Lotte Vermeulen, a communications
student at Ghent University in Belgium, surveyed 983 gamers to find out
what about video games appeals to girls. Her conclusions seem wedged
between sexism and egalitarianism.
On the one hand, Vermeulen concludes that women are turned off by
games that are "too complicated" and that "women tend to give up when
the game is not that easy to handle." Additionally, they like sharp,
bright colors. On the other hand, she also finds that women don't care as much as men do about social interaction in video games. Women also don't mind violence as long as it's funny or all part of some logic puzzle, and competition is a driving factor for gameplay.
Speaking to a reporter from NewsCore, Vermeulen said that ultimately women want games designed with their tastes in mind. "There are a lot of games that women like, but they are just not marketed to them," she said. "They want video designers to give them more than just games about kittens and pink ribbons."
