WhateverGames Pre-Launch

#1 In anticipation of how WhateverGames is different than distributors and other shareware sites:

WhateverGames is not a distributor our main objective is to drive continual advertising, marketing and promotions for Featured Games. All Developers whom are signed up through the Developers Program receive this on-going Push-Pull Marketing support.

We do this through strategic alliances, online global affiliates, bi-monthly giveaways, Monthly Newsletter Promotions and much more.

We have several unique ways we drive traffic to include jockeying off of Comic Strips, Traditional Artists and Musical Groups we represent allowing us to tap into whole other groups of people whom may not otherwise we aware of the games we represent.

Basically we take the blinders off and pro-actively look for the casual gamers. (edited for Phil's pleasure) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4235270
Headline: "Women over 40 biggest Online Gamers"

The resulting goal is to pull in folks and connect them direct with the Developer's website where purchases would be made. Hence increasing YOUR site traffic.

Please feel free to contact me direct for additional information. andie@planetschnoogie.com

#2 Again the assertion that women over 40 make up the "majority of the online gaming community".

But what survey did this figure come from?

I happily will admit that for SOME sites, this is going to be thier largest customer base. But its a hell of a leap to say something like the "majority" fit that profile.

#3 Post above edited for Phil - :)

When looking at target marketing for computer games - women are largely overlooked - bad bad bad.

We are the ones buying the games for our kids, we sit up to the wee hours of the night on the computer playing games to help us escape the day - don't discount us too quickly - you are missing out on a great piece of the pie.

Also for those interested - please visit http://www.womengamers.com

Cheers - Andie - aka Andrea

#4 Andie, I dont doubt that women DO form a large customer base. What I'm against is the assertion that they form "the majority", because it just doesnt fly in the face of common sense.

Common sense would tell you that most games are actually played by 16-30 year old males, or maybe that demographic is changing.

Its all statistics at the end of the day, they can be skewed whichever way you like.

As for the MSNBC thing, I think we talked about that the other day on IRC, its again skewed by the target audience and the likelyhood of them filling in a form. Most gamers probably coulnt be bothered.

But anyway, for sure its a market to be aware of. Even one to target, but it definitely isnt the ONLY market (perhaps I'm just shirty after the marketing speak we got from the real/gamehouse/other guys at the IGC last year).

#5 Here is some interesting Facts for ya! And yes - I realize they may be dated. Nevertheless -

[Statement from Phil - "Common sense would tell you that most games are actually played by 16-30 year old males, or maybe that demographic is changing."]

Most Gamers are Adults
The myth that most gamers are children also seems to defy the changing gaming demographics. In reality, nearly three quarters of PC gamers are adults, with only 30% under the age of 18. In fact, 38.5% of the people using PCs to run entertainment software are age 36 and over, 31% are between the ages of 18 and 35, and 30% are under 18 (1). A mere 2% of online gamers is under the age of 18 (7). In the realm of console gaming, a higher percentage of gamers are underage (44%). Thirty-six percent of console gamers are 18 to 35 years old, and 20% are age 36 and older. This means that over half of all console gamers are adults (1). Evidently, many adults, including adult women, choose video gaming as a viable entertainment option. While some concessions towards the female gaming market have been made in the form of "girls games"-- games designed and marketed for preadolescent girls-- adult women gamers have been virtually ignored by the gaming industry.

Source: http://www.womengamers.com

MARKET SIZE

The overall gaming market opportunity is estimated to be at 8.5 B in the year 2000 (Source CEA).

43% of PC gamers and 35% of console gamers are women (Source: IDSA)

US Internet users will reach 135 million in the year 2000 (Source: IDC)

More than 32 million US adults will go online for game-related content in 2000 (Cyber Dialog). The worldwide upside potential is double.

Women are expected to spend over 18 billion dollars on the Internet by year 2002 .

In keeping with the rising number of women gamers, more women are buying games than ever: in 1998, 48.6% of PC entertainment software buyers were women, while 51.4% of console software purchasers were women.

According to IDSA, the total interactive computer entertainment sales in 1998 was 6.3 billion (5.3 billion in sales and .8 billion in rentals). Therefore, women have a buying power of well over 2 billion dollars.

So - As I was saying - WhateverGames goes after these over-looked consumers!

Thanks to Phil for asking the questions! We are all a bit more informed, hopefully for the better!

Cheers, Andie

#6 Well, I at first wrote out a long response to the numbers and stats posted, but realize it would probably fall on deaf ears.

I just hope people see that the numbers presented actually contradict most of what was said by the poster. Most gamers are young males. You can technically call anybody who has ever played solitaire on windows a "gamer". You can also distort the truth by making it sound like 30% for people under 18 means most gamers are older... when that BLATANTLY proves otherwise when you think about it.

Just remember kids, 99% of all statistics are wrong :)

#7 Just reread a part that I really must comment on as it kinda annoys me.

"In keeping with the rising number of women gamers, more women are buying games than ever: in 1998, 48.6% of PC entertainment software buyers were women, while 51.4% of console software purchasers were women."

That there is distorting the truth by using some numbers that mean one thing, then telling people they mean something else.

Those 2 numbers... 48.6% and 51.4% are not women gamers. Even though you taint the facts by saying "in keeping with the rising number of women gamers..." it doesn't change the truth that the numbers have nothing to do with women gamers. Those stats say 51.4% of the console software was bought by women... and logic dictates that many were probably women buying for their children, husbands, friends, etc.

Common sense is always the compass to the sea of numbers in stats like this. Most young adults don't buy their games themselves do they? So who buys them? Usually their parents, and most gift givers are women, especially when it comes to mothers buy for their family. Christmas time is the biggest game software selling time, and if you look around, most people buying any kind of gift are women.

I am not saying men should be catered to or that games shouldn't try to appeal to women more, I am merely trying to shed some light no the figures presented.

#8 You are right - stats can be incorrect or skewed for anyones best interest.

Perhaps it is more appropriate to keep an open mind not to shut out the fact Women do buy games for themselves as well as their kids and significant others.

They also play games - keep that also in mind when marketing your Indie games. I know I will!

In respects to the above Stats - All info was pulled from wwww.womengamers.com - for those interested you will find supporting documents and more - yep you got it - Facts.

Cheers, Andie

#9 First regarding the numbers - this was pulled verbatim from figures in the industry which I have provided a link for in another post.

From where do you receive your assumption of this statement:

"Those 2 numbers... 48.6% and 51.4% are not women gamers. Even though you taint the facts by saying "in keeping with the rising number of women gamers..." it doesn't change the truth that the numbers have nothing to do with women gamers. Those stats say 51.4% of the console software was bought by women... and logic dictates that many were probably women buying for their children, husbands, friends, etc."

If your logic is all numbers/stats are skewed - then does it make sense to assume you are only making an educated guess as well?

My point is very simple - Women have money - Women buy Games - Women play Games -

The Indie Computer Games Market should capitalize on these FACTS and target Women to the fullest extent possible to tap into this market -

Come on - ask yourself - why not?

I would be interested in hearing how long Phil and Jeremy have been in the Game Industry.

#10 I checked out the site, and it looks interesting. I'll be sure to look into it more when I get the time, although I did notice a typo in the "Jack the Unipsychle" game advertisement, I believe. "Everyone has their ackward times..." should probably be "awkward".

#11 Well that is a bit embarrassing - thanks Steven - will fix straight away!

And THANKS for getting us back on track on the original post announcing the Launch on Whatevergames.com

(I tend to get carried away on such topics of target marketing)

Andie

#12 I agree games should still appeal to women and target them for PR and marketing purposes. However, the truth is, look at just about any gaming community anywhere, go to just about any game store, etc... and you will see the overwhelming truth that most gamers are young males.

I do not have numbers to throw in there, but my point is that your numbers say nothing of women gamers in that specific statement. It says game buyers, which, from what I personally have seen/heard/read that 51% includes A LOT of women buying games for men, whether it be their children or their husbands.

Also, since we are talking about marketing and such... look at the msn article and you will see the games most women play are puzzle and word games, which are most likely mostly free online games such as the ones at yahoo and popcap. So, if we are speaking about marketing and money, those numbers then support the notion that many women are NOT part of the demographic for selling games to.

Just throwing some counterpoints to some fairly innocent numbers that were given a VERY biased presentation :)

#13 I agree games should still appeal to women and target them for PR and marketing purposes. However, the truth is, look at just about any gaming community anywhere, go to just about any game store, etc... and you will see the overwhelming truth that most gamers are young males.

I do not have numbers to throw in there, but my point is that your numbers say nothing of women gamers in that specific statement. It says game buyers, which, from what I personally have seen/heard/read that 51% includes A LOT of women buying games for men, whether it be their children or their husbands.

Also, since we are talking about marketing and such... look at the msn article and you will see the games most women play are puzzle and word games, which are most likely mostly free online games such as the ones at yahoo and popcap. So, if we are speaking about marketing and money, those numbers then support the notion that many women are NOT part of the demographic for selling games to.

Just throwing some counterpoints to some fairly innocent numbers that were given a VERY biased presentation :)

#14 Yeah sorry to take the thread away... I just get caught up in the presentation of stats sometimes.

I did check out your site and I do like its purpose and think it could definately be a good thing for indie games.

#15 Ugh... sorry for the multiple posts.

#16 .....

#17 LOL - Jeremy - How many times you gonna post the same thing dude?

Thanks for the kudos - I too get way caught up in the marketing aspect always striving to do better. I just hate to see any area untapped where an Indie could profit.

#18 Oops. I guess I refreshed a couple times and submit the post along with it... my apoliogies.

Yeah, I do agree with you whole heartedly that women and older people are a pretty HUGE untapped market. We are both thinking about it in two different ways :)

My feeling is that most gamers are young males. So yes, as of right now, they are the ones with the gaming power, their opinions are driving the game industry, and they are partly responsible why most big hits are just the same rehashed ideas being remade over and over and over again.

Now, the trick would be to bring in some amazing games that appeal to the more untapped audiences, such as women and older people. This is partly why games like The Sims and Roller Coaster Tycoon did so amazingly well. Yes, they were really inventive and original at the time as well, but they also appealed to a MUCH broader audience than say a FPS. Just about anybody could get hooked on the Sims or Roller Coaster Tycoon... and all of a sudden a huge market opened up.

Of course, now people are rehashing those ideas with the million "Tycoon" clones and the million Sims expansions, but when they first came out they broke through into a large untapped audience and they are continuing to capitalize on it.

So hell yes they should be marketed to and thought of during game development :)

#19 My belief is ... well, define "young." I think the majority of gamers are over 18, now. And I think they are male, though that percentage has been dropping.

Now... if you change the question to ask, "What demographic of people spends the most amount of TIME playing games?", then it's undoubtably young males... at least if you define young to be age 25 or younger. I think the total number of hours spent playing games is dominated by that group. They probably spend the most dollars on gaming - which also makes sense. They are typically single with lots of disposable income.

But even while this group is still probably the STRONGEST audience to market to, Andie & others are right... they are FAR from the only game in town. There's a broader market to be tapped... and it's not going to be done through "one size fits all" games that are magically supposed to please everyone.

#20 I'm no expert on marketing or anything, but I'd just like to give a bit of information. I'm still in highschool, and mostly all of my guy friends play games. The catch is, they only play shooters -- and big name commercial ones. I have never seen them go online to play a game, unless you count free games like mini-putt they play instead of doing homework during class. They don't even know what indie games are. I've pretty much got the impression that a large portion of online indie games are bought by those over 18, as young people prefer the commercial games, or just do not realize indie games exist.

Then again, none of them play anything but shooters so in general we would not benefit much from this. However - other schools may be different in their gaming habits, mine is rather different in the first place ;)