Friday, June 30, 2006

Women play mobile games more than men

Statistics from a research group says 59% of mobile game players are women. That means slightly more women play mobile games than men (thank you Captain Obvious). Wait a second. Women play mobile games?!

This is news to me. Maybe I've been stuck under a rock but I've never seen a woman play a mobile game. Granted, the accuracy of my solo poll is questionable but I've talked to at least 2 other people I know and they too have never seen a woman play mobile games. That's data from 3 really observant people; surely we are more accurate than this research group's findings.

Facetiousness aside (Did you know that "facetious" is one of the two words that has all the vowels and is arranged in the culturally accepted order of AEIOU? Thought you should know. Do you know the other?), this is very interesting news. What about mobile gaming makes it of interest to women? Is it that most mobile games are "casual" by nature due to the technology limitations? That seems like too obvious an answer to me.

I'm going to go out on my highfalutin limb (where I can easily be targeted and shot down) and propose another possibility. Perhaps it's not so much the games themselves but rather the way in which women consume these games. I have seen prior research that suggests that casual online games have appeal to women due to their easy "pick it up and lay it down whenever" experience. This is taken to a literal sense in mobile games and totally makes sense.

Now the next obvious question is why would women can't committ to a game relationship. This one is relatively simple, the fairer sex does not want to be caught dead playing video games.

Thinking back, there have been a few occasions when I have come home and heard rapid scuffling noises coming from my living room. As I walk into the room, I inevitably find the girlfriend of the moment (this phrase should in no way make it seem like I am a playboy) sitting there serenely watching some channel I never even knew I had. If I had only known to lay my palm on the Xbox and check for heat.

Now that I think about it, I've also noticed some women rapidly close browser windows when I approach; could that be more of this hidden activity? Yes, I think so.

Though women will remain mysterious in other ways, I believe I have solved why they play mobile games. Via this mental exercise, I have also explained why they don't play more hardcore video games. Ladies, as your comments of support and agreement start coming in, don't hesitate to drop your number. And gentlemen, you can thank me by sending me some good cigars (Romeo & Juliet robustos) and don't flatter yourself thinking that's a double entendre. Pervs!

via MarketingVox

No comments: