The demographics in the gaming world are changing as female gamer stats reveal women become the majority, not the minority, sooner rather than later.
Unless you spent 2015 living under a rock, you probably noticed that the gaming demographic has enjoyed a considerable evolution over the course of the last decade. During this time, female players and those of an older persuasion have become increasingly dominant, with the former demographic now apparently accounting for 52 percent of all players across multiple platforms.
Given the stereotypical view of gamers as being adolescent or young male adults with minimal overheads and a viable amount of disposable income, this may come as something of a surprise. It probably shouldn’t, however, especially when you consider that the corresponding figure in 2010 was estimated at 47 percent.
Make no mistake, while 2015 saw a seismic shift, the next 12 months will see female players finally become the dominant gaming demographic. According to the results of a new Pew Research Centre survey, the demographic of console owners is also dominated by women with 42 percent of female respondents having purchased game systems (as opposed to 37 percent of males). This is an interesting development as the initial response to 2015’s figures was that the shift could largely be accounted for by the rise of female-friendly mobile and social titles.
On a similar note, the split for portable game consoles is now thought to be even, despite the fact that this sector was once almost completely dominated by male players. It seems that whichever way you look, gaming is emerging as a female-dominated marketplace where the sheer range of diversity and available options is making consoles, desktops and mobile platforms accessible to a wider demographic of players.
How this change has come about
If you consider the shift as being a sudden trend that has caught you by surprise, the potential triggers may be a source of confusion.
However, the facts suggest that the rise of the female gamer has been more of a gradual transition with women becoming more engaged across various platforms over the course of the last five years. As a result, they have gradually become increasingly dominant and influential in the eyes of developers.
This has been impactful throughout the whole of the gaming sector, as a gradually evolving range of female-orientated games and iconic heroines have entered the marketplace. There is online gambling entertainment for all at Euro Palace, for example, with a staggering number of virtual games and slot experiences featuring female leads (Tomb Raider, anyone?). The same principle applies to other gaming modes, while a quick glance at the top console releases for the year ahead only serves to confirm such a trend.
This is a trend that is also impacting heavily on other markets that were once considered to be male-dominated. Take the comic book sector, for example, where brands such as Marvel have pledged to release a number of female leads in the next five years.This includes a female Thor and a young, Muslim Ms. Marvel, so there is no doubt that the pop-culture boundaries that once segregated men and women have gradually been eroded during the last 10 years.
