Did you know that girl gamers account for 50% of the gaming market now? Despite the fact that video games still seem to be marketed primarily to guys, there are a growing number of women showing interest in the hobby.
As a girl gamer myself, I play video games for its immersive storylines and design. Some of my favorites include the Persona series, God of War, and Shadow of the Colossus. I’ve also been obsessed with fighting games, like Tekken and Injustice: Gods Among Us, as well as cinematic horror games, like Until Dawn.
Unfortunately, being a gamer girl isn’t easy. Here are eight things that only girl gamers can relate to:
1. You Didn’t Get into Games Because of Your Boyfriend
One common misconception is that girl gamers get into gaming because of their boyfriend. While this is true for some women, and there honestly is nothing wrong with that, you like games because they are fun, not because someone asked you to. You enjoy the challenge, the immersion, and the beauty of the fantasy worlds in-game. You probably don’t even have enough time or a boyfriend because you’d rather be leveling up stats in a dungeon grinder.
2. You Play Male Characters Online to Avoid Harassment
Being a girl online is hard — you get a never-ending barrage of harassment, from male gamers hitting on you to the most condescending, sexist remarks about being a girl (even if they don’t even know what you look like or know anything about you). After a while you start playing only male characters, or at the very least, choose a male-sounding username — just so you can play in peace.
3. Someone Always Tries to Test Your Game Knowledge
When someone finds out that you play games, be prepared to answer a LOT of ridiculous questions. Someone will always try to question your game knowledge in order to “weed out fake gamers”, and if you get even one question wrong, they’ll tag you as a fake forever — up until you destroy their whole party.
4. You Tend to Gravitate Towards the Female Characters
As a girl, you still tend to gravitate towards the female characters even if you usually have to play male ones online. You love RPGs because many of them feature strong female characters that look cute and kick ass.
True, some female characters tend to pack less of a punch than the male characters (I’m looking at you, Xiaoyu), but you master them eventually. You’re proud of seeing yourself on the Leaderboards after memorizing every special combo.
5. You Get Way Too Many Freebies Online
Once other gamers find out you are a girl, expect to get a lot of freebies. New equipment, special items, and armor are all common digital gifts. I’m not sure why guys seem to do this — do they want to be nice to you? Or are they just trying to lighten their inventory?
Of course, you feel a little guilty that you’re getting all of this free stuff, but at the same time, it’s hard to say no to a +2 Great Sword.
6. You’re Not a Platform Snob
Most types of guy gamers firmly plant themselves into the PC or Console categories. Girl gamers tend to be a bit more flexible — it’s not that you don’t care about the specs of your new gaming laptop or how much hard drive space your PS4 has, it’s just that you care more about the games you are playing rather than the platform they are on. Heck, you wouldn’t even say no to a casual game on Android if the gameplay seems fun.
It is true, however, that more women own gaming systems than men.
7. People Tell You That You Don’t Look Like the Type Who Plays Games
Do you like to wear cute clothes and enjoy makeup? Well, according to some people, this means that you don’t really “look like the kind of girl who plays games”. It’s annoying that girl gamers seem to fall into a certain stereotype and that people expect you to look a certain way. Everyone is different, and personal style has nothing to do with your gaming preferences.
8. You Just Wanna Have Fun
Girl gamers are just that — gamers. You want to have fun, kill zombies, and blow up bases just like everybody else. You don’t feel special that you are gamer, and you certainly do not want to be treated differently just because you are a girl.
So keep on gaming, no matter what people say!
What's Your Reaction?
