GameHers – casual games a hit with women

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Simple word and puzzle games, also known as casual games, are experiencing record growth on the Internet. The casual games market has doubled in growth since 2004 and is now reportedly worth more than 2 billion dollars. As opposed to hardcore games, casual games are easy to learn, non-violent, and can be played as easily for fifteen minutes or five hours. Simplicity is the key here – no need for complex installments, detailed instructions or special hardware – just download and click play.

Traditionally the domain of teenage boys and young men, the modern gamer is just as likely to be female and over 30. According to research conducted by European games site Zylom.com, 80 per cent of casual gamers are female and 70 per cent are aged over 30¹. These women, or GameHers (a term coined by the authors of the Zylom report), come from all walks of life – whether they are mums, career girls or grandmothers, women love to spend their down time playing casual games.

Playing online games is the fourth most popular thing to do on the Internet after sending/receiving email, using instant message and downloading music².  Women today are generally time poor. The majority of their time is spent on children, paid work and housework. When they do take time out for themselves, women love to read a book, listen to music and play an online game to relax.

At an average cost of US$20 casual games are relatively cheap to buy and there are no monthly subscriptions – so once you buy the game you own it and can play it whenever you like at no additional cost. Word and puzzles games also have the added benefit of exercising your mind in a fun and engaging way.

In response to what women have been telling us they want from the website, Australian Women Online recently partnered with Real Networks, the world’s largest distributor of casual games, to offer online games on the website at the url www.australianwomenonline.com/play-games

References
1. A GameHers Life: Casual gamers defined II 2007 – Zylom Media Group
2. Market research by marketingvox.com cited in A GameHers Life: Casual gamers defined II.