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[Chronospherics]

The liklihood of a perception bias is just as likely. Spending all of 5 out of context minutes during a transaction does not give someone enough insight on parental techniques/habits to even have a credible anecdote to contrast with the data. There are way too many factors.

And I don't actually think response bias would be meaningfully weighty unless the survey itself was flawed and response bias would require a standard social perception of what is "right" and what is "wrong." There is no standard for gaming parenting with exception to outliers in extreme belief systems. It's simply too new gor standards to apply across the board.

Well, obviously yes, that's why I said there were issues with his perspective. But at the same time the ESA don't provide us with any reason to think that their data is free from response biases, and those particular questions are likely to be especially suseptable.

So there's really no reason to take the data at face value.

 

[BaasRed]

This was a survey, so they probably asked questions like "Are you the most frequent purchaser of games in your household?" and "What is your gender?"

Just a shot in the dark though.

Completely missed that it was a survey, my bad. Answers all my questions.



---------


Will we see this data being applied to games and maybe some games made with the female demographic in mind? I'm speaking about PC and console gaming.

Personally, I think it will take one really successful game that's primarily targeting girls to open the floodgates and developers will see there is a market there. Maybe I'm too pessimistic?

 

[Jest Chillin]

Well, obviously yes, that's why I said there were issues with his perspective. But at the same time the ESA don't provide us with any reason to think that their data is free from response biases, and those particular questions are likely to be especially suseptable.

So there's really no reason to take the data at face value.

ESA didn't conduct the survey first hand, as far as I can tell. They used another service. So the only reasonable way to question the data (since there is no data points that conflict with the findings) is to question whether or not the graphs themselves are "spin." Which is a question that applies to all survey data summaries. As such, I don't see a reason to dismiss this outright. Take with a grain of salt? Sure. Dismiss entirely. Too extreme.

 

[Aeana]

I've never seen them (female gamers), nor did I grow up with parents who played videogames with their children. I know some girls who "play" videogames, but I wouldn't describe them as gamers. Nor did any of my friend's parents, or anyone whom I've ever met parents. I guess I was just part of a different generation.

If you were born in the 80s, then you're part of the same generation as most of the people on this forum.

 

[Granadier]

I've never seen them (female gamers), nor did I grow up with parents who played videogames with their children. I know some girls who "play" videogames, but I wouldn't describe them as gamers. Nor did any of my friend's parents, or anyone whom I've ever met parents. I guess I was just part of a different generation.

Hooooweee the thread that keeps on giving.

 

[Bubba_Sparks]

If you were born in the 80s, then you're part of the same generation as most of the people on this forum.

True, but that doest change the fact that my anecdotal experience doesn't match the data.

Hooooweee the thread that keeps on giving.

I'm not disputing the facts, I'm just stating what I have experienced in my life.

 

[wesleyshark]

When it comes to Destiny and Warframe, there are four females in our gaming group who play wayyy more than some of the males in our group lol. We have a great mix of people. And if we aren't playing the same games, we still end up in giant party chats.

 

[Trogdor1123]

Don't have time right now to read it (work) but do they discuss their sampling method?

 

[Spring-Loaded]

True, but that doest change the fact that my anecdotal experience doesn't match the data.



I'm not disputing the facts, I'm just stating what I have experienced in my life.

Congratulations!

 

[BaasRed]

True, but that doest change the fact that my anecdotal experience doesn't match the data.



I'm not disputing the facts, I'm just stating what I have experienced in my life.

Anecdotes have no value and stating your anecdotes adds nothing to the data we have from the survey.

 

[shiba5]

I've never seen them (female gamers), nor did I grow up with parents who played videogames with their children. I know some girls who "play" videogames, but I wouldn't describe them as gamers. Nor did any of my friend's parents, or anyone whom I've ever met parents. I guess I was just part of a different generation.

You know there are bunches of us on this forum. I mean, wtf?

 

[Bubba_Sparks]

Congratulations!

Thanks!

Anecdotes have no value and stating your anecdotes adds nothing to the data we have from the survey.

I can only express what I have experienced in my life. I'm sorry, but at 28 years on this Earth I've run into two girls who play video games occasionally. That's through both University and College.

You know there are bunches of us on this forum. I mean, wtf?

That's great! Does me expressing my experiences offend you in some way?

 

[Bubba_Sparks]

accident double post

 

[KahooTs]

A lot of this information had to come by way of surveying people and relying on their honest answers, and I do not trust it.

 

[shiba5]

Thanks!



I can only express what I have experienced in my life. I'm sorry, but at 28 years on this I've run into two girls who play video games occasionally. That's through both University and College.



That's great! Does me expressing my experiences offend you in some way?

Anecdotes are worthless.

Imagine being constantly treated as if you don't exist, or are just buying games for your kids. You can't because it doesn't happen to guys.

 

[Garrett Hawke]

A lot of this information had to come by way of surveying people and relying on their honest answers, and I do not trust it.

Which bit don't you trust 🤔

 

[wesleyshark]

A lot of this information had to come by way of surveying people and relying on their honest answers, and I do not trust it.

You don't trust it as in... Percentages are too high? Or too low? Also, why don't you trust it?

 

[Trogdor1123]

Thanks!

Gee, they sure got grumpy fast wow.

On a side note I've seen very few female gamers too. We were usually too busy with sports. Interesting how different people have different experiences. I'd be interested to see a geographic breakdown.

 

[Bubba_Sparks]

Anecdotes are worthless.

My life experiences are worthless?

 

[shiba5]

My life experiences are worthless?

In regards to this survey? Yes.

 

[besada]

My life experiences are worthless?

As they pertain to the topic of this thread, which is this survey? Yes, they are.

 

[weemadarthur]

.

 

[KahooTs]

Which bit don't you trust 🤔

Almost anything that's coming out of a survey question. People get it wrong and people lie. At a glance the most offending statistic was about parents playing with their child. Yes, I play games with my child, I play games with them all the time, I'm a great parent.

 

[Bubba_Sparks]

In regards to this survey? Yes.

As they pertain to the topic of this thread, which is this survey? Yes, they are.

Fair enough. I am not trying to disparage female gamers, I just haven't met really any.

Did you ever consider that your anecdotes are subject to confirmation bias? You know people who play games, but you do not allow them to be gamers, yet you still seem to believe you know the personal habits of the rest of the individuals you are acquainted with. I posit that many of your acquaintances feel no desire to share information with you. Can you disprove my theory?

I'm pretty open about my gaming and interest in computer building. I don't think anyone who knows me and had similar interests would be able to hide them. Thought you could be right, confirmation bias could be at play.

 

[Spman2099]

That is pretty impressive when you consider the well organized campaigns to run them out of the hobby...

 

[Garrett Hawke]

Almost anything that's coming out of a survey question. People get it wrong and people lie. At a glance the most offending statistic was about parents playing with their child. Yes, I play games with my child, I play games with them all the time, I'm a great parent.

That would make any form of polling/surveys utterly pointless, though. It would have to happen less often than you think or nobody would even try.

 

[shiba5]

Fair enough. I am not trying to disparage female gamers, I just haven't met really any.

Hello, I'm shiba5. I've been playing video games since Pong.
There. Now you can say you've met one.

 

[Bubba_Sparks]

Hello, I'm shiba5. I've been playing video games since Pong.
There. Now you can say you've met one.

Great! I hope I didn't offend you with my original post. I just can't claim to have met very many female gamers within my life. Those that did play games, played them very occasionally, and certainly didn't browse NeoGAF or anything of the sort. When I was in high school, girls never talked about games and basically had the attitude that it was a "guy thing". So I hope you can understand where I am coming from.

 

[Obliterator]

Literally lol at the people trying to discredit female gamers in this thread or trying to paint them all as casual.

My job, straight up, involves selling games to consumers and looking at what is moving. Guess what? 2 of the biggest new releases last month, Mass Effect and Zelda which are both "core" games did VERY well with female consumers

 

[Gentleman Jack]

Almost anything that's coming out of a survey question. People get it wrong and people lie. At a glance the most offending statistic was about parents playing with their child. Yes, I play games with my child, I play games with them all the time, I'm a great parent.

Why is that so suspicious? It doesn't strike me as a huge leap to think parents share the things they like with their kids, and in 2017 parents who were, for the sake of argument, in grade school when the NES was exploding all over North America are now well old enough to have multiple children of that age and older who would have been introduced to video games much in the same way kids get exposed to art, music, sport, etc.

Anecdotally, I'm friends with several parents who play things like Pokemon and toys to life (Skylanders, Disney Infinity) with their young kids. I don't know if the level of engagement is once per week, but it's enough to make me not suspicious of the ESA figures.

 

[shiba5]

Great! I hope I didn't offend you with my original post. I just can't claim to have met very many female gamers within my life. Those that did play games, played them very occasionally, and certainly didn't browse NeoGAF or anything of the sort. When I was in high school, girls never talked about games and basically had the attitude that it was a "guy thing". So I hope you can understand where I am coming from.

Honestly, I knew several during the Atari years, and none in high school/college. But I know quite a few now - it was about 50/50 when I played WoW. I think we were all in hiding.

 

[SomTervo]

This forum is cancer lmao.

thatescalatedquickly.gif

 

[Aiustis]

I usually avoid male gamers unless I know them well already and don't voice chat.

 

[shiba5]

Literally lol at the people trying to discredit female gamers in this thread or trying to paint them all as casual.

My job, straight up, involves selling games to consumers and looking at what is moving. Guess what? 2 of the biggest new releases last month, Mass Effect and Zelda which are both "core" games did VERY well with female consumers

How did Horizon do? Kinda curious.
I bought that and not ME:A (used to be a huge ME fan) and I don't have a Switch so no Zelda for now.

 

[Obliterator]

How did Horizon do? Kinda curious.
I bought that and not ME:A (used to be a huge ME fan) and I don't have a Switch so no Zelda for now.

From what I've seen (which of course isn't anywhere near the whole picture and not claiming to be) is both ME and Zelda skewed stronger with women than Horizon did. Not to say Horizon did poorly with them or anything.

 

[BaasRed]

From what I've seen (which of course isn't anywhere near the whole picture and not claiming to be) is both ME and Zelda skewed stronger with women than Horizon did

Yeah I can see that being true. Women generally prefer RPGs over action games iirc.

 

[Reptars Revenge]

Lol no way am I believing the 94% of parents stat.

 

[shiba5]

I usually avoid male gamers unless I know them well already and don't voice chat.

I gotta say that all the GAFers I've played with have been awesome.

 

[99Luffy]

"I play real games."

Always love a good "holier than thou" type sentiment. Makes me feel good that I don't think like that.

Can we include online gambling and scrabble then too. Apparently type of game is a useless statistic.

 

[Dangansona]

I usually avoid male gamers unless I know them well already and don't voice chat.

I don't talk to random people in games as a dude.

 

[KahooTs]

Why is that so suspicious?

Because I do not trust all parents to give honest answers which reflect negatively on the quality of their parenting. Thus I believe the results will be inflated by parents who do not play with their children saying they do so.

 

[AtomskEater]

My life experiences are worthless?

As a counterpoint, I'm a woman who has played games since she was nine. Most of my girl friends growing up played games, to varying degrees, and even now I hang in forums and chatrooms with girls who play games. We can go back and forth, but a lot of your experiences will rely on where you lived, what kind of people you made friends with, etc. Surveys are supposed to be useful because instead of relying on a few testimonies, you ask a significant portion of people from all walks of life and various areas for their experiences. In my experience girls who play games are common because those are the social circles I sought out. In your experience that was uncommon.

I usually avoid male gamers unless I know them well already and don't voice chat.

This is another thing. I've heard it's common to use male avatars/characters, not use voice chat etc to blend in, leading to increased perceptions that girls don't play this or that. I've been guilty of doing that same thing.

 

[HueyFreeman]

These are awesome stats to see - age and gender-wise. Kudos to the whole industry, keep pushing.

 

[Renekton]

Before this I have always wondered if core gaming is a genx-millenial thing and the demographic trend will pass.

Anecdotically, kids I see mostly watch Minecraft videos or play light mobile stuff.

 

[Trojan]

here i looked up the breakdown for you

games 100%
other 0%
-------

total 100%

This might be one of the best response posts I've ever seen on GAF

 

[SolicitorPirate]

Literally lol at the people trying to discredit female gamers in this thread or trying to paint them all as casual.

My job, straight up, involves selling games to consumers and looking at what is moving. Guess what? 2 of the biggest new releases last month, Mass Effect and Zelda which are both "core" games did VERY well with female consumers

I'm actually quite curious as to what percentage of female gamers Mass Effect garners these days.

Modern BioWare games have always performed strongly with women, but my impressions have always been that of the big two BioWare IPs, Dragon Age was the one that most strongly resonated with women. The gaming circle I primarily run in is majority female, and Dragon Age is definitely the bigger of the two IP there.

 

[Captain Tuttle]

I'd love to play video games with my kid(s) when I become a parent, seems like a great bonding experience.

I'm NOT looking forward to the eventual heartbreak of my teen telling me "No that's ok, I want to play with only my friends from now on"

Shit, the best part is when you can ask your kid to get you through a particularly ​difficult part of a game.

On topic, these numbers don't surprise me, I'm older and am all digital. I think there's a connection, older folks tend to have more disposable income and the value of resale and trade ins drop

 

[Granadier]

I don't talk to random people in games as a dude.

I just don't talk to random people as a person.

 

[SolicitorPirate]

I usually avoid male gamers unless I know them well already and don't voice chat.

This is another thing. I've heard it's common to use male avatars/characters, not use voice chat etc to blend in, leading to increased perceptions that girls don't play this or that. I've been guilty of doing that same thing.

While I'm not a woman myself, this seems to match a lot of the women I play games with. They generally prefer to engage in our pre-established communities rather than random PUGs and matchmaking

 

[Phocks]

Lol no way am I believing the 94% of parents stat.

94% of what? I can't find a stat of 94% for anything regarding parents in this report. Unless you mean the "93%, PARENTS CONTROL WHAT THEIR KIDS PLAY" or "95%, always or sometimes pays attention to video games played by their child".