Girl gamers have more sex!
According to a survey of 200 women conducted by Gametart, a game rental service in the United Kingdom, women who played video games on average had sex 4.3 times per week, compared to non-gamers who reported having sex 3.2 times per week.
Wow. If that’s not incentive to get on the waiting list for a Wii, I don’t know what is.
Now that we’ve got you thinking about playing more video games, it’s worth exploring some of the other benefits of getting your game on. You certainly won’t be the only girl at the game store.
According to the Entertainment Software Association, women now represent 38% of the game-playing population. And women have surpassed men when it comes to playing online games. Nielsen Entertinment reports that 64% of online gamers are female.
The biggest category for women gamers comes in the area of “casual games,” the industry’s term for software-based entertainment that includes word and puzzle games, board games and even some classic arcade titles—who can forget Ms. Pac Man and Pong? While not new, the casual-games industry is enjoying a surge in popularity thanks to high-speed Internet, cell phones and the various mobile devices taking over our purses and tote bags.
According to a study by PopCap Games (www.popcap.com), makers of the popular online game “Bejeweled” (no wonder it’s fashionable among women—it involves playing with jewelry), 76% of casual game players are female. That adds up to over 100 million gaming girls.
PopCap’s survey also delved into the reasons why we are so consumed by little bouncing balls, geometric puzzles and cute animals. It’s all about relaxing, sister. Fully 90% of female players say they derive stress relief from playing casual games.
Various experts, such as psychologist and stress-relief expert Dr. Carl Arinoldo, have gone on record to say that playing casual word and puzzle games on the computer can keep the brain active and vital. Plus, by paying attention to the game, you’re effectively blocking out other thoughts and stresses from your day.
My personal game of choice is Tetris, and my experience more than supports the stress-relief-by-distraction theory of gaming. Tetris is that old video game where different-shaped blocks fall from the sky and you have to make them into solid rows. I used to play it in middle school on my brother’s Nintendo, and now I play it on my own personal GameBoy. It keeps me calm on delayed flights. I play it on crowded subways. I immediately switch it on while I’m on hold with tech support or required to be on a boring conference call. It clears my mind, co-opts my to-do list and calms my nerves.
Has my gaming led to any more sex?
Well, I’ll let you test that theory for yourself.
