Men afraid to admit they like casual gaming
The next time you walk in on a male using a computer and he acts all flustered and closes out a window quickly, don’t assume you busted him surfing for porn. It’s just as likely he was playing Luxor, and didn’t want you to know.
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Men are just as likely as women to play casual video games, but are less likely to admit it, according to an industry report that shatters a widely held industry belief that such games appeal mainly to women.
While women are still the primary purchasers of casual games, men account for half of the playtime of casual games. This dovetails in an interesting way with studies that have shown that while women don’t necessarily purchase non-casual games, they do in fact play them a lot more than marketers initially thought, so really, all of the assumptions you could make about how gender determines videogame preference just makes an ass of u and mption.
I’m talking to you, Yahtzee. I love your reviews otherwise and turn a blind eye to your use of certian antifeminist terms because we all know you’re not exactly out there to make the world a better place for women, but seriously… wtf?
October 29th, 2007 at 9:28 pm
Wow. Women busting their men for playing Scrabble!!! Lol!!!
October 30th, 2007 at 7:57 am
To heck with all those guys who don’t want to admit they play “casual” games. Here’s one man who is proud to stand up and say “I play Wii Sports in 15 minute sessions! and I’ve still earned frickin’ Pro status in Golf and Bowling!” Join me, boys.
And yes, Yahtzee is 100% wrong in his caricature of gamer demographics, but I give him a pass for using comedic overstatement in the service of damned funny commentary. I know Ann Coulter’s fans try to use that excuse too, but the difference is that Croshaw actually makes you laugh.
(Also, let’s not overlook the fact that for all his dismissive chauvinistic banter, the upshot of his Peggle review is that he couldn’t stop playing it for hours. So in effect he exemplifies the Casual Games Association’s findings.)
October 30th, 2007 at 8:36 am
I think my love for Yahtzee is sort of suffering from Spike syndrome. One can get away with so much with the proper accent. Someday England will learn this and reclaim the colonies. Mark my words.
(Yes, I know James Marsden is not, in fact British. I choose not to care.)
October 30th, 2007 at 2:46 pm
Well, I see plenty of guys playing casual games at my college all the time, but I dont really find it surprising that some would hide it. Still, I reckon its always nice to see something straighten out stupid misconceptions others keep using again and again.
I do minimise my internet pages when someone enters or walks past, but its not because of porn or casual gaming. I just simply dont like people knowing what Im doing, what I like, or what interests I have. Still, I did go a little over the top when I got a perfect game on Bowling for Wii Sports. I had to check nobody saw my victory dance, or hear me excitedly shout my older brother down to see the scores page.
October 30th, 2007 at 2:57 pm
(Yes, I know James Marsden is not, in fact British. I choose not to care.)
Concur. And I’m not even straight. Though I much prefer the early-series Spike than the one from seasons 6 and 7. Yum.
October 30th, 2007 at 8:25 pm
James Marsters
October 31st, 2007 at 7:26 am
Yep, you’re right. I keep getting him confused with the dude who played Cyclops.
February 4th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
[...] with the game, and they positively foamed at the mouth playing it (and then, I’m sure, they promptly denied to their friends that they played the game). And no where does this study indicate that maybe women are just a little more discriminating in [...]