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In the past, video games have been looked upon as a waste of a man's time or of the folly of a generation that is too relaxed for it's own good. The systems that were being generated were simple, and were mind numbing. The television set, which they played on, was a constant target for those who would say that America was going down with the ship because of its anti-social ways. And another fallacy that has been recently disproved is that men outnumber women in the gaming world.

Out of all the statements above the one that sticks out in my mind as incredible is the fact that women outnumber men in online gaming. For years we have been shown images of men playing games on a Friday night, or of groups of guys getting together to play. Usually these men were looked upon as nerds who couldn't get dates, so they played games. What then, is the attraction for a woman to play? Why would this fact be kept from the public, if in fact we were seeing this trend go just the opposite from what we were taught?

It is obvious by the amount of intricate hand movement and quick snap thinking that has to be done that women are better suited for gaming. However, it is a hard world for them to dominate in. All too often a woman was looked at as a pariah or strange if she played. I can remember how, in Everquest, a woman would be sought after, almost to the point of harassment, by lonely and horny men who wanted to cyber date them. While this may seem pathetic, it was a case for many, and I watched with a good amount of distaste as this would drive women from the company of many gamers who just wanted the companionship of another who would be willing to play the game.

A movement has had to occur, one in which the real gamers of this world, stepped up and said we are going to act like grownups and be adults in this manner. A good deal of online gaming experiences have turned to kid-friendly attitudes and allowed for a cleaner and more playable experience.

Then too, how many of the girls that sat around watching the guys play, just to be around them, wound up playing the games. Most, and they became better at the game. It is obvious that when we do a survey of online gamers, and 56 percent of them are women, there is a movement taking place that is changing our perception of gaming. How long will it be before we see advertising that changes as well? How long before consoles are being marketed specifically for women in mind?

In any case I say that it is a good move. Having both sexes competing on such a grand level makes for more interesting scenarios and a wider expanse of ideas on how to handle situations in game play. You might even see the gap between the sexes grow thinner as the two sexes learn to play side by side again, rather than one looking down at the other. Some may argue that women's being in the role of leader in the amount of gamers is a bad thing but not I. Bring on the pink console, and pour the wine, I want to play WoW with a real woman.

Learn more about this author, Scott Shaffer.
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