19th, June

SG E3 2010: Gamer girls want some eye candy too!

Beer, chicken wings, Xbox, doughnuts, boobies and fake boobies. I’m sure I’ve grabbed every male reader’s attention.

When it comes to the gaming industry, it’s no secret that it is a testosterone-dominated field. From the development of games to the retail shelves, it has always been an area in which men strive and excel.  However, in the last couple of years, females have proven that gaming is not just for dirty and lazy men.

Female podcasters, baby tees, high-position female employees and SG logo bras (limited edition to be in the SG store by 2014) are a few examples of the burgeoning market for gamer girls.  We do exist; it’s not a myth created by some horny World of Warcraft nerds!

In fact, based on 2009 statistics, the ESA has reported that 40 percent of game players are females, 34 percent of which are 18 years old and over.

It’s been a slow process to get the female gamer voice heard, but there has been substantial progress. Of course, there is always room for improvement.

See, as great as E3 was, I still had a few complaints.  I had to stand in line way too much. I’m way too awesome for that, Nintendo. I expect better treatment next year.

Perhaps more importantly, though, there was nothing for the females to ogle.

Guys, don’t start believing that you’re the only ones who like eye candy.  After all, there is a reason for hot male video game characters like Vincent Valentine (FFVII), Chris Redfield (Resident Evil 5) and Link (The Legend of Zelda). Yeah, I said Link.

That’s why gaming conventions should be delivering more on that aspect. Women do not want to feel boob-overloaded at every booth (we have our own or can buy them if necessary).  The only “male” characters I saw at E3 were in armored cosplay outfits.  Sure, they were cool to pose with, but they had far too much cover as compared to their female counterparts.

Oh, and as a side note, I was embarrassed just being around the geeks who took 20 photographs of each dressed-down woman. Seriously, how many pictures do you need, you creepy nerds?

*Ahem*

It’s not like females are asking for glistening, shirtless men who walk around flexing their muscles upon request — that’s just me.  It’s all a matter of marketing to the female attendees who might feel neglected. A woman in red lingerie climbing a six-meter stripper pole is perfectly fine with me (reference to the mind-blowing Activision event), but give girl gamers something to ogle as well. Beer guts and heavy armor are not fair trades.

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Source: Joystiq