hehehe, guess what the biggest demographic in gaming is?

Shiminay

http://www.dailydot.com/geek/adult-women-largest-gaming-demographic/

It's women over 18 - 37% of total market share

News like this fills me with joy and the "ethics" crowd with dread because obviously this will mean that everything is going to get changed (cause obviously the 37% of ladies who play didn't enjoy any of the games that are already out :rolleyes:).

Generic Dreadhead

Interesting statistic, 95% of women over 18 play Candy Crush and FarmVille :P

Digital Solitude

If you take out mobile gaming how much would the numbers drop by?

Creamy Goodness

why would you take out mobile gaming? what's that got to do with a survey about gaming as a whole?

Generic Dreadhead

Digital Solitude wrote: »

If you get out mobile gaming how much wouldzthe numbers drop by?

Based on statistical studies in this thread, they would drop 95%

Digital Solitude

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

why would you take out mobile gaming? what's that got to do with a survey about gaming as a whole?

Because that would leave console games and PC. It's a subset of gaming, hence related.

All I asked was how much the numbers would change by without it.

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000

This must only be mobile gaming...I've never heard a lady ask me for a ps4 or xbone yet.

kunst nugget

This article is 19 months old. The link at the end of the article gives a 404 but here's a link to the report.

http://www.theesa.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/ESA-Essential-Facts-2015.pdf

Mitch Connor

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

why would you take out mobile gaming? what's that got to do with a survey about gaming as a whole?

Well you would take it out or leave it in based on what you actual target demographic is.

EA aren't going to aim the next Battlefield at this female demographic because (in all likelihood) the vast majority of that demographic are not paying €70 for a AAA FPS game on a next-gen console.

At the same time, if they are looking to create the next candy-crush they will aim at that demographic.

You'd want to be some fecking moron to look at a headline figure like that and think you should aim all games on all delivery platforms at this big demographic.

So, as always, statistics are meaningless when viewed without context.

strelok

anyone who has taken even half a glance at the 'ethics'/gamergate/whateverthe**** crowd will easily be able to spot that there are loads of women who are pretty active in what passes for their community. this ridiculous meme that they hate women and are trying to drive them out of gaming is obviously not going away any time soon but it's just so obviously untrue that you really have to wonder about the sort of person who keeps trying to push it as a genuine point of view

Manach

That women play in gaming is hardly a revelation, and neither is the SJW types trying to lump them all into one homogenous class so as to push against whatever strawman strawperson is in their sight.

mahoganygas

I've always wanted to get the missus into video games.
I don't know where to start. Any suggestions?

The last time she played was probably the sims on her brother's pc when she was 14.

Do you know many female gamers?
Are you a female gamer?

rizzla

Well, with that demographic should people not take notice and try and figure out ways to get them gamers on current gen platforms. They should be viewing mobile gaming as a gateway into console/pc gaming and try their best in some way to appeal to that larger percentage in order to get more money. They'd be fools not to, they just need a hook.

kunst nugget

mahoganygas wrote: »

I've always wanted to get the missus into video games.
I don't know where to start. Any suggestions?

Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball. The wimmins love it.

Generic Dreadhead

BMX-XXX, it's empowering

strelok

rizzla wrote: »

Well, with that demographic should people not take notice and try and figure out ways to get them gamers on current gen platforms. They should be viewing mobile gaming as a gateway into console/pc gaming and try their best in some way to appeal to that larger percentage in order to get more money. They'd be fools not to, they just need a hook.

i dont think you're ever going to get their average 43 year old facebook gamer buying a ps4. they did buy the wiiu alright but apparently not all that many games for it.

more and more women are going to play games just because gaming is everywhere now, in a way it wasn't back in the 90's and even the early 00's. the idea that young girls aren't playing xbox and playstation with young boys is laughable, they will grow up and most likely continue to just play games the way they will continue to just listen to music or watch tv.

i really don't think it's going to do a god damn thing to stop the onslaught of Call of duty 59 or generic action platformer seventy eight. It will just mean there will be a new market for huge selling generic sim games and rpg's that are equally as bland and imagination free as what typically sells to young boys and men today.

women aren't going to save the gaming industry, men aren't destroying the gaming industry. people are just people.

Creamy Goodness

Mitch Connor wrote: »

Well you would take it out or leave it in based on what you actual target demographic is.

EA aren't going to aim the next Battlefield at this female demographic because (in all likelihood) the vast majority of that demographic are not paying €70 for a AAA FPS game on a next-gen console.

At the same time, if they are looking to create the next candy-crush they will aim at that demographic.

You'd want to be some fecking moron to look at a headline figure like that and think you should aim all games on all delivery platforms at this big demographic.

So, as always, statistics are meaningless when viewed without context.

I wasn't saying to start targeting more to women. This is simply a report done by ESA that covers america about gaming. I just questioned why someone would want to take out mobile gaming (or any other section of gaming) out of their report.

I just feel like mobile gaming has gotten a hugely bad rep because of IAP and people exploiting it, but it's so much more. Monument Valley, Alto's Adventure, Her Story etc. etc.

Stone Deaf 4evr

mahoganygas wrote: »

I've always wanted to get the missus into video games.
I don't know where to start. Any suggestions?

The last time she played was probably the sims on her brother's pc when she was 14.

Do you know many female gamers?
Are you a female gamer?

Pick something close to her common interests - do ye watch stuff like game of thrones, or the walking dead? - then have a look at the telltale games. They're really only interactive stories, but They're a good gateway.

The main thing is not to pick something that has a massively convoluted control scheme or lots of different in game mechanics.

Generic Dreadhead

My missus really like the Telltale stuff, and the Sims, and Mario, and Rayman, and Animal Crossing, and Professor Layton....

"Real Female Gamers" probably hate her :pac:

CliCliW

Cormac... wrote:

My missus really like the Telltale stuff, and the Sims, and Mario, and Rayman, and Animal Crossing, and Professor Layton....

"Real Female Gamers" probably hate her

I don't understand, in a Female Gamer and I enjoy most of these games. Why does that define me as "not a real gamer"?

She could also try pokemon and all its spinoffs.

Generic Dreadhead

CliCliW wrote: »

I don't understand, in a Female Gamer and I enjoy most of these games. Why does that define me as "not a real gamer"?

She could also try pokemon and all its spinoffs.

I was being sarcastic/tounge in cheek, I don't want to go down this whole rat hole again, hence the quotation marks

Kylo Ren

There is a massive difference in someone who purchases a gaming PC or current gen console and the €40-€60 games vs someone who plays 'Candy Crush' for 15 minutes a day during lunch. Making time to play games vs. playing games to kill time.

I wish they broke down what ages and genders played on what system and find it odd that they did not do that as I think they'd definitely have the data. I think it'd be interesting. That being said, I think the number of actual female gamers (minus mobile) is a lot higher than people think, but certainly not the majority.

Evade

rizzla wrote: »

Well, with that demographic should people not take notice and try and figure out ways to get them gamers on current gen platforms. They should be viewing mobile gaming as a gateway into console/pc gaming and try their best in some way to appeal to that larger percentage in order to get more money. They'd be fools not to, they just need a hook.

Or are they trying to keep them exactly where they are because the profit margins on mobile and social games are better (AFAIK) than AA / AAA console and PC games.

Penn

Keno wrote: »

There is a massive difference in someone who purchases a gaming PC or current gen console and the €40-€60 games vs someone who plays 'Candy Crush' for 15 minutes a day during lunch. Making time to play games vs. playing games to kill time.

But likewise, many would think there's a huge difference between someone spending €2,000 on a gaming rig with 5 screens who plays games for 4-5 hours a day, and someone who buys a console but mostly just uses it for Netflix/dvds and the occasional game of Fifa when friends come over.

Do we need to create arbitrary separation for different levels of "gaming"?

That_Guy

The Honey Monster wrote: »

This must only be mobile gaming...I've never heard a lady ask me for a ps4 or xbone yet.

You're going to the wrong places my man.

Taylor365

Calling people ''gamers'' who solely play mobile/facebook games is like calling someone a ''movie buff'' who's extent of movie watching is a trailer.

That_Guy

mahoganygas wrote: »

I've always wanted to get the missus into video games.
I don't know where to start. Any suggestions?

The last time she played was probably the sims on her brother's pc when she was 14.

Do you know many female gamers?
Are you a female gamer?

My girlfriend is interested in trying out games. Thinking of finding some of the Lego games for a cheap price and starting her off there.

Stone Deaf 4evr

Taylor365 wrote: »

Calling people ''gamers'' who solely play mobile/facebook games is like calling someone a ''movie buff'' who's extent of movie watching is a trailer.

Its exactly that kind of sentiment that pushes newcomers away.

would you tell someone who's playing scrabble that they're not worthy because they arent playing monopoly?

I grew up on games on the atari 2600 and commodore 64, playing games that were for the most part, pretty simple.
most mobile games now are plenty more technical in terms of the things you do while playing.

Chemical Byrne

I think it's misleading in a big way. The term "gamer" would generally be interpreted as a hard core enthusiast who spends hours on end and large amounts of money on gaming. To lump people who play 5 mins of candycrush while waiting in traffic into the gamer category is not accurate.
I know no women who participate in what would be considered gaming culture.

No offence dude but if your missus isn't into games then you shouldn't be trying to coax her into it if you care about her. There are healthier pursuits out there. Personally, I'd consider spending €5k on a rig and spending 4-5 hours a day plonked in front of it to be a very expensive, unhealthy and ultimately unproductive habit to have.

Kylo Ren

Penn wrote: »

But likewise, many would think there's a huge difference between someone spending €2,000 on a gaming rig with 5 screens who plays games for 4-5 hours a day, and someone who buys a console but mostly just uses it for Netflix/dvds and the occasional game of Fifa when friends come over.

Do we need to create arbitrary separation for different levels of "gaming"?

I think the industry needs the data. There is no context in the above study. Lumping everyone who plays a mobile game for 10 minutes to the scenario in your post with the €2000 rig is redundant.

Penn

Taylor365 wrote: »

Calling people ''gamers'' who solely play mobile/facebook games is like calling someone a ''movie buff'' who's extent of movie watching is a trailer.

Why?

Take Clash of Clans for an example (because it's the only mobile game I play). Yes, most of it is the whole thing of earning enough money to upgrade things, then waiting for hours/days for it to upgrade (or use real money to speed it up of course).

But, attacking other people's bases, whether in a war or just looting, requires planning, strategy and timing. And I'm in a clan with a few women, including my sister who doesn't play console games. But the skills you need for console games are the same skills you need for some mobile games. Sure, maybe to a lesser extent, but again, why do we need to create arbitrary separation between what is or isn't a game/gamer?

SeantheMan

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

why would you take out mobile gaming? what's that got to do with a survey about gaming as a whole?

Most people would consider 'Mobile gaming' as something very casual....to pass the time on a bus instead of looking out a window.

I guess the people here would consider themselves more hardcore, consoles and PC and probably like myself...wouldn't really consider anyone who only plays 'mobile' games as a 'Gamer'.

If I met someone and they told me "Oh yeah, I play computer games" and I asked..."Oh which ones ?" (because It's something I'm interested and would genuiely like to talk about games with them) ...and they told me mobile games only...I'd be a bit disappointed,

Taylor365

Penn wrote: »

Why?

Take Clash of Clans for an example (because it's the only mobile game I play). Yes, most of it is the whole thing of earning enough money to upgrade things, then waiting for hours/days for it to upgrade (or use real money to speed it up of course).

Wait or pay simulator. A lot less interaction involved to the point where you spend longer waiting than playing.

To me, that's sounds like a song that takes hours to buffer every few seconds.

Potatoeman

Penn wrote: »

Why?

Take Clash of Clans for an example (because it's the only mobile game I play). Yes, most of it is the whole thing of earning enough money to upgrade things, then waiting for hours/days for it to upgrade (or use real money to speed it up of course).

But, attacking other people's bases, whether in a war or just looting, requires planning, strategy and timing. And I'm in a clan with a few women, including my sister who doesn't play console games. But the skills you need for console games are the same skills you need for some mobile games. Sure, maybe to a lesser extent, but again, why do we need to create arbitrary separation between what is or isn't a game/gamer?

Mobile gamers can be hardcore gamers if they spend enough time playing. If youre not spending money on the game the developers won't target the game at you though.

Creamy Goodness

SeantheMan wrote: »

Most people would consider 'Mobile gaming' as something very casual....to pass the time on a bus instead of looking out a window.

I guess the people here would consider themselves more hardcore, consoles and PC and probably like myself...wouldn't really consider anyone who only plays 'mobile' games as a 'Gamer'.

If I met someone and they told me "Oh yeah, I play computer games" and I asked..."Oh which ones ?" (because It's something I'm interested and would genuiely like to talk about games with them) ...and they told me mobile games only...I'd be a bit disappointed,

Why would you be disappointed?

Games are games whether or not they're casual, mobile, hardcore etc.

Once I realised that the whole concepts of pc master race and console wars and etc is just tiring gaming is far more enjoyable and rewarding.

strelok

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

Why would you be disappointed?

Games are games whether or not they're casual, mobile, hardcore etc.

.

"oh i love reading, i read all the time. it's such a rewarding hobby'

'me too, wow. we have so much in common. what do you read?'

"hello magazine, heat, Ok!.. everything really. I'm just mad for the literature"

mahoganygas

Chemical Byrne wrote: »

No offence dude but if your missus isn't into games then you shouldn't be trying to coax her into it if you care about her. There are healthier pursuits out there. Personally, I'd consider spending €5k on a rig and spending 4-5 hours a day plonked in front of it to be a very expensive, unhealthy and ultimately unproductive habit to have.

Haha - you make it sound like I want to get her hooked on crack!

Point taken though.

I'm far from a hardcore gamer. I like to spend a few hours during the week to clear my head. I don't watch tv so gaming is my way of unwinding. Fantastic for stress relief, and very healthy too! :pac:

kunst nugget

strelok wrote: »

"oh i love reading, i read all the time. it's such a rewarding hobby'

'me too, wow. we have so much in common. what do you read?'

"hello magazine, heat, Ok!.. everything really. I'm just mad for the literature"

"oh i love reading, i read all the time. it's such a rewarding hobby'

'me too, wow. we have so much in common. what do you read?'

"Thrillers, Horror and Sci-fi"

'I actually read the Classics and Philosophy. We have nothing in common I guess.'

strelok

kunst nugget wrote: »

"oh i love reading, i read all the time. it's such a rewarding hobby'

'me too, wow. we have so much in common. what do you read?'

"Thrillers, Horror and Sci-fi"

'I actually read the Classics and Philosophy. We have nothing in common I guess.'

no they wouldn't but they'd still both be reading books

i mean... wat ?

Kirby

Stone Deaf 4evr wrote: »

Its exactly that kind of sentiment that pushes newcomers away.

Newcomers? It's not a church or a club. It's an acitvity or hobby like any other....and it isnt necessary to "recruit" people. If people are interested in games, they will play them on their own merit. If they have to be convinced, it's clearly not their thing. And there is nothing wrong with that either.

Stone Deaf 4evr wrote: »

would you tell someone who's playing scrabble that they're not worthy because they arent playing monopoly?

Ofcourse not. But the analogy isnt accurate. Its much more analogous to the examples already given, like a person who watches trailers being referred to as a movie buff.....or a person who reads one book a year decscribed as an "avid reader". A person who plays games on their phone is as much a gamer as a person taking selfies is a photographer. It's just not accurate.

When you read a stat like 37%, it conjures up images of 300 million girls sitting in front of their playstations, xbox, and gaming PC's......and that just isnt the case. Think of all the people you know in your own life and ask how many of them own consoles and frequently buy games. Whats the ratio of men to women in that list. Is it 37%? Of course its not.

It's not about "worthyness" of some sort of gamer tag. It's just about accuracy. It's a misleading stat. But I guess thats the point of it.

H3llR4iser

Chemical Byrne wrote: »

I think it's misleading in a big way. The term "gamer" would generally be interpreted as a hard core enthusiast who spends hours on end and large amounts of money on gaming. To lump people who play 5 mins of candycrush while waiting in traffic into the gamer category is not accurate.

Couldn't agree more - the point of "people who make time for gaming" as opposed to "people who play games to kill time" is the key here.

I can't even really define myself as a gamer anymore, as I don't nearly play as much as I used to and it's also very rare for me to find a game, nowadays, that I actually look forward to have a play session with.

According to this encompassing definition, my 58-years old mother is a gamer, because she does play 1-2 hours a day of some flash based puzzle game or the other, while waiting for the washing machine to finish cycle or the likes. Even if she has no idea what a GeForce is, is familiar with the "Playstation" and "Xbox" names just because she saw a few of them lying around the place...and thinks "Capcom", "Eidos" or "Bethesda" are football teams or car makes

Chemical Byrne wrote: »

I know no women who participate in what would be considered gaming culture.

Maybe I'm in the wrong demographic being 35; I do know one or maybe two who would be properly into gaming: playing games for the sake of playing them and not to alleviate the boredom of a bus trip, knowledgeable about the industry/landscape/upcoming launches and so on.

All the others, no interest; However, and here things get strange, many if not most are actually open to the idea: give them a controller, and they'll get into the game - even becoming fiercely competitive. In my experience, fighting games seem to be a "girl favourite" most people don't think about - Tekken, DOA but even a classic Street Fighter 2 or KOF. Nothwithstanding that, when the session is over they completely forget about it - they're not going to get the game themselves (even if say, it's a PC game and it wouldn't require any hardware purchase), not pursue it as an hobby nor give it any further consideration, even 'though it was clearly something they enjoyed a lot.

In comparison, most of the guys I know that aren't gamers, wouldn't touch a game with a 10-meters pole and class it as "waste of time".

Chemical Byrne wrote: »

No offence dude but if your missus isn't into games then you shouldn't be trying to coax her into it if you care about her. There are healthier pursuits out there. Personally, I'd consider spending €5k on a rig and spending 4-5 hours a day plonked in front of it to be a very expensive, unhealthy and ultimately unproductive habit to have.

Recreational activities do not have to be productive - you have plenty of time at work to be so:D.

Now, certainly there are hobbies that give the pursuers skills and / or various benefits - from model making to cycling or wood working or photography, but even games have their perks - reflexes, attention, abstraction, logic are all stimulated by most of them (maybe not Farmville, but still...).

Of course it'd be better to be heavily into exercise, cross-country running, gourmet cooking or growing crops - but in the end most non-gamer people still spend the vast majority of their time plonked in front of the same screen, far more than 4-5 hours a day, nosing around Facebook profiles or absorbing one crappy TV series after the other

Eric Cartman

Stone Deaf 4evr wrote: »

would you tell someone who's playing scrabble that they're not worthy because they arent playing monopoly?
.

No, but in this case its like lumping anyone who owns a travel connect4 set in with somebody who has played every edition of monopoly and has a collection of 200 boardgames and calling them both "boardgame enthusiasts"

Its in the same vain that theres plenty of people who own cars , they drive to or from work and thats it.

Then you have people who restore classics, modify cars or buy sought after models and enjoy driving and working on cars as a pasttime , these people are called car enthusiasts and just buying an a-b runaround doesnt earn you that title.

Mobile games are fun, and shouldnt go away , but owning a few free/fremium mobile games doesnt make you a gamer.

K.O.Kiki

Penn wrote: »

But likewise, many would think there's a huge difference between someone spending €2,000 on a gaming rig with 5 screens who plays games for 4-5 hours a day, and someone who buys a console but mostly just uses it for Netflix/dvds and the occasional game of Fifa when friends come over.

Do we need to create arbitrary separation for different levels of "gaming"?

Yes, from a business perspective it makes sense to have separate levels of "gamers" (consumers).

If I was a studio, I want to know, first and foremost, which demographic brings me the largest potential revenue; and by and large, that's probably the passionate gamers who are willing to pay for games.
Freemium games are a valid business too, but the hits are so few and far between, I'd rather not invest in a title that will probably be overlooked among the mountains of shovelware in the F2P marketplace.

kunst nugget

Kirby wrote: »

Newcomers? It's not a church or a club. It's an acitvity or hobby like any other....and it isnt necessary to "recruit" people. If people are interested in games, they will play them on their own merit. If they have to be convinced, it's clearly not their thing. And there is nothing wrong with that either.




Ofcourse not. But the analogy isnt accurate. Its much more analogous to the examples already given, like a person who watches trailers being referred to as a movie buff.....or a person who reads one book a year decscribed as an "avid reader". A person who plays games on their phone is as much a gamer as a person taking selfies is a photographer. It's just not accurate.

When you read a stat like 37%, it conjures up images of 300 million girls sitting in front of their playstations, xbox, and gaming PC's......and that just isnt the case. Think of all the people you know in your own life and ask how many of them own consoles and frequently buy games. Whats the ratio of men to women in that list. Is it 37%? Of course its not.

It's not about "worthyness" of some sort of gamer tag. It's just about accuracy. It's a misleading stat. But I guess thats the point of it.

Tbf, the original study doesn't refer to 'gamers' but 'game players' or 'people playing games'. It's people on here that are fixating on the notion of what a gamer means. I'd imagine that most casual mobile game players are never going to refer to them as gamers but I don't understand why people need to put people down for only playing mobile games. So what if they haven't invested as much money in playing those games as others have - surely the end result of enjoying playing whatever games you choose to play is what matters most to the individual. I don't like Candy Crush but I'm not going to sneer at someone who does.

Retr0gamer

Maybe it's because 90% of girls online are secretly guys.

Kirby

kunst nugget wrote: »

Tbf, the original study doesn't refer to 'gamers'

Yes they do. In the title. The article screamed it loud in clear right out the gate with a giant font. "Adult women are now the largest demographic in gaming".

kunst nugget wrote: »

I'd imagine that most casual mobile game players are never going to refer to them as gamers but I don't understand why people need to put people down for only playing mobile games.

This here is your problem. Nobody is putting mobile games down or sneering at those who play them. We are merely calling a spade a spade. Calling out bullsh*t when we see it.

It's not an attack on people who play Candy Crush....it's recognising the difference between that and somebody who is neck deep in the hobby. Because there is a massive difference and to lump them in together is ridiculous.

Somebody who walks to work in the morning is not the same as the guy who runs marathons. They arent in fact two peas in a pod and its not sneering or derogatory to point that out. It's accuracy.

Winston Payne

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Maybe it's because 90% of girls online are secretly guys.

It's always September for some people.

Agricola

kunst nugget wrote: »

"oh i love reading, i read all the time. it's such a rewarding hobby'

'me too, wow. we have so much in common. what do you read?'

"Thrillers, Horror and Sci-fi"

'I actually read the Classics and Philosophy. We have nothing in common I guess.'

Not the same thing. The above analogy would be more akin to one person who is into playing first person shooters and another who is into RPGs. One could be viewed as a "lesser" genre maybe, but both people would still be viewed as book readers. They buy books and take time to sit down and read them.
Whereas mobile gaming is very much like reading OK magazine. It's something we do in a waiting room to fill 5 minutes. It doesnt require really any form of financial or time investment from us, its just chewing gum for the mind.

Im not denigrating people who mainly play small mobile games, its great that so many people now can experience gaming of some form whereas 20 years ago it was just a niche. But there is a huge difference between a person who builds pc's to game or buys console and 50/60 euro titles compared to someone playing a free or €2 app on an iphone.

kunst nugget

Kirby wrote: »

This here is your problem. Nobody is putting mobile games down or sneering at those who play them. We are merely calling a spade a spade. Calling out bullsh*t when we see it.

It's not my problem though. I don't care if somebody playing mobile games is called a gamer.

LFC CONNAUGHTON

I watched a video on "The Know" YouTube channel recently that showed that "hardcore gamers" aren't really a thing people can market for. People playing hours and hours of CS:GO or DOTA 2 aren't looking for a similar game, they just want to play more CS:GO and DOTA 2. The core demographic that really matters for devs is those who like many different genres, complete the campaign and play a bit of multiplayer and such. That is the type of people that I would like to see the stats for split into gender, age etc.

Shiminay

Jebus, did any of ye actually read the thing? It specifically says they're NOT talking about Facebook Candy Crush shte.

So what games have women been playing all these years, now that we know they haven't just been wasting time trying to get their Facebook friends to give them free lives on Candy Crush?

Casual computer games, mostly. The report ranks online and mobile puzzle games, board games, trivia games, and card games as coming in second to the boom in social games, which more than doubled in popularity between 2012 and 2013.