Over the last two decades, gaming has gone from an activity enjoyed almost exclusively by young men to one that people of all ages have embraced. Now, video games have become forms of media and storytelling that are accepted as being on par with movies, television, and books.
Much of this has come from the trends that have run through the gaming industry over that time, which has shifted from a focus solely on big blockbusters that require a high end PC or console to play, to one that is much broader in scope
These changes have helped to almost close the gender gap between gamers, with near-equal numbers of men and women now enjoying the medium. In the UK, US, and Canada, the split is somewhere between 49% and 51% on either side, though the gap is slightly bigger in Asian countries.
This took some time, though. Early attempts to get more female participation into video gaming flopped dramatically. They were mostly low-effort, misguided, and ill-thought-through ventures to create garishly pink titles about makeup and beauty that were often terrible to play.
Instead, the success came from creating games that women actually wanted to play and by making them accessible.
Casual Gaming
Although men and women now play video games at roughly equal rates, that doesn’t mean there is an even split among the sexes at a category level. In fact, there are often very big differences between the types of games that men and women play.
For example, 86% of all open world games are played by men, meaning only 14% of players are women. The gap is even bigger in first-person shooter and racing games, with 93% and 94% (respectively) of players being men.
There are some exceptions within those categories. For example, Mario Kart Tour bucks the racing game trend with 40% of players being women. This is indicative of how women tend to opt for more casual games compared to their male counterparts.
That’s the reason why 83% of Candy Crush players are women, while life or farming simulator titles like The Sims and Farmville have a female player base of about 69%.
These casual games can usually be enjoyed for just a few minutes at a time, or for hours-long gaming sessions. This flexibility appeals to women who may not have solid blocks of free time they can dedicate to playing and who prefer shorter bursts of entertainment when they get a few minutes to themselves.
More Choice
Although casual gaming is one of the big appeals for women, the broader trend of simplify having more choice is another significant driver.
Instead of having just a handful of games to choose from at a local video game store, players have millions of tiles that they can download to either their smartphone, computer, or console.
Regardless of genre or budget, you can find hundreds of different options. Nowhere is this more visible than in online casinos, where leading brands have a diverse range of titles across just about every conceivable theme, from deep sea exploration to outer space. This variety helps casinos to appeal to almost all players by offering everyone a game that interests them and appeals to their tastes.
The same is true for other categories, too. For example, there are simulation games for practically every imaginable real-world activity, such as popular titles like Stardew Valley, Planet Coaster, and Cities: Skylines, and more obscure options like PC Building Simulator, Hello Kitty Cafe, and PowerWash Simulator.
Mobile Gaming
Complementing this increased variety is the addition of more ways to play these games. Instead of being tied to a desk or a sofa, smartphones give you the freedom to play from anywhere.
It doesn’t matter if you’re enjoying your morning coffee at the kitchen table, relaxing in the tub, or soaking up rays in the garden or park, it’s possible to pull out your phone and begin playing in just a couple of taps.
This is, of course, appealing to men, but it’s been a big driver behind more women taking up gaming. It’s less of a commitment to play from a phone, just like a casual game doesn’t require you to commit to a long session of playing.
