Video Games, And the Girls Who Love Them
by Terra_Cide, HSM guest contributor
It’s no secret that the female portion of the gaming population is growing.
Even just last year, I recall reading an article in Game Informer about this topic. And they’re not just sticking to the light and fluffy gaming fare, either. From children’s games to horror, from FPS to RPGs, there’s a girl, somewhere, who loves playing them as much as her Y-chromosome counterpart does. The industry and the market share may still be a boy’s club, but there’s no doubt that girls are catching up.
The generation that grew up on the Atari and the original NES has gone on to start their own families and share their love of video gaming with their children, and they don’t particularly care if it’s their son or daughter who is picking up the controller. And with social gaming such as Home, as well as other games which encourage players to interact with each other and work together, developers are playing right into the female demographic.
I sat down recently to talk about this with one of my oldest Home friends; she is also an avid Modern Warfare 2 and Call of Duty player. SephirothsWifey kindly agreed to be interviewed for this article.
She and I met in the late spring/early summer of 2009 whilst dancing atop the bar at Sully’s. We hit it off immediately with our mutual love of the Final Fantasy series and promptly cultivated a friendship that has lasted, even though our mutual real-world circumstances keep us from being in the daily contact we used to have. We talk about her love of gaming, how she got into it, family, her clan — Chicks With Guns — and her involvement with the 2010 Pax East Videogame Convention’s MW2 tournament. Oh, and Home, too, of course.
Terra_Cide: So, why don’t you introduce yourself?
SephirothsWifey: My PSN ID is SephirothsWifey. I’m 23, and I live in Boston. I’ve been gaming since elementary school; it was my cousin’s fault.
(Laughs) What’s that all about?
Well, at family gatherings we’d just start gaming on their Nintendo or Sega, and the rest was history. I got my first console, which was an N64; that elevated to a PS1, PS2 xBox, 360, then the PS3. It’s like a common thing we do; we get together and have our own video game nights. We’re all hardcore (laughs).
Very cool to have family so involved. So I guess all generations game, or just the younger ones?
All generations (laughs). From the youngest to the oldest…to this day we still get together. It’s legitimately one of my favorite things to do.
You’re still in school, yes?
I’m trying to finish beauty school, but I still want to be involved in the gaming industry. Why not do both, right?
Competing in the MW2 Tournament, Pax East Videogame Convention, 2010
Absolutely. Tell me about your experience at the MW2 tourney, when and where was that, and how did you get involved?
It was last year’s Pax East Convention and my cousins, Christina and Gemma, invited me. It was sponsored by Tritton. I never really signed up; I just stood in line for about a hour and waited until the lady said I could take someone’s place (laughs). I refused to step away from my spot until she gave me the okay. It was a [free for all] competition, and I loved how we all were able to wear Tritton’s pro gaming headsets at the same time. I was able to get in the third round and I took first place!
Congrats!
What was even more badass was the last few minutes of my gameplay was broadcast throughout the convention. After that, I got an interview and met a few people who were involved in the gaming industry. I was even asked to check out gaming professionally on the gamebattles website. It felt so good. Of course, I took fifth place during the finals, and of course we lost to a camper (Author’s note: the term “camping” – for the uninitiated – is when a player finds a strategically advantageous spot on a gaming map and just stays there. For the whole game.). The final map was Highrise (groans).
I take it that’s not a map you’re fond of?
I love that map, but that (censored) was just chillin’ on the helipad the whole entire time (laughs).
With the MW2 Finalists
Of the many of the gamers you played against, how many were girls?
To be honest, I didn’t see a lot of girls. First round though, another girl took first place (there were eight rounds total before finals). We met and talked and even took pictures together. It’s seriously such a phenomenal feeling to game with and meet other hardcore female gamers. It feels pretty damn good (laughs). It’s a male dominated industry, you know. I run into a good amount every now and then in the [online] lobbies. And I just recently found out a few of the girls at my beauty school even game!
How did that come up in conversation at a beauty school?
A few of them were talking about how they played [Call of Duty] Black Ops for the first time, and a few of them talked about how they only do zombies, and such. It just escalated. When you start a conversation about video games with me, I don’t shut up. A few people thought I was crazy, few people though I was hardcore, and a few people thought I was a loser (laughs). We’re just gaming for fun, but it feels good to beat them every now and then.
So tell me about your history with clans: have you always been in an all-girl clan?
The clan that I’m in originally had over a hundred members and I’m familiar with other all-girl clans. On Call of Duty 4 on 360 I just gamed with certain friends. Modern Warfare 2 for PS3, I always partied up with this clique I met who did gbs (www.gamebattles.com), so we were always together, and they introduced me into HC S&D. I’ve been hooked since and that’s the only game mode I do the majority of the time. They basically schooled me and showed me the ropes. After that, my girlfriend and I whom I met on PSN, MercuryBubbles, decided to form an all-girl clan. For that clan we decided to allow our close male gaming buddies to join. It was DG4L, which stood for Dirty Girl 4 Life — it was a joke ’cause we all loved Rob & Big (laughs). When they were with me we did a ton of HC S&D. So halfway through one game, I bumped into a few girls in another clan called CWG (Chicks With Guns). I was introduced to the leader and she tried convincing me to join them. I declined; I’m that gamer that stays true to whatever clan I was originally in. Later on, a few things went down in DG4L, and I noticed few of the girls weren’t feeling the clan name. I had messaged the leader of CWG and she recruited me and I brought most of the girls from my previous clan along with me. She made me Captain right off the bat. Then, later on, she made me Co-Leader.
Tell me about gamebattles.com.
Gamebattles.com; you can go on there and form teams for different ladders for different games and go against other clans. It’s addictive.
And what’s HC S&D?
HC S&D is hardcore search and destroy. One of the best game modes on COD in my opinion; you perfect S&D, you definitely got skill. A lot of people hate it or just give up and a lot are addicted to it. I just like the adrenalin rush when you’re the last one alive and have to take out the rest of the team while trying to complete your objective. Also I enjoy rushing properly and taking out the opposing team as soon as possible. It feels pretty good.
Now, is the Chicks With Guns clan name exclusively in MW2, or is it in other first-person shooters?
It’s an all-girl clan originally on COD, but if I game with the girls on other games that allow you to represent your clan, we definitely list CWG. Ever since then I’ve just been dedicated [to the clan]. I love these girls and I enjoy gaming with them. I’m close to most of them.
You mentioned earlier that you have met other other all-girl clans. How many do you know of personally?
There’s quite a few; I know maybe seven or more, and I’m even friends with girls who are the only female in their clan.
Now how does your clan, CWG, rank overall?
For the public matches, I’d say majority of the time we’re awesome. One being the lowest and ten being one of the best or absolutely best… I’d say around eight to ten (laughs). I’m trying to have the other girls get on gamebattles, but none of them seem to get its atmosphere. Everyone just wants to game for fun, and there’s nothing wrong with that. I didn’t give up; at one point, I really wanted our clan to be up on the gamebattles’ atmosphere and do well and be recognized on there as well.
So do you personally rank on gb?
Yes, I have a dubs (two on two) team, a hardcore team on MW2, and a team over on Black Ops.
Would you say FPS is your favorite gaming genre?
I’ll play basically anything. I’ll even get the crappiest multiplayer game out there and still have fun with it (laughs). I absolutely love RPG titles, though, and anything horror. I literally love every type of genre. I have a PS3; it’s one of the best video game consoles. How can you just stick to one type of genre instead of trying other games it has to offer, which they’re all…good, by the way. It’s like, take advantage [of it], will you? It’s all worth it.
What is your personal take on girls and gaming? What have been your observations?
(Pauses) A few of the ones I met are pretty hardcore. I love meeting girls who game and there are more and more girls getting involved. Heck, I’ve witnessed chicks completely best and play better then most guys.
You said that when your family gets together they game a lot, what do you see as the split guy/girl? I’ve seen your family on Facebook and it seems like a pretty big crew.
It’s a perfect 50-50 split. No exaggeration.
So being such a hardcore gamer like yourself, what caused you to discover Home?
When I was first in the presence of a PS3. I didn’t really play any of the games we had for it at the time. I randomly just clicked on the PS Home icon. It was almost like I discovered a new element and got paid gazillions of dollars. I was so excited and freaking out! I love games like that, you know, like Sims and such. I love how you can meet and chill out and communicate with other people of the PlayStation Network from all over the world. I love everything about it. If I had a job right now, PSN would still do a good job of draining my wallet (laughs). I love purchasing items on Home!
The author with SephirothsWifey
So just briefly talk about your history on Home.
At first I was a Home addict. I’d be on that thing from as soon as I roll out of bed until past midnight, and you’ve witnessed it yourself (laughs). Of course I was a total noob at first, then with the discovery of the PSN card all hell broke loose. I had maybe three or four cliques that I considered close to me that I met on Home. I still keep in touch with a few of them and visit them once in a blue moon.
And your favorite places to go?
I love checking out the new spots, I love splurging my money at the Mall and purchasing cozy estates along with its matching furniture (laughs).
Do you think you have more real life friends or PSN friends?
(Pauses) I only title them acquaintances for real life. And only a select few I consider close over PSN. Overall, you have to know your limits and be cautious of whomever and wherever you meet anyone.
There’s two definite groups in PSN: the Home people and the gamers. I take it you identify with both of them?
Yes. At first it was just Home buddies on my list, now it’s a majority of my gaming buddies. Sometimes my Home friends will game with me, and sometimes my gaming buddies will join me on Home.
Why do you think that the more hardcore in both groups of people tend to put down the other? Because, let’s face it, if you’ve been on any Sony forum, you see it happening.
I think it’s just pure stupidity and ignorance. I mean, seriously, chill out; we all bought our PS3 systems, we’ll all do as we please with it.
So you’re not a regular on Home like you used to be. Why did you start to drift away, and do you think you’ll get back into it like you used to?
(Pauses) Ever since I got my own copy of MW2, I’ve just been addicted to that. I don’t go on Home as much as I used to. I’ll go on there like once in a blue moon. I feel like when I start getting paid I’ll be back on there; that’s a definite.
Have you experienced any grief from friends because of this? And by friends I mean Home friends.
No, not really. I still keep in touch with them. No one really ragged on me for doing my own thing. A lot of the people I used to hang out with on Home don’t even get on Home as much [any more], too.
So what keeps you coming back not just to MW2 and COD, but to Home as well?
I just like to check out its new features and say hello to old friends… I’m close to the clan and I do game with other clans as well. I’m just obsessed with COD. For Home it’s the same thing; to see the new spaces and features and catch up with friends. I even communicate with friends over PSN voice chat.
You can find SephirothsWifey on gamebattles.com and of course on the PlayStation Network. She’s happy to oblige anyone in a friendly online game or polite chat in Home, but she does not accept random friend adds, as her friend list – like many of you out there – is near to full. So don’t even try. She will tear you a new one. Not even kidding.
February 28th, 2011 by Terra_Cide | 15 comments
Terra _Cide is the former Community Manager for Lockwood Publishing and Editor Emeritus for HomeStation Magazine.
Twitter
I’ve been lucky to meet some bad ass Girl gamers through playing the likes of COD, Battlefield & RDR and I’m really glad you girls are here, because you completely blow that myth out of the water that the female market is playing Mario, Hannah Montana, or dance & lifestyle games, which annoys me hecause its such a ‘Stereotypical’ view of a ‘Girl-Gamer’ that you regularly see on TV.
And if the marketing gurus actually got out more often and met you guys, they would take a very different view of this.
I have a friend that plays MW2, that swears, drinks and is DEFINATELY one of the boys, we dont see her any different to the rest of us in the clan. If she had balls they would be HUGE.
Theres no mistaking it, You girls can definately mix it up out there.
Absolutely fantastic article. Female gamers are an incredibly important market segment, both for Home and the industry in general, and they’re not all interested in the PS3 equivalent of the Lifetime Channel.
Many thanks to SephirothsWifey for consenting to be interviewed by HSM, and additional gratitude as well to Terra_Cide for another outstanding guest contribution.
I am not alone…… yes!
I find this article interesting. Not many would know this but “girl gamers” have been around for decades. I’ve always held events and such and been in tournaments to where many of the said girl gamers would compete and are placed pretty well in the ranks. I’ve seen Clans, Crews, Commentators, Game Journalists……they always have been the biggest drive in the industry, much like a relationship: it compliments one another.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0p16vLNnAk
That video was was recorded by a female player (and is one OF the best players in that game) who was attending an event that I threw for the girl gamers of MGO.
Good article.
I think there’s a study to be done with MGO, RE5, and RDR (I think GTA4 would have been on that list if it didn’t have such unfair stigmas attached to it). Game developers need to figure out why those games are so successful amongst female gamers as there are always at least one female (usually many) in each lobby/server. I think the secret formula is:
1. Can actually use a female avatar.
2. Can actually see your avatar 3rd person during game-play.
3. Can customize and collect things.
I hope that doesn’t sound like I’m generalizing since I’m a dude and I’m a huge sucker for those very same elements. Also, I’ve also seen many women on MAG and MW2 but not as many; those only have two out of three of my secret formula.
If you want to see a game that has even attracted an online female fan club, go play Dragon Age Origins.
Remember, decades ago, the big OMGWTF!?!? moment when Metroid’s Samus Aran was revealed to be female?
Today, nobody blinks an eye at female protagonists like Aya Brea or Hana Tsu Vachel. Twenty-five years ago, however, it was a big, big deal to a lot of boys to play through the first Metroid title and realize, after mastering the game…that the whole time, you were playing as a female.
Does anyone here remember the outcry? The very serious debates over whether or not this was a good thing? Whether or not it was even fair? How it might affect the youth of America and their sexual orientation?
Amazing.
When playing a game where there’s a choice of gender, I’ll almost always choose male (for obvious reasons). That said, with the two “Knights of the Old Republic” titles, I’ve found it very interesting to play female. In the first title, it adds another layer of tension to the conflict with Malak. And in the second, not only are there different dialogue choices, but different companion characters get to come along.
That, to me, is when gender matters in a game: when it has a direct impact on the story itself.
Oh, and females who play games? AWESOME.
I remember when I lived in Canada, a (guy) coworker of my roommate’s came over for a barbecue and saw me playing DOA 2 Hardcore for the PS2. The look on his face was priceless.
“You play video games? Woah…”
Seriously, the moment was worthy of a Chuck Norris meme.
lmao terra, yea those are still the reactions we get till today
lols well said and good point. personally i’ll play anything but there’s nothing more bada*s when a chick is the main character
I get that “whoa you play video games?” all the time Terra. In my case it isn’t only that I am female but also that I am 58 years old. I am sure Keara can relate. I have been playing video games since they were invented in the sixties with Pong. My dad was an avid gamer all of his life and he gave that love to all of his kids, though sadly,he passed away before video games really got going.I love rpg’s of course (final fantasy is also my fave of all time) but I have just recently become addicted to RDR and I love playing with my online friends from Home both male and female.
Great article Terra, keep up the good work.
I find so many female gamers out there who are really addicted to rpgs. Maybe it is because the male npcs often are programmed to speak to us the way we wish men in real life would speak.
Wow, way to lay out a subtle hint there.
Good thing I’m alone at the moment, else the rather loud laugh that comment got out of me would have earned me some serious interrogation.
Very interesting and cool interview.
Need more lady fighters, like this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKSn3imFo8A