facebook rss twitter

Female Games! That's a bit sexist isn't it?

by Steven Williamson on 19 December 2007, 09:09

Quick Link: HEXUS.net/qaktf

Add to My Vault: x

Pink for the ladies

Dutch PC games developer and publisher Xing Interactive has announced that their developing the first female game's range, with the first of their titles being Super Nanat Xplozion, a cutesy bomberman type game based on the Bubu Kong franchise. The game's cover even has the words 'Female Games' and 'Top Quality Games For Women' emblazoned on it. I know women who'd feel totally embarrassed and patronised by the offer of cute characters and a pink cover. Can this really work?

Nevertheless, the philosophy behind the new range is to tap into the vast casual gaming public on a retail level. On-line the casual gaming crowd consists for 65% of women of 30+ and the combination of strategy and casual nature of games is a key factor in the general appeal. Xing Interactive will announce a number of titles in the arcade and puzzle genres for 2008 to be published in this range.

Are you a women? Are you a man trapped in a woman's body? Do you get your car insurance from Sheila's Wheels? If so, let us know what you think of 'female games', in the forums.

Click for larger image

HEXUS Forums :: 6 Comments

Login with Forum Account

Don't have an account? Register today!
Posted by deleted - Wed 19 Dec 2007 09:36
in development for PC, but our women happy to buy a game just because it has a pink cover?
'the PC,' ‘are’

And yes, in my experience :p
Posted by deleted - Sat 22 Dec 2007 11:20
Goodness grief ¬.¬

Ask any female gamer, and the idea of cutesy games with pink does not appeal. If women are not already playing games, then wrapping them up in ‘soft’ colours and going “It's for women!” will not get them playing games.

I've asked my friends about this before now, and we've agreed on some basic ideas that games need to sell to women. No requirement for long play sessions, little or heavily justified violence, and good plot. Consoles are also generally better, as games just tend to work on those. No system spec memorisation needed.

What's needed isn't ‘pink’ games, but a general culture shift to make gaming known to be more acceptable. Most women online actually do game, but the games industry and fandom does not want to accept that casual gaming is gaming.

/rant
Posted by deleted - Sat 22 Dec 2007 12:44
Why good plot though? Women can't just sit down and play some fun, platform type game, without a romantic plot, probably featuring a dashing Prince and a Maiden?

Try, for example, New Super Mario Bros or Mario Galaxy on the DS \ Wii, nowt in the way of plot beyond ‘ZOMG the Princess has been half inched again by teh Bowsers’ but gameplay that is nothing but fun from start to finish.

Fun is something men and women can appriciate me thinks.

Having said that, if you want to play a true classic that fits all your above rules, try Final Fantasy VII. Its the dogs.
Posted by deleted - Sat 22 Dec 2007 14:14
I never said romantic plot, did I? My mother's favourite films are Aliens and Conan, for example :P

The problem is that of motivation. Men seem more prone to play and explore and gain fulfilment from the challenge itself, from what my little focus group has found.

And FFVII is one of my favourite games :P I'm already a gamer, kthnx :P
Posted by deleted - Sat 22 Dec 2007 17:08
Aliens is the dogs as well. THE best sci fi movie.

You have more taste than most male gamers already it would seem, most of them under 20 think Tony Hawks Knife Wrestling Online GeekTan Edition is the only game worth playing. That and WWE rubbish.

SEE NEWER »