Zeus
10-12-2009, 11:25 PM
The WSJ is currently profiling how the biggest names in the games industry are currently trying to attract female gamers to their video games. Publishers are targeting the female market harder with pet, fitness, dance, style and other girly related games and it seems the female market has strongly grown in importance in what is typically a male oriented industry.
<blockquote>
EA also conducts extensive market research about what female users want in a game. When developing last year's "Littlest Pet Shop," for example, the company found that girls liked it better when the pets made eye contact with the player. And after testing the game with girls, EA added accessories for the pets and an ability to customize them.
These efforts are having some success. "Littlest Pet Shop" is EA's best-selling franchise for the DS. EA's "Sports Active," a fitness game that made its debut in May, was among the top 10 titles for three consecutive months, according to research firm NPD Group. Ubisoft's Imagine games for the DS, in which girls can play the role of a ballerina or other professions, has sold 14 million copies in three years.</blockquote>
News Source: <A href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704882404574463652777885432.html?m od=WSJ_hpp_sections_tech" target="_Blank">WSJ</a>
<blockquote>
EA also conducts extensive market research about what female users want in a game. When developing last year's "Littlest Pet Shop," for example, the company found that girls liked it better when the pets made eye contact with the player. And after testing the game with girls, EA added accessories for the pets and an ability to customize them.
These efforts are having some success. "Littlest Pet Shop" is EA's best-selling franchise for the DS. EA's "Sports Active," a fitness game that made its debut in May, was among the top 10 titles for three consecutive months, according to research firm NPD Group. Ubisoft's Imagine games for the DS, in which girls can play the role of a ballerina or other professions, has sold 14 million copies in three years.</blockquote>
News Source: <A href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704882404574463652777885432.html?m od=WSJ_hpp_sections_tech" target="_Blank">WSJ</a>