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Women have taken the gaming universe by storm —in a space that has traditionally been male-dominated for years. Female players now comprise over 45% of the global gaming population, but there are still hurdles to overcome. A 2020 Google Play report showed that the majority of women felt that less than 30% of mobile games were catered to them, and in the Web3 world, the Finder's NFT Gaming Adoption Report for 2022 shows that play-to-earn gaming is still dominated by men worldwide, with males twice as likely to play over females.
Yet, we are reaching a point where women's growing influence on gaming trends and total revenues can no longer be underestimated or ignored. And with Web3 still in its infancy, blockchain gaming companies have a prime opportunity to truly reshape and reinvent the environment and attract this emerging female gaming market.
Let's look at how crypto gaming could serve as a springboard for bringing more women into the Web3 space.
Look to mobile
Mobile gaming strongly appeals to women: female players make up more than 63% of the current market. Why? One of the most important factors is accessibility. Women can play anywhere, fitting gaming on the go quite seamlessly into their busy lives, plus the barrier to entry is typically lower thanks to mobile's more intuitive design.
Our very own play-and-earn game Fashion League takes this female mobile focus into account to foster the inclusion of more women in Web3. It will be the first female-centered blockchain mobile game to bring NFTs and the metaverse to a wider audience. If more blockchain gaming projects capitalize on this mobile-first vision, they could also take a step forward towards making the Web3 world the democratizing power it should be. Such brands could potentially reap the rewards of an otherwise largely untapped market too, as female players bring far higher gaming revenues: they are 79% more likely to make an in-app purchase and spend 25% longer playing in mobile gaming sessions compared to males.
Better gender representation
Whether it be game design, storylines, character development, language or advertising, the gaming industry has been highly geared towards male gamers. Crypto gaming companies that better tailor to women could see their engagement levels rise, given female gamers' dissatisfaction with gender representation.
By modifying styles, customization features, and even sponsoring more female role models, a more immersive gaming experience could be created that helps female players feel more included and less alienated.
Greater diversity in gaming development
Promoting diversity within blockchain P2E projects' senior management can help to give these companies an edge over traditional gaming brands: women currently make up just 16% of senior management positions. To create games that are more appealing to women, it makes sense that females in leadership should have input in the design and decision-making process for games targeting them, by offering their unique insights.
This was key to the development of Fashion League: our game is created by a female-led team of gaming, blockchain and design experts, because we understand just how integral diversity of opinion is to its success.
Indeed, equally important to diverse gaming development, and relating more broadly to the principles of Web3's decentralized management, is the importance of community influence. Fashion League also works together with its community, giving players a say on new game content and any optimization changes.
Being more welcoming to women in gaming has many advantages, as this fast-growing female gamer demographic poses an excellent chance for Web3 brands to cater to a new audience. And it is high time that more gaming brands begin to rethink their strategies and consider new, more inclusive ways that earn the attention of an increasingly diverse user base.
Author Bio
Believer in co-creation, Web 3.0, NFT, NFT Gaming. Follow Theresia on LinkedIn
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