosterone each sex have, which, by some researches, has been related to the kind of things they tend to like, it's not black and white but in general, women tend to like more stuff related to people and men tend to like more things related to movement.
Having said that, yeah, AAA games are mostly targeted to men, though it doesn't mean they cannot be liked by women, it's just that it tends to be liked by more man than women in general.
greenteaforme
Member
I just like them, couldn't tell you why or what my biology has to do with it. I feel like it just honestly depends on whether you grew up playing games or not. If you were a girl with no brothers and your parents only bought you girl toys you probably wouldn't feel the need for a PlayStation. My dad loves gaming so I grew up with lots of games in the house and it was my favorite pastime - I was introverted.
I have heard that women and men show their interests in nerdy things differently, that women like to create (cosplay, art, fanfic) and men like to show off their knowledge (stats, deep lore, etc.) So it may be that men and women just hang out in different gaming spaces. I know a lot of women are also intimidated by what you would think of as the usual hangouts for gamers, but I've found that they tend to be incredibly friendly. I have never encountered the fabled Misogynist Male Gatekeeper who tells girls they can't play because they have cooties - quite the opposite, men are friendly as hell to nerdy women in my experience. I once inquired about a Magic card at a local shop and had 3 different guys jump to give me advice on what else to add to my deck.
I have heard that women and men show their interests in nerdy things differently, that women like to create (cosplay, art, fanfic) and men like to show off their knowledge (stats, deep lore, etc.) So it may be that men and women just hang out in different gaming spaces. I know a lot of women are also intimidated by what you would think of as the usual hangouts for gamers, but I've found that they tend to be incredibly friendly. I have never encountered the fabled Misogynist Male Gatekeeper who tells girls they can't play because they have cooties - quite the opposite, men are friendly as hell to nerdy women in my experience. I once inquired about a Magic card at a local shop and had 3 different guys jump to give me advice on what else to add to my deck.
Stilton Disco
Member
Well there's the obvious factors of marketing, going back to Nintendo successfully selling the NES as a 'boys toy' after the US games market crash in the 80's.
However, that doesn't explain other markets. The UK never had a crash, and Nintendo were always just one of many platform holders, yet while there was never any great stigma against girls playing games here, it was still an overwhelming male dominated hobby.
Honestly, I think it has it's origins in the early days of gaming appealing more to the intrinsic, biologically based interests of males more than females.
There's a mechanical, technical quality of playing games, the equipment needed to get going, the controls needed to play, along with the physical and competitive design choices that require fast reactions, precision, timing and that naturally lend themselves to competition, either against other player or even just the game itself.
All of these qualities are things that appeal to males far far more than females, the same instinctive behaviour that means that if you give babys a choice of two toys, a doll and a car, the boy will pick the car and the girl the doll 99% of the time, even when literally just a few days old.
Now of course, there are games and even whole sectors of the industry that appeal far more to women.
Games like the Sims and Animal Crossing that focus on social interaction, don't require fast reaction times and don't present a challenging opponent to overcome, are overwhelming preferred by women.
Similarly, mobile games, with their complete lack of controls beyond a touchscreen, and with games designed to be mostly easy and straightforward ways to calmly pass a few minutes, are so popular with women that they now skew the overall gender ratio of all gaming, inspite of the fact traditional console, handheld and PC games are still hobbies overwhelmingly preferred by men.
It's like with pretty much any entertainment or pass time. You'd expect it to end up proffered by one gender or the other, because those biological differences between the genders are never going away, and anything that ended up with a straight 50/50 split would likely be so safe and inoffensive as to be boring and not meeting it's full potential either artistically or commercially.
However, that doesn't explain other markets. The UK never had a crash, and Nintendo were always just one of many platform holders, yet while there was never any great stigma against girls playing games here, it was still an overwhelming male dominated hobby.
Honestly, I think it has it's origins in the early days of gaming appealing more to the intrinsic, biologically based interests of males more than females.
There's a mechanical, technical quality of playing games, the equipment needed to get going, the controls needed to play, along with the physical and competitive design choices that require fast reactions, precision, timing and that naturally lend themselves to competition, either against other player or even just the game itself.
All of these qualities are things that appeal to males far far more than females, the same instinctive behaviour that means that if you give babys a choice of two toys, a doll and a car, the boy will pick the car and the girl the doll 99% of the time, even when literally just a few days old.
Now of course, there are games and even whole sectors of the industry that appeal far more to women.
Games like the Sims and Animal Crossing that focus on social interaction, don't require fast reaction times and don't present a challenging opponent to overcome, are overwhelming preferred by women.
Similarly, mobile games, with their complete lack of controls beyond a touchscreen, and with games designed to be mostly easy and straightforward ways to calmly pass a few minutes, are so popular with women that they now skew the overall gender ratio of all gaming, inspite of the fact traditional console, handheld and PC games are still hobbies overwhelmingly preferred by men.
It's like with pretty much any entertainment or pass time. You'd expect it to end up proffered by one gender or the other, because those biological differences between the genders are never going away, and anything that ended up with a straight 50/50 split would likely be so safe and inoffensive as to be boring and not meeting it's full potential either artistically or commercially.
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The_Mike
I cry about SonyGaf from my chair in Redmond, WA
While I do enjoy to play shooters, which my gf don't, we play games like WoW and ESO together.
I've known girls that enjoyed shooters, but most I've known that were into gaming were more the rts/rpg/mmo kinda girl.
It's just like no men plays The Sims, am I right?
I've known girls that enjoyed shooters, but most I've known that were into gaming were more the rts/rpg/mmo kinda girl.
It's just like no men plays The Sims, am I right?
petran79
Banned
If you mean tomboys, they are as good as men.
Games assume players will have 10-20 years experience in all the traditional genres and even drive newcomers towards this mindset.
But now there are many slower paced games like VN, social media, point and click adventure and puzzle games where you do not need any superfast reflexes to play.
Though because of that they can be less addicting gameplay wise (not micro transaction wise).
They don't pump your adrenaline to finish it in one sitting.
Games assume players will have 10-20 years experience in all the traditional genres and even drive newcomers towards this mindset.
But now there are many slower paced games like VN, social media, point and click adventure and puzzle games where you do not need any superfast reflexes to play.
Though because of that they can be less addicting gameplay wise (not micro transaction wise).
They don't pump your adrenaline to finish it in one sitting.
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cormack12
Gold Member
I like women more than video games OP.
In truth, a lot of blame gets pointed at marketing and boys games but I remember reading a study (though I can't find it now), and the main point was parenting And most of the effect was actually attributed to the mother. Mother's generally didn't think their cute little daughters should be taking up bys hobbies, or sitting in front of TV's for hours instead of playing with dolls. It's kind of odd because a lot of grown up guys will stick with their hobby and pass it down to their kids this way. Most women seem to grow out of hobbies/past times and just sort of fall back on traditional values for girls.
I posted this which is a couple of years old at this point but it gave some interesting insights as to gender splits in certain subreddits. I think girls naturally trend towards smaller, more specific communities at a per game level than broad gaming communities. Which makes sense when you looks at games like animalcrossing, WoW etc.
In truth, a lot of blame gets pointed at marketing and boys games but I remember reading a study (though I can't find it now), and the main point was parenting And most of the effect was actually attributed to the mother. Mother's generally didn't think their cute little daughters should be taking up bys hobbies, or sitting in front of TV's for hours instead of playing with dolls. It's kind of odd because a lot of grown up guys will stick with their hobby and pass it down to their kids this way. Most women seem to grow out of hobbies/past times and just sort of fall back on traditional values for girls.
I posted this which is a couple of years old at this point but it gave some interesting insights as to gender splits in certain subreddits. I think girls naturally trend towards smaller, more specific communities at a per game level than broad gaming communities. Which makes sense when you looks at games like animalcrossing, WoW etc.
Subreddit Gender Ratios
bburky.com
Lanrutcon
Member
what
There have always been slow paced games. In fact, there were more when gaming was in its infancy due to technological constraints. The "10-20 years experience" comment? citation needed.
Elog
Member
Very sensitive topic.
However, there are traits/characteristics that are more common in men than in women that transcends culture and time: monomanic behaviour, spatial activities and aggression that results in attempts to physically dominate another member of the species.
All three traits play into videogames as they are designed today.
There are of course many traits/characteristics that are more common in women than in men as well but that is a separate topic.
However, there are traits/characteristics that are more common in men than in women that transcends culture and time: monomanic behaviour, spatial activities and aggression that results in attempts to physically dominate another member of the species.
All three traits play into videogames as they are designed today.
There are of course many traits/characteristics that are more common in women than in men as well but that is a separate topic.
dl77
Member
Games have traditionally been made by males who make games they want to play and in some way often reflect their views and experiences. That's not to say that 'X' genres are for males and 'Y' genres are for females, more that they've traditionally built more around the male perspective. We are starting to see that be addressed in recent years and hopefully we'll end up with a much more balanced industry in terms of materials that cater and appeal to people of all genders & backgrounds.
shoegaze
Member
As you've said, there's absolutely nothing wrong with kids being socialized into their gender roles. It is essential. Men want women to act and be a certain way, and women want men to be a certain way. If one deviates too much from that he'll / she'll find themselves on the fringes of society with a lesser pool of viable mates. Kids need to know the roles that they were born into, and you as a father need to make them conscious of this game that we're all playing so they wouldn't take it too seriously.
Don't fret it. DM me if you'd want me to clear something on my thoughts or share your own.
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DelireMan7
Member
I hesitate quite a bit to answer... Honestly I am deeply shocked by your answer. But I really don't want to start a discussion on that. So to each their own ^^ (Yes my post is useless)
H
hariseldon
Unconfirmed Member
I pulled these from PC Zone from 1997 and was planning to make a post on the topic but this seems as good a place as any to drop them. I think it does an interesting job of showing how women have changed over the last 20 years, though there is one woman who would have fitted right into 2020, she was way ahead of her time. See if you can spot her.
MiyazakiHatesKojima
Banned
Talk that shit King!
Stilton Disco
Member
God I miss the 90's.I pulled these from PC Zone from 1997 and was planning to make a post on the topic but this seems as good a place as any to drop them. I think it does an interesting job of showing how women have changed over the last 20 years, though there is one woman who would have fitted right into 2020, she was way ahead of her time. See if you can spot her.
DeltaPolarBear
Member
Indeed.
That is why there is an entire industry of books written for women. Stereotypes exist for a reason, not everything could be equally appealing to both genders.
Nintendo tend to make games that appeal to both genders, but that really restricts what they can really do with the games they make.
DelireMan7
Member
After several re-reading maybe I misinterpreted your post. The first time I understood that you basically said that we can't choose who we are and just have to follow the movement without thinking and just continue this forever.
But rereading your last sentence, sounds more like we should make our kids aware of it to let them the choice.
I agree but don't see it a bad thing. Just be who you want to be but yes it might not be easy all the time and should be aware of it. (But it's coming from someone who has some social interaction "disorder" so...)
royox
Member
Because men dont have children and Don't have to take care of them. Right.
Stilton Disco
Member
I mean that actually is a massive problem modern society has.
It's like 1 in 5 families in the UK with dependent children (under 16YO kids basically) are single mothers.
Even taking into account the fact more women have kids than men, that's still a hell of a lot of fathers out there with more free time than the women they knocked up, but didn't stick around with.
Kind of a very minor factor in the subject at hand of course, but it is a factor.
VertigoOA
Banned
They do. But it’s still weighted heavily on one side. I cook for my house. In most families men do not. Cultural and gender traditions in a family unit are pretty consistent. Women have their time mostly occupied by their children when it happens
MagnesG
Banned
I wonder how many of the fathers are actually paying alimonies to feed their ex wife's boyfriends.
petran79
Banned
If you mean console and arcade games in the 80s-90s, vast majority were fast paced. Space Invaders and pac man are even today very fast paced and hard to master.
Only on computers you could play slower games but computers were too expensive for the average user. But computers were even more girls and women excluded due to the difficulty in learning os and programming language.
Computers became cheap, easy and for everyone only after 2000, when Microsoft united their gaming win95 is with the work oriented NT architecture, dropping old game compatibility.
Games target mainly the experienced older players who grew with the franchise.
Majority of players who play the mainstream games have been doing it for years.
Games with female demographic are on their own and do not get any coverage in the mainstream media, being treated as niche games. Yet they are not difficult for new players, are not competitive and do not require fast reflexes. There were and are many Flash games that do not get coverage either.
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Matt_Fox
Member
You're looking in the wrong place.
My daughters and all their female friends play Roblox. It's boasted over 100,000,000 active monthly players. By comparison VR (which gets way more attention on sites like Gaf), Half Life: Alyx scraped a pitiful 1000 active players last month.
Forums and social media can be an echo chamber, I think we all need to be reminded of that once in a while.
My daughters and all their female friends play Roblox. It's boasted over 100,000,000 active monthly players. By comparison VR (which gets way more attention on sites like Gaf), Half Life: Alyx scraped a pitiful 1000 active players last month.
Forums and social media can be an echo chamber, I think we all need to be reminded of that once in a while.
ROMhack
Member
Gaming is structured and provides a challenge. It's a guided experience where we can set aside some of the aimless activity of everyday life. I think that appeals a lot to the male mind (or at least social conditioning) because it motivates us to work through to an end.
I've dated women who play games. In pretty much all cases they like the relaxation or social aspects, which makes sense because women are known for having those needs. My exes have always been the types to give up on games when they get too challenging - which IMO marks the biggest difference between them and men (not that I've dated any). They loved MMOs and RPGs most.
This isn't hard science; just anecdotal. I also know some men who don't like hard games (but not vice versa).
Also I don't really care what type of games people play. Mobile gaming is gaming. MMOs are gaming. Even Animal Crossing is gaming. I can't stand any of them but it's all gaming.
I find that too. I think women care more about the 'culture' of gaming - and I don't make that judgement based on journalism or anything like that. My exes would always talk about how 'cool' certain characters were. I could tell a big part of the appeal was them experiencing the characters inner thoughts and their worlds. Fashion also came up a lot, which ties into the cosplay elements.
I've dated women who play games. In pretty much all cases they like the relaxation or social aspects, which makes sense because women are known for having those needs. My exes have always been the types to give up on games when they get too challenging - which IMO marks the biggest difference between them and men (not that I've dated any). They loved MMOs and RPGs most.
This isn't hard science; just anecdotal. I also know some men who don't like hard games (but not vice versa).
Also I don't really care what type of games people play. Mobile gaming is gaming. MMOs are gaming. Even Animal Crossing is gaming. I can't stand any of them but it's all gaming.
I find that too. I think women care more about the 'culture' of gaming - and I don't make that judgement based on journalism or anything like that. My exes would always talk about how 'cool' certain characters were. I could tell a big part of the appeal was them experiencing the characters inner thoughts and their worlds. Fashion also came up a lot, which ties into the cosplay elements.
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shoegaze
Member
What age are you living in bro? As far as my experience goes, it is "weighted heavily on one side" only when I and all of my mates are at work. Somebody has to take care of the bloody things when men are not there. When I come back home, the 50/50 rule starts as soon as I enter through the door. We're not talking about single moms here, that's not your original point. Do you play your games when you, missus, and the kid is at home? I'm taking my gaming time from my sleeping time and feel grateful.
Daymos
Member
I don't think it's just man vs woman. A certain percentage of humans don't like video games because they just don't understand pushing a button and the screen moves very well (most of my inlaws and my parents), its slightly frustrating or confusing to them. Beyond that culture has pushed women away from games since games are often about manly men doing violent acts and thats not how most little girls are taught to act.
My wife tends to like the games that the stereotypical male gamer hates. She mainly plays JRPGs, especially if they have heavy anime-style characters... that art style that alot of american male gamers hate. So xenoblade2, trails of cold steel, ys 8, zelda, etc.
She always liked anime, and it seems japanese video games go hand and hand with that. She got me into watching anime and I'm surprised how much influence dragon quest has had on it all.. watching that "time I got reincarnated as a slime" now as I play dragon quest 11s.
My wife tends to like the games that the stereotypical male gamer hates. She mainly plays JRPGs, especially if they have heavy anime-style characters... that art style that alot of american male gamers hate. So xenoblade2, trails of cold steel, ys 8, zelda, etc.
She always liked anime, and it seems japanese video games go hand and hand with that. She got me into watching anime and I'm surprised how much influence dragon quest has had on it all.. watching that "time I got reincarnated as a slime" now as I play dragon quest 11s.
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SometimeLaterToday
Member
Alas, if this ain't the proverbial panty wetter, I don't know what is...
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Stilton Disco
Member
A lot less than the guys unknowingly raising another guys kids.
Even the lowest estimates put that at around 1% of all fathers aren't actually the dad of the child they think is there's, and there's sampling data out there that puts it way higher.
One of the worrying stats from those ancestry DNA kit manufacturers is that almost 40% of the samples they receive show that men aren't actually the father of the child they've sent a sample in for, marked as their kid.
Of course that percentage is likely skewed by a lot if men that have suspicions using the tests as a cheap way of finding out the truth, but as a species 80% of the women that ever lived reproduced, while only 20% of men did.
Between long gestation periods and it being the females of our species that are sexually selective, and thus can both have their cake and eat it normaly when it comes to control over both who they have sex with and have relationships with, it's little wonder this so often happens.
GreenAlien
Member
But they also read very different fiction. Fantasy/Scifi is still dominated by male readers, despite the forced push for "diversity".
Hoya Destroyer
Member
Men like explosions more and are more competitive? Women probably dont fantasize about "being the hero" as often as men do? Thats my guess.
Orthodox Gaming Dad
Member
Because video games are a hobby activity. Men engage in hobby activity way more than women. Always have.
DunDunDunpachi
Banned
Men like to distract themselves by playing games with mechanical toys.
Women engross themselves by playing games with others' emotions.
Women engross themselves by playing games with others' emotions.
Paracelsus
Member
Close social media and game streaming on youtube, twitch and any other platform available.
Let's see the share of male/female gamers in five years.
Let's see the share of male/female gamers in five years.
