Angie Clever

Gender Inclusive Gaming Markets

Over thirty years after the 1972 release of Pong that launched the term “video game” into the public eye– and the public living room, for the first time the gaming industry is showing significant interest in expanding its market. According to PriceWaterHouseCoopers, the gaming market is expected to exceed the music market in 2008, and their figures show significant growth continuing as far as 2011 for the industry. The real problem for the industry becomes that the dependable market- the 13 to 25 year old male demographic that has been the hot focus of game marketing since such early releases as Dragon Lair and Donkey Kong in the 1980’s- just isn’t growing as fast as the gaming industry itself.

Growth in Gaming and It’s Not Stopping

In the US alone, by 2011 the gaming industry is projected to reach $12.5 billion dollars annually, which isn’t even the largest world gaming market. The Asian Pacific region is projected to reach $18.8 billion by 2011. In terms of numbers alone the gaming market is nothing short of a phenomenon.

Implications for the Gaming Minorities

As the gaming industry grows, its markets inevitably broaden. For two decades the primary market, established and reaffirmed in the 1980s, has been the 13-25 year old male. Such companies as Her Interactive, Purple Moon, and Activision attempted to market towards the female demographic in the 90s, meeting with limited success. The Barbie Fashion Designer , selling over 600,000 units during the first year alone, was designed by Mattel in the mid-90’s. While this game was the rare exception to the common fundamentals f gaming markets, it set a precedent in the video game industry that is only now being realized. The fact is, as the market expands, demographics grow and shift.

Gaming Paves the Way for Women in Technology

With more women than men alive, it would seem shocking that the technology industry is still male dominated. Could this be because many of Generation X and earlier females were not targeted by technology like their male counterparts. While action video games were prolific in the 1980’s and early 1990’s, their female counterparts were scarce and rarely as well developed. While boys and men had a variety of games available for entertainment, the majority of titles directed towards the female demographics were not entertainment titles. Instead the most recommended titles for females we learning games, involving less action and hand-eye coordination, take for example recipe management programs and learn-to-type programs.

Modern psychology has shown that by age seven, the normal human is reacting to their cultural surroundings. Girls and boys respond to positive and negative reinforcement. For instance, a boy may receive negative reinforcement upon playing with his sister’s makeup—reinforcing the concept that males do not care about their appearance. Females, conversely, may be rewarded for staying clean while her brothers play roughly in the mud—again reinforcing the females proper actions according to our culture.

For most technology professionals, you will find that their interest in games and technology was developed at an early age. When a child experiences pleasure, positive reinforcement, from playing video games, that child is more likely to develop an interest in technology as he grows older, perhaps even making his own basic programs or modules for his favorite games.

As the demographic expands that provides young girls with positive and entertaining technological pastimes, it stands to reason that the amount of women in the technology industry as a whole will increase, both growing the gaming industry and its market. Up until now, this has been neglected and perhaps this begins to explain the hesitancy of women to join the technology industry.

If you are interested in more details on the history of gender in gaming, I would highly recommend Sheri Ray’s book. It has an amazing array of details, and really puts the industry into perspective, without sounding “preachy” or “text-book-y”.