Gone are the days when female gamers were underrepresented, and now the ratio of men and women playing video games is more equal. Therefore, it is important for game developers to understand the experiences and preferences women seek from games, and how they behave as players. This can be very important not only for a better and more diverse gaming environment, but also for reaching a wider audience.
As part of Newzoo's Global Gamer Study, insights and data about female gamers were shared, including where they play and whether they pay their players, so it's worth digging deeper.
Who is playing what?
After examining the total online population surveyed for the 2023 Global Gamer Study, we found the following key insights:
- Of the entire online population, 72% of women play video games
- Of all respondents who say they play video games, 45% are women and 55% are men
- Half of female players are paying players
- When asked if they considered themselves a gamer, 36% of women said yes, and 31% of women said someone else told them they were a gamer
- Both women and men who play games think diversity in games is important, with 65% of men and 62% of women agreeing
- 44% of female players only play on mobile platforms
This data shows that almost half of the gamers surveyed are women. Although some may not classify themselves as such, we can conclude that many women consider themselves more casual players because they prefer mobile. However, further data shows that 38% of female console gamers identify as “core gamers,” while the proportion of PC gamers is 36%, indicating that women game on a variety of platforms. You can see that you are investing more and more.
Both men and women felt it was important for gaming spaces to consider and represent inclusivity and diversity in gaming. In-game representation is becoming increasingly important so that players of all types feel like there is someone they can empathize with or project themselves into.
Not only does this represent positive growth for gaming culture, but it also makes business sense as players who are able to participate in the game are likely to be invested in the long term.
