Games

Which Game Genres Do Women Prefer The Most?


female gamer girl gamer
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When video games became a thing, only a handful of titles were available, and the development time for new titles was longer. However, those early games were mostly aimed at children regardless of gender, yet even then there were more titles that boys would find appealing like first-person shooters and fighting games. Once consoles like PlayStation and Xbox became available, the developers really doubled down on males as their target demographic, and this was the case for over a decade.

Puzzle Games

There are a lot of variations when it comes to puzzle games. You can have those hidden object experiences that aren’t too interesting after a few hours, and you have point-and-click adventures. However, the base idea is the same, you will need strong attention to detail and some creativity to figure out the solutions to puzzles and to progress further. These puzzles can be complex and what’s essentially a 4 to 5 hours long game can last for days or even weeks. Once again, these games are available on mobile devices today, and this seems to be the preferred gaming device as far as this demographic goes.

Casino Games

Casino games are almost equally popular among both the male and female communities. The advertising strategies though seemed to be more aimed at male users, as casinos usually sponsor soccer and UFC events. On the other hand, mothers are pretty vocal about gambling ads and advocate for their ban, so companies likely avoid female dominant advertising channels. However, when it comes to the player base, it’s almost evenly distributed on the best payout online casinos, it’s just that men and women play different games at an online casino. Women mostly play these games because they are available on mobile and because they can play poker. There are lots of poker apps out there that don’t involve real money, and these apps often have more women users compared to men.

MMORPG

There are lots of MMORPGs out there and the games really allow players to get creative and express themselves through the in-game character. The two most popular titles with a huge chunk of the player base that consists of women are World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy XIV. These games basically allow you to have a second life in a virtual world. Moreover, the games have a social component that is necessary for the progression, and this is something that women love.

Also, single-player RPG action-adventures have lots of women fans. Games like The Witcher and Mass Effect are popular among both genders. Once again there are a lot of options for customization, they have a captivating narrative, and a vast virtual world to explore. So, we can conclude that women find these design elements or features appealing.

Simulations

This is a very diverse genre and it was really made popular by social media sites like Facebook. One notable title is Farmville where you were in charge of upgrading your farm. This kind of aligned with one of the previous statements that design elements that have to do with customization and creativity are important to this part of the player base.

You also have a game like Sims, and it has lots of sequels, and once again it is a simulation.  Although there is no end-game goal or clear progression path, the players can be in charge of one family, multiple families, a whole neighborhood, or run an entire city.

Match 3

One of the most addicting game experiences out there are the so-called Match 3 puzzles. We are talking about titles like Bejeweled, and Candy Crush. This genre is universally liked and it is a perfect game for mobile devices. The core design formula is simple, and devs get to play around with different features that are built on top of it. Moreover, this genre has been popular for decades and we are still seeing new titles or sequels popping up every now and again.

Genres with Lowest Number of Female Players

Gamer Girl Game Genres
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Some studies were also done to figure out which genres have the lowest percentage of women players. These are sports games, tactical shooters, racing games, and grand strategy.  One thing we can see is that there are lots of popular titles from these genres but we don’t see new or indie developers trying to emulate this success. Shooters and sports games are eSports titles and that’s why we are always getting more of those, but only a small number of studios bother with the grand strategy genre.

Conclusion

There were of course genres that both men and women enjoyed, but if you were to look at games like Call of Duty or League of Legends, it becomes apparent that the audience is male dominant. This has changed over the years, and some of the most popular releases are incorporating new design philosophies. So, let’s see what are the game genres that women like to play.

These were some of the most popular genres that have a balanced or diverse player base. The main takeaway is that women love games that have to do with creativity, customization, and critical thinking, and don’t like titles that rely on fast reflexes and quick decision making. It also seems that developers have noticed this feedback and are mostly focused on crafting experiences that appeal to a wider audience, given how that is a more profitable strategy.


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