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The average age of gamers is rising and an increasing number of them are women, recent data has shown.


According to Nexon Corp., three out of 10 users of its "Kart Rider" game are women. The fast-paced 3D racing game has attracted nearly 16 million registered users, either paid or non-paid at home, with its various cyber items and cute game characters.
"We see a steady increase in the number of female players. Thirty percent is a huge portion, almost double compared to other male-dominated games," said Yoon Dae-geun, an official at Nexon.

In the case of NHN's flagship "Lineage 2" online game title, women accounted for 18.02 percent of all players in 2003. This rose to 23.44 percent in 2004, 27.53 percent in 2005 and 27.60 percent in 2006.

Dancing themes and casual games, specially designed and targeted at the female market, are gaining popularity as well. The trend is similar to the popularity of "The Sims 2," with its Barbie-like characters, in overseas markets.
Korean female gamers such as Choi An-na, Lee Jong-mi, Yeom Sun-hee are enjoying as much popularity as their male counterparts. They are challenging the stereotype of PC or online games, traditionally regarded as a domain for teenage boys.
Fujitsu Korea plans to introduce the latest version of its hugely popular "Princess Maker" series next month. The new "Princess Maker 5," a simulation game in which users raise their own daughters, is expected to win the hearts of women gamers.
There are no data on the average age of female gamers in Korea yet. But recent findings in Australia, announced at the International Ratings Conference held last February, could shed light onto Korean trends.

According to Jeffrey E. Brand, associate professor of Communication and Media at Australia's Bond University, eight out of 10 households enjoy PC games. One-third of gamers are parents who have children aged below 18. Brand conducted a survey on about 4,000 people from 1,600 households in Australia.
"Education" and "conversation with kids" are among the primary purposes of gaming, the survey said.

About 67 percent of the parents surveyed said they use games for educational purposes - 73 percent agreed with the usefulness of games in learning the latest technological trends; 69 percent in learning mathematics; 64 percent in teaching children to make and execute plans; and 58 percent in learning science. About 62 percent say games are useful as a trigger for family conversation.

Brand said women now make up 41 percent of Australia's gamers, compared to 38 percent in 2005. If the trend does not regress, the gender ratio among gamers will be 50:50 in 2012, he said.

The average age of Australian gamers rose to 28, compared to last year's 24. The average age of non-gamers was 49, compared to last year's 51. Based on the previous statistics, Brand said the average age of gamers and non-gamers will be the same at 42 by about 2014.

Kim Yoo-seung, a professor at Sungshin Women's University who participated at the conference, said, "Consumers are changing their perception of games, which is not very different among countries such as Korea, Australia, the United States or European countries."
"The Korean government, in line with the diversifying portfolio of the gaming market, should reconsider shifting their focus from regulations to education."

Source: KoreaHerald

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