These girls are A-MA-ZING!

Today has been quite an action packed day. All the girls have spent the majority of the day playing 4 main video games (Mortal Kombat-Armageddon, Super Smash Brothers Melee, Halo 3 and Super Monkey Ball). The games are played across all the major consoles-we've got a Wii, an Xbox 360, a PS2 and a slightly more old school Game Cube. I'm amazed at how focused the girls are at learning gaming skills and even more impressed with how quickly they go from inexperienced players to being naturally skilled gamers. I've never seen guys get the hang of things so quickly! I'm telling you, if these girls stick to it, within a matter of weeks they could beat any opponent-especially the boys that have been playing for YEARS! In weeks I say! That's how good they are.

The girls have also been discussing female portrayal in the games, which I think is a very important conversation for all female gamers to be a part of. The girls have some brilliant ideas about what to do to make some games more appealing to girls and one of the most fabulous things that I've heard all day is that the games themselves are not gender biased but that the design elements (part of marketing I'm sure) are to blame for girls' hesitancy to pick up a controller. Games with predominantly male characters or with misrepresented female characters are alienating the girls, not the actual game. This is an amazing take away because so many girls reject video games because they think games are for boys and they don't have the skill set for it, when in actuality, they are powerful gamers to be contended with! I'm very excited and hopeful that the girls will take today's gaming experience and keep on working on those fighting combos because with them at the helm as demanding and intelligent/aware consumers, the gaming industry will have to change their sexist attitude and give the girls what they want if they want their consumer loyalty (and $$$) in return. Women control 80% of household purchase decisions (I beleive that's roughly the number) so the industry is putting itself at a huge disadvantage by not answering to the demands of these female gamers.

Way to go ladies!! I'm so proud!! :)