Video Games for Girls on the Rise
Nintendo's leading the way into new markets for gaming, expanding beyond the typical young male players into the retirement home arena and, more recently, the female market. Ubisoft is the third party games publisher that seems to be making the strongest push in this area on Nintendo's DS handheld, which is selling just as many for men and women. Ubi is expanding its popular 'Imagine' franchise, and introducing a new female-oriented sports series.Ubisoft's 'Imagine' series lets girls have fun trying out different dream careers, and it's set to be augmented by a slew of new virtual careers including games highlighting fashion design, acting in films, and wedding planning. They're titles that will make your typical male gamer cringe, but for the 6 - 14 year old girl market (a.k.a. "tweens") they're hugely popular.
So too should be Ubi's new 'Ener-G' series, which is a set of sports games angled directly for girls. The games will include 'Dance Squad,' where players act as a choreographer, 'Gym Rockets,' letting a player go through gymnastics training, and 'Horse Riders' which involves equestrian training and Olympic competition. Again, not something most guys will be interested in, but girls should when these games hit the DS later this year.
This isn't the first time at the rodeo for these girls games companies. Remember the now-defunct Purple Moon? Will these new millennium offerings fare better, now that the DS seems to be paving the way into new markets?
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