The stereotypical gamer that people usually imagine is male. However, that’s not necessarily an accurate depiction of the real demographics. Females make up almost half of the gaming population.
The latest statistics from the Entertainment Software Association tell us that about 45% of gamers are, in fact, female. Shocking as it may be to some, women over the age of 18 account for a whopping 31% of all gamers. That outnumbers males under 17 (19%) by quite a bit. Pretty incredible, right?
These numbers highlight a problem in the video game industry. There are so many games that are marketed almost exclusively toward a male demographic. A few, however, have broken down that barrier and have given females a voice in gaming.
A classic example of a female protagonist is, of course, Samus Aran in the Metroid series. Who can forget that shocking revelation at the end of Metroid?
Mirror’s Edge, a first-person action-packed platformer that’s had some awesome reviews, is another example. It’s got free-running, fighting, snipers, and an engaging storyline. The kicker? The protagonist is a young woman named Faith.
Women are gradually asserting themselves more and more into the gaming community as a whole, both in development and as fans. We don’t want special treatment, and we don’t need to be singled out. All we want is to game and have fun doing it.
