[casual_games] Gender and casual games research

[spocilujko at comcast.net]

Look for more on this possibly in the next minna mag article. :)

 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Ulrich Tausend" <ut at neodelight.com>
> A week ago I asked on this list for research material about casual games.
> Thank you for everybody who helped me!
> Now I narrowed down my field of interest to the topic of:
> 
> "Gender and casual games"
> 
> Basically I want to give an answer on why women between 35 and 50 seem to be
> the most important market for casual games.
> "Why do more women play casual games than men, while in total way more men
> play computer and videogames than women?"
> 
> I have some ideas why that may be the case, the problem is I would
> need theoretical
> backing for my speculations.
> 
> - Probably women just like to play differently: they seem to prefer
> nonviolent, non-aggressive, more "positive" games in "realistic" settings?
> Probably they don't want to challenge themselves when playing (as many men
> do)  but just search a quick relaxing experience?
> - Probably women don't want to be gamers (something which is generally
> attributed to (young) males). That is not a problem with casual games
> because casual gamers often don't see themselves as gamers?
> - Probably the dog bites its tail: Casual games are produced with women in
> mind and so women buy them (and hardcore games are produced with men in
> mind)?
> - Probably it is not gender but how experienced you are with computers and
> computer interfaces?
> 
> I could also need more statistical information about how many men and women
> play computer and videogames and how many men and women play casual games.
> 
> I don't know yet if gender is really that important for our market. But I
> would like to look at casual games from a gender perspective.
> 
> -- 
> Ulrich Tausend
> 
> Neodelight/Neokolor GbR
> Berlin - Munich
> 
> Phone - Mobile: +49-179-2951979
> Phone - Skype In: +1 (347) 223-5845
> Fax: +49 (30) 69088434
> Skype: uli1000
> 
> ut at neodelight.com
> www.neodelight.com [games division]
> www.neodelight.com/about/neodelight [corporate]