“David get off your game right now and do your chores!” yelled my mother. That’s right, it is the first thing I hear when I wake up on Sunday mornings. I grew up in a Caribbean household, so every Sunday is cleaning day. There will be old reggae and gospel music blasting that would immediately wake me up. David, my brother, knew what Sundays meant, but the first and only thing he does in the morning and throughout the day is play video games. We don’t get his attention unless it’s time to eat. David was 16 years old and still had to be forced by my mother to go clean himself all because of Grand Theft Auto (Liberty City). Kyle Smith, the author of “We’re losing A whole Generation of Young Men To Video Games”argued that video games become a substitute for living or in other words an addiction.Technology has grown rapidly throughout the centuries, which caused many people to become addicted to video games instead of focusing on other important tasks, such as school, house chores and relationships. Gamers will argue that videos games is a good thing, while parents will argue that’s it’s a waste of time. I agree with all including the gamer perspective, but I would like to add on the gender differences within the video gaming.
In October 1958, Physicist William Higinbotham created what is claimed to be the first video game. It was a very simple game of tennis, similar to the classic 1970s video game Pong.The idea of games developed and changed overtime. Technology advanced and the creation of video games, along with the system was born. This allowed children of all ages to play games visually forgetting the existence of the outside world. Now and days, kids tend to stay inside on their games system blowing off energy and sweat trying to beat a game they probably beat at least ten times. Not only has there been advanced developments on videos games and game consoles but , also mobile games , online games which caught the attention from both genders allowing them to each play a game based on preferences.
Both Female and Male Females play different game based on their preference. But out of both genders women wouldn’t consider themselves as gamer. According to Wiki “While 48% of women in the United States report having played a video game, only 6% identify as gamers, compared to 15% of men who identify as gamer.] This rises to 9% among women aged 18–29, compared to 33% of men in that age group. Half of female PC gamers in the U.S. consider themselves to be core or hardcore gamers. In 2012 a EEDAR survey found that nearly 60 percent of female gamer played on mobile devices and that 63 percent of these female mobile gamers played online multiplayer mobile games”.this data shows how a female’s preferences gaming is on her phone as for males its on a console online.played with others. The sexism on gaming is a label placed on both genders due the fact that most females play games that show femininity and a sense of creating something. Men rather play aggressive and masculine games that shows of their skills , aggression. Research shown in a date table in the A Literature Review written by Danae Romrell from Idaho State University.Researcher Age of Subjects Male Game Style Preference Female Game Style Preference Lowrie & Jogensen (2011) 10-12 years old Action Games “Other” Games (e.g. Brain Training, Buzz!) Quaiser-Pohl, Geiser, & Lehmann, (2006) High School Students (Mean age =14.9) Action and Simulation Games Non-players or Logic/Skill Training Games Karakus, Inal, & Cagiltay, (2008) High School Students (Grades 9 – 12) Car Race Sports Games First Person Shooter Action Adventure Puzzle Games Car Race Card Games Board Game.Though the data used in the research is old it still shows the different preferences and the age range that pertains to each gaming style
Games like GTA, Call of duty and Fortnite, involves Violence, guns , sex and profanity, these are the types of games that males play. Although those games contain such negative role plays and has a negative influence , they help them express their emotions and demonstrate their skills if they are put into a situation where they have to put what they know from the video games they play into reality. Other games also played by the opposite sex doesn’t necessarily have a negative impact on their minds where they feel the need to curse whenever they make a mistake , have sex when they feel like it, fight someone when there is a disagreement between them and another person. You get the chance to pick up a gun when they feel stressed and feel the need to kill. In a way it helps males release all the anger they have been feeling with in the game and not physically. It also let them feel powerful like needed because they can protect not only themselves but people on their team. Other games played by males like 2k18 or Madden are sports games, For sport games you need techniques and sportsmanship in order to win the game. They help males get better at the sport they play and help with communication skills that they lack on a daily. Yes they rather play online with people they do or don’t know , It allows them to make new friends (another positive influence) and zone out distractions around them or take a long time to text back. They are only doing what they are passionate about to pass the time they don’t get to spend outside with friends / partners and boredom.
Other studies show that another reason why males feel the need to devote so much of their time and attention in video games is because of their insecurities.They may feel “unappreciated ,ignore , unimportant ,disrespected and unloved” stated in clinical psychologist Dr.Brent Conrad article My boyfriend and my husband is Addicted to Video Games.This study give a whole other perspective on the way parents and partner feels towards their sons or boyfriends spending so much time towards gaming. Gaming also helps males feeling like a whole when they don’t receive it from the other end.
Female gamer or should I say females that like to play games have a different approach as to why they spend their playing a video game. Video games played by females aim towards less aggression and more reality. For examples females play mostly mobile games and these games are like Candy Crush, make-up games , doctor games , fashion games cooking games and family games. I interview a female friends and I asked a couple questions as to why she plays These games. This is the result I got back from her. “ The mobile game that I mostly play is Sims and Episode”. She said the reason why she plays those games is because it gives her choice. In Sims you are allowed to make a character and build yourself a home. Throughout the game, you can meet new people and have babies. In Episode it’s sort of the same thing but in this case you are allowed to involve your sexuality into your love life. “When I play those games I can make my fantasy come true and I feel free without judgement”. I asked her how long does she play a day and she told me at least 4 hours a day so that’s like 28 hours a week where she feels like she can be herself and make her fantasy come alive. I wanted to see how it felt playing those games cause i’m not usually a gamer and the way she described the feeling she felt playing those games it persuade me. For a whole week I spent the same amount of time as Keandra on those two games and to be honest I automatically fell in love. I felt that freedom , I felt that love and I felt my dreams come true. Other mobile games mentioned before are also skilled based games where females can explore and develop as they get deeper into the game. They give challenges either real life or fake ones where they have to try and face alone which gives them a feel of independence. Cooking games helps females learn visually how to make things and shows them the consequences of failing to follow instructions. Make- up / fashion games helps females explore with colors and expression of their sense of style that they can’t normally strut on the runway because of the way society is today. Doctor games is a game that gives insights on the career which you can pretend to be one and help out a patient in need of help for any realistic reason.That proves females a better understanding and interests they might have on the career which can limit their career decisions in life.Games like Candy Crush Saga are a focus , technique skill based games that allows females to use their intuitions and self-love in order to get past the levels. Females are known to be the emotional , sensitive gender so games that allows them to believe in themselves so that they can succeed is great and helps a lot with self-esteem where teens – adolescents suffer with. Sports/ action games which is rarely played by females but for the ones that do play can get a taste of what’s it’s like to play a sport they are interested along with sportsmanship.Defend themselves in a situation where they have to fight to survive they are interested along with sportsmanship. Communication is what women also needs guidance with and all the games played by the female population impacts their voice , self- worth and expressions they have challenges with and can be faced easily visually than realistic because they “can be themselves” wisely said by Kendra.
Therefore video games does a negative impact and a positive impact on the gamers that participate. It also shows the preference differences on the male and female population and how bitter or sweet it makes them feel while they are in the game. Games in general helps a lot with skills that are need in the real world and it helps takes a tool of off people who can overcome their fears visually and mentally.
Works Cited Page
Conrad, Brent. Boyfriend or Husband Addicted to Video Games? Help & Advice –
TechAddiction, www.techaddiction.ca/boyfriend-husband-addicted-to-video-games.html.
“Male and Female Gamers: How Their Similarities and Differences Shape the Games Market.”
Newzoo, newzoo.com/insights/articles/male-and-female-gamers-how-their-similarities-and-differe
nces-shape-the-games-market/.
Romrell, Danae. “Gender and Gaming: A Literature Review.” Descriptors: Gender, Gaming ,
pdfs.semanticscholar.org/a08e/5b5a94fe9669470f52ab021217b8273516e3.pdf.
“Women and Video Games.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 25 Sept. 2018,
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_and_video_games.
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