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Many gamers, especially girl gamers, feel insulted by Ubisoft's "Imagine" titles. These are games aimed specially for little girls and usually involve fashion, fitness, pets, and other "girl" things.

However many years ago the idea of a game especially for girl gamers was nonexistent. Games used to be made specifically for a male audience. If these "Imagine" titles were amazing games, Ubisoft would be applauded for their movement. However unfortunately because the games are overly simple, promote media-like beauty, and provide little to no plot, some people feel they belittle little girls.

They do not.

There are girls who do enjoy these games. If anything, by putting such bad stance on these titles, we are telling them they shouldn't be playing games made for them. We would be telling them that what they like is wrong. It is not up to us to decide if a girl gamer benefits from these games. If they truly are as bad as we make them up to be, they will stop playing them and move on to sturdier games.

Some people feel that the games are far too simple, and therefore insinuate that girls cannot handle the same kind of thinking process. Well, first of all the "Imagine" games may be simple to play, but they often times require a lot of multi tasking as you play more. There is thinking involved, even if it is different than what we expect in a game. Second of all, these games are aimed for little girls - around 4 to 8 years old. You wouldn't give an RTS to a young child, regardless of gender, you would give a simpler game. We don't go around saying that Lego games belittle boys because they have simple gameplay, little to no plot, and promote the idea that men are around to build things. Essentially, you could find fault with them.

Let your girls play the Imagine games if they want to, and introduce them to all sorts of game. When I was little (and I am a girl), I used to play various games. Doom, Final Fantasy, Spyro, Aladdin, but I also used to play Tamagochi - which would be the equivalent of Imagine titles back then - and even Neopets.

No one's stopping the girls from buying other games. Instead of bashing the title, why not nicely tell the girl gamers in your life to try some of the games you feel is right? It is possible for them to like many genres. You could also write a polite letter to video game companies about what you think a girl-oriented game should have. You could host girl gaming parties where you can pick the games you feel are appropriate. However the end result is the same: the Imagine games do not belittle girl gamers unless you make them be that way.

Learn more about this author, Caren Franco.
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