US: 52% of PSP owners are female

We hear lots about the success Nintendo has enjoyed in the emerging casual games sector, but new statistics about the North American PSP audience suggest that Sony has achieved great things in the female sector.

Edge reports that 52 per cent of US PSP owners are female. This compares to 49 per cent of Wii owners. Looking at the region overall, 45 per cent of active gamers are also said to be female – not bad for a hobby that just a few years ago was seen as the reserve of teenage boys.

Other data claims that 73 per cent of all American households now own a gaming device, with 54 per cent owning a console.

Nielsen also claims that the Xbox 360 ranks top when it comes to minutes used, claiming 23.1 per cent of all total game time. The ever-strong PS2 was next in line with 20.4 per cent, followed by Wii with 19 per cent.