Online firms to cash in as girls market grows

The number of gaming girls is on the rise, but firms expect this audience to seek out mobile and online titles over boxed ones.

Peter Hofstede of free online portal Girls Go Games told MCV the site has seen the amount of time girls spend playing online games more than double over the last year – up from 38 minutes per month to one hour and 18 minutes.

It’s no secret that females are some of the largest users of casual games,” said Hofstede. 50 per cent of tween girls [eight to 12 years old] play games on a regular basis.”

That’s not to say retail is without its own opportunities. Girls spent 5.9m on games in the UK over the 12 months ended July 8th, 2012, reports Kantar Worldpanel.

There is no doubt iPhone and Facebook have had a profound effect on the industry, but let’s not forget there is a huge number of DS units out there,” said Rising Star’s Yen Hau.

OG International’s Emma Jenkins added: Girls are still buying games at retail, especially party games. You can’t have a good night in with your girlfriends on an iPhone game.”