Women are out there in significant numbers playing MMOs, action games, first-person shooters. What is lacking in the equation are women behind these games.

As soon as I've got the kids' tea sorted I go on the computer. It's a bit of me' time and a good way to relax. I play on it rather than watch TV and I suppose it's like a hobby.

The kids ask Can I have a go mum?' and I say No, this is mum's game.' I suppose I like that it's like visiting a different world. It's escapism.

I don't know exactly how it happened, but I think Ubisoft noticed the amount of press that she was getting, and they did what most companies would do, which is they exploited that. I like Ubisoft and all, but they don't care about Jade as much as they care about their bottom dollar, and they're going to do what they think works. And if the GameTrailers interviews that have Jade on them get like 20 times the hits as any other product that they put out, what are they going to do? They're going to put her in front of the camera. I think they created a lot of resentment though, both internally and maybe externally. I think a lot of men were resentful of her stature, and maybe some of them thought she didn't deserve it, and they deserved it more or whatever. It's difficult. It's complicated.

I think that's just the nature of who we are as human society. That's why there is this celebrity culture and why we revere attractive people, and then also can't wait to tear them down. [Laughs] I think it's a confluence of factors. It's the fact that Jade is attractive to the gaming press, of course you're going to write about her. And once that happens Ubisoft is going to push her more because they realize she gets press and then she's going to continue to do it because it's her job, and as a producer what do you want? You want to sell copies of your game and make sure the game is successful. You do that by going out and doing interviews, representing your game. You know, you can't fault any of them really for doing their jobs...

Celeste McWhorter could probably identify [fellow female player] Soriano in the middle of Trousdale. She said she has gamedar, like gaydar for gamers, she informed me with authority.

"Hey, it takes one to know one," she said.

We did research, and we are studying the market... that's what the girls actually like, so we should try to fulfill their needs... Those games were really designed for young girls who are just looking for fun games and ways to explore their favorite hobbies... From what we've seen, [the girls] didn't mention anything about being a police officer.

Top ten list for female gaming characters usually look like this. Old hat and mehsville. So! It's nice to see something, I dunno, different? Interesting? Over at ShinyShiny, they've put together a list of ten female game characters to idolize. They are:

• 10. Claire Redfield from Resident Evil
• 9. Yorda from Ico
• 8. Princess Zelda from The Legend of Zelda series
• 7. Kreia from Knights Of The Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
• 6. Mia Fey from Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
• 5. Yuna from Final Fantasy
• 4. Samus Aran from Metroid
• 3. Jade from Beyond Good and Evil
• 2. Carla Valenti from Fahrenheit
• 1. Jill Valentine from Resident Evil

Agree? Disagree? Discuss. Brian Ashcraft

List of Characters [Shiny Shiny via Alice]

Don't judge games by their covers? Riiight. Blog Guilded Lilies has an insightful post up about doing just that.

This cover art works for me primarily because it shows a female character that isn't objectified, but instead looks capable and ready to get things accomplished in the game world. The expression on her face is confident and self-assured, with a dash of sass in her wry smile... Call me naive, but my interest in this game was based purely on it making me feel that it was a perfectly normal thing for me to want to play a fantasy RPG on my computer — and that is precisely why I think it is successful. That feeling was reinforced by gameplay that lived up the inclusive artwork on the cover...

Indeed! Good point: Do agree that it's a matter of the game creating expectations and then delivering on them. Really, that's the secret to sucess — Being inclusive and not crappy. Brian Ashcraft

Cover Girls Likes [Guilded Lilies via GameSetWatch]

Eds Note: This could either be a "Bad Wii Pun Watch" or a "Kotaku Magu."

Your #1 source for gaming and dating boys, Teen Vogue has a two-page spread on the Nintendo Wii. There's even a t-shirt involved and the French language. Reader Briana Fahey (hey, wait a second...) sends this:

While I leafing through the latest issue of Teen Vogue I came across this Wii promo. I guess this is another attempt by Nintendo at marketing to the female crowd? I've always been an XBOX girl, but quotes like "It really responds to your movements!" doesn't make want me to pick up another console. Although, I must confess that shirt is pretty sweet. I love puns.

I'm willing to bet that you guys haven't seen this yet, probably because I'm one of the few readers who love both Teen Vogue and Kotaku, hence why I am sending this...

Much appreciated. Saves us the time of scanning in our own office copy. Hit the jump for the second page. Yes, the second page. Brian Ashcraft

Maker of all things kawaii Sanrio has announced cuter than cute Hello Kitty and Charmmy Kitty decoration film for the DS Lite. The price is listed as open, but the Sanrio online shop is selling each sheet for 680 yen (US $5.90). Should go over big with little girls and Kotaku editors with pink DS Lites. Brian Ashcraft

Pink or Not, I Shall Pass [Game Watch Impress]

If you're not getting all your gaming news from Glamour magazine—and really, why aren't you— then you could've missed this big spread on the new console. Between articles on "why the wrong man can be so right for you," comes word that the Wii is fem-friendly. Here are five reasons why:

• 1. Because isn't about time we had something he wants, but can't get his hands on?
• 2. Price per play it's cheaper than a swanky gym membership
• 3. Price per laugh it's better than a night out on the town
• 4. It's one more reason for the girls to come round and the boys to go out
• 5. Forget a designer sofa, this is the only home accessory a girl needs

There are also tips on hosting your own Wii party complete with cupcakes and cocktails. Heh... Brian Ashcraft

P.S. Taking a hint from Mike, I also apologize for any dick-related Wii references. Especially in the company of small children and old ladies.

Wii For Girls [UK:R]

Eons ago, we posted something on a Nancy Drew game. And of course made fun of it. The company that made it, HerInteractive, just dropped word that there's another game for us to make fun of as well! They write:

The last time I sent a Nancy Drew trailer, you lambasted us for trying to create some ooky romance between Nancy and the Hardy Boys. We're over that now, but I wanted to give you a heads up on our latest games.

Ha! That was an ooky romance between old ladies and the Hardy Boys we were lambasting you for! Regardless, they've got a new game out, called Nancy Drew: Danger by Design. It's for computers. A big seller. And girls like it apparently. Old ladies, too. Brian Ashcraft

It's Paris With Nancy And Mysteries [HerInteractive]

A cute game like Sega's Love and Berry needs a cute DS, but this cute? The above Lite has been covered in oh-so-kawaii stickers and outfitted with a card reader that integrates DS Lite game play and Love and Berry cards. If you're able to look at this saccharine and not squeal in delight, that means only one thing: this gear isn't directed at you. Me? I'm giddy. Brian Ashcraft

More Here [NeoGAF]

Capcom's Wantame is a breeding, dress-up doggy arcade rhythm game with collectible cards that synchronize with cute portable liquid crystal peripherals. That's everything could possible appeal to a Japanese girl under the age of 8. Heck, even that man in the photo is all giddy. Brian Ashcraft

More Here [Famitsu]

The latest issue of Otona Fami (Famitsu for adults, minus the hardcore gaming bit), a study's been published that gauges interest in the Wii and the PS3. A survey of 216 folks showed that 73.6 percent were interested in buying a Wii, 16.7 percent wanted a PS3 and 9.7 percent didn't want either and were content watching bad Japanese TV.

There shouldn't come as a surprise.

The interesting part were the surveys of female students and business women and housewives.

Half of the students could give a rat's ass about either the PS3 or the Wii. I blame studying, drinking and fornicating. However, 37.5 percent said they were interested in the PS3, compared to 12.5 percent that wanted a Wii.

Comparatively, 36.4 percent of business women want a Wii, while 33.3 percent are after the PS3. The rest didn't want either, focusing their energies on other diversions.

Housewives are either Wii-crazy or indifferent; 42.9 percent want a Wii, 9.5 percent hanker for a PS3 and the rest don't want either. This poll cements the Wii as the "Official Console of Japanese Housewives." Congrats, Nintendo!

This is utterly fascinating—a cross section of Japanese society as told through gaming consoles. I'd love to compare the results for men. Brian Ashcraft

More Here [Next-Gen]

Late last month, we reported that Sega's popular girly card game Love and Berry was getting its own beach house. Famitsu sent a photographer out to Kanagawa Prefecture to take pics of the giant, tacky pink structure. Besides Love and Berry arcade games and branded goodies, the beach house serves up healthy food like hot dogs and curry rice. There are ice cream floats: melon for Mushi King, blueberry for the character Berry and strawberry for the character Love. Parents are bound to get headaches, but not from the ice cream. Brian Ashcraft

More Here [Famitsu]

This summer, Sega's popular girly card game Oshare Majo: Love and Berry is coming to the beach. Earlier this year, a Love and Berry clothing line was launched. There are pencils, bags and loads of other pink crap. So Sega's gonna set up shop on a beach in Kanagawa Prefecture. Along with the Oshare arcade machines (which are actually more common in toy stores), there will be Love and Berry cards, bathing suits and clothes for little girls to beg their parents for, when the kids should be out doing free things like building sandcastles and swimming. The clubhouse closes August 31st. The beach is open forever. Brian Ashcraft

More Here [Game Watch Impress]

Kotaku comenter and Coolest Game Room entrant Robert Summa at AOL Joystiq points to British fashion label Joystick Junkies' search for the perfect models to represent the brand. According to the label's site:

We're not just going for model looks though, we've been looking for true gaming passion as well ...

The tests included a photo shoot and a round of games "they hadn't tried before". These titles included Halo 2, Gauntlet and Streetfighter II. That right there is true gaming passion. Brian Ashcraft

More Here [Joystiq]

It was inevitable. Sega's milking that Oshare Majo: Love and Berry cash cow for every last drop and has announced a DS version. The uber popular arcade/card game has captured the imagination of little girls and the wallets of doting parents. Called "Fashionable Witch: Love and Berry" in English, the arcade game features mini-games and rewards players with cards. So far, 153 million cards have been shipped, and a Love and Berry clothing line was launched this Spring.

Here's a quick run-down: the game features a self-explanatory "Story Mode", a customized dress designing mode, and there's a card reader peripheral that's to be used with the DS game. The game sports a mind-blowingly clever title: Oshare Majo: Love and Berry ~ DS Collection. Do you hear that? It's the sound of 20 million Japanese girls squealing with delight. Brian Ashcraft

Full Story Here [Watch Impress]

The hottest game here in Japan for girls is a diet sim titled Maiden Love Revolution. Players are a 220-pound former beauty queen that has blimped up. The aim: diet and exercise to get back that dating weight.

Totally forget this article was also coming out as it's the second one I have in this month's Wired. To protest the questionable message it sends young, impressionable Japanese women, I ate three bags of Oreos while writing it. They were delicious.

More Here [Wired]

Urbane Gridskipper correspondent Jean Snow points to girly Japanese mag GIRLIE, which does a big Animal Crossing issue. Cute and girly popstar Kaera Kimura graces the cover and is interviewed about the game. There are also tips on how to get in-game accessories and lists of favorite characters. How girlie!

More Here, All Manly [Jean Snow]

Live nude Counter Strike gaming girls. Wonderland points to a new "online gaming community and nude pinup gallery," called GirlsofCS. Here's directly from nuddy site:

We are out to empower female gamers by eliminating the negative online stereotypes towards them. Online gaming has typically been dominated by men, but that is changing. By keeping our community mature, we hope to encourage more female gamers to enjoy their games with us.

GirlsofCS members will have access to our private VoIP server, Counter-Strike Source Game Servers, and exclusive content through our website. We plan on providing the no-bull gaming community that gamers have dreamed of since the internet began.

So, naked pics empower female gamers and erase negative stereotypes? Geez, we always thought they reduced women to sex objects. How immature of us!

More Here [Wonderland]

Sony's latest Good Night/Good Morning PSP ad campaign is going after young, single women — a demographic that the DS has taken by storm. The ads are typical Sony slick and feature a young woman using her PSP to do various tasks around the house like find recipes, get the weather, check out music and game. Though the fact the woman listens to her PSP while using a pricey Dyson vacuum is a little much. And she even puts the portable in her back jean pocket. That's so asking for trouble!

PSP Ads [Sony]

This spring schoolyards will see an influx of Oshare Majo Love and Berry clothes, sneakers, backpacks and stationary. Starting March 2, LB Style Square will be the official shop for the popular Sega card-based arcade game. Oshare Majo is nothing short of a national phenomena in Japan and has captured the minds of young schoolgals. Sega's trying to appeal not only to girls, but also their mothers' desire to have fashionable children. At the press conference, little moppets danced, sang and paraded about in Love and Berry type clothes, while Sega businessmen in suits lurked around in the background. Creepy.

Full Story Here [Watch Impress]

This spring, the ridiculously too-cute-for-grade-school title Let's Play at San-X Land Theme Park!. The game is chock-a-block full of mini games. Like Disney's Fantasyland or Tomorrowland, characters have their own sections of their park. So visiting Afro Ken's area, enables gamers to play a series of that character's game. The same goes for others like Kogepan. Stamps and virtual cards are awarded upon winning.

Afro Ken and Kogepan? In the same game. No way! OMG. OMG. OMG.

Screens Here [Famitsu]

According to Konami's Nana website, the PS2 game will appear on the PSP this year. No further details have been announced. The PS2 game is based on the hit manga of the same name, which has also spanned a movie with sickeningly cute Aoi Miyazaki and waffish Mika Nakashima. There's a tribute album. Yes, a tribute album for a comic book. It's that popular.

Watch the Preview Here [Apple]
Info Here [Konami]

"Our product development team comes out of PC development software," says McDonnell. "The design team had four number one hits in the female demographic before coming on to LimeLife." What's more, McDonnell herself was involved with the first casual games network, Sierra Online's ImagiNation Network. The female audience there was over 50 percent. So, if anyone know what ladies stereotypically like, it should be McDonnell.

"Typically, women in general like puzzle, card and word games," says the CEO. Moreover, women enjoy social interaction and cooperation. For the cell-phone game provider, things like bandwidth and user interaction make that tricky. Hence, Virtual Girlfriends. McDonnell explains, "The Virtual Girlfriends are within the game itself, they're not other players."

These "virtual" gal pals will pop up and make witty or sarcastic remarks. "And you can rename them to have names of real-life friends." Wait, there's more. "And then at the end of the game you can play truth or dare, and that's something where we do encourage that you interact with real friends."

I agree there should be more "female-geared gaming" (what ever that means) and best of luck to CEO McDonnell. But virtual gal pals getting names of actual friends, and women being encouraged to play a real round of truth or dare? Say it ain't so, this can't be the way to attract more female gamers. It just can't.

Full Story [Gamasutra]

I swung by Sega's Love and Berry booth, hoping that Sonic had dragged Yuko "Yes My Real Voice Is This Nasally" Ogura along for some good ol' fashioned PR. Ogura was no where to be found. (Rats!) The booth was full of little girls pressing buttons, Love and Berry-branded goods they didn't need and middle-aged men very secure in their own sexuality selling stuff to them.

WHobby [Official Site]

The World Cyber Games will get its first female gamer this month when Austria's Verena Vlajo will compete in her country's Dead or Alive Ultimate team in the Grand Finals, held in Singapore. She could've competed last year, but withdrew for personal reasons.

The event's organizers also said a three-year-old Iranian kid will be competing, the youngest ever. The toddler will play FIFA Soccer 2005. After he destroys some pimply faced teen, he'll have cookies and take a nap. Geez, when I was three was eating snot and wetting my bed. Still am.

Read More Here [Korea Times]

The Japanese commercial for the DS version of Harvest Moon for Girls is up. Glad they choose "amazed girl" over "farmer's daughter." It sounds like the gal in the commercial says, "ushi, ushi," which means "cow, cow." Yes, I know it's a farming game, but it's still strange. I've never said that once while playing any game. Ever.

Watch the Ad Here [Bokumono Site]

Over the weekend, I went over to Kyoto to do some shopping and hit a few game centers. Sure, Nintendo might be making inroads in attracting non-gamers and females, but the layout of yer average Japanese arcade is a good indication of how much further we've got to go.

Realize that there are game centers and there are print club ("puri kura") booth centers. They are separate. Either they are in totally different places or divided by floors in the same building. Men without a female companion cannot enter these sticker puri kura shops. Why? 'Cause there are a ton of young females. While conversely, the arcades are packed with single dudes smoking and playing Gundam. Think you're likely to find a group of females (sans boyfriends) in an arcade, playing Tekken?

This particular center had costumes for sticker pic customers to borrow and pose in. They had police uniforms, maid outfits and nurse costumes. And no, I didn't see a changing room. No wonder single dudes ain't allowed.

We're getting tons of submissions for our Halloween Cosplay competition. Keep them coming!

No, that ain't the Rotary Club of Nagoya. Those are mah jong pros. Konami's arcade game Mah-Jong Fight Club 4 lets players receive "pro" certification once they prove their mad skillz.

While played by old Jewish ladies in the States, Mah-Jong is largely a male pursuit in Japan. Salarymen hit gambling parlors after work to enjoy a few hours of this ancient Chinese game. The object is akin to gin rummy: Players discard unwanted tiles and score points by forming similar groups.

Mah-Jong's so popular that video game makers like Konami produce coin-operated versions. The image above is from a Konami pamphlet I found at a local game center. Most perplexing is that those middle-aged dudes are smattered on the front. The brochure's reverse shows some cute, young women mah jong "Pro Queens." Cute women lose out to salarymen for product promotion. This must be a first in the history of Japanese advertising. Next up, old ladies used as "Race Queens" at the Tokyo Motor Show.

See the girls after the jump.

Learn About Mah-Jong [Wikipedia]
Mah-Jong Fight Club 4 [Konami]

For boys, there's Mushi King. But for girls, there's Oshare Majo("Fashionable Witch") Love and Berry. The arcade card game has been a hit with little girls since Sega introduced it last October. Put in a 100 yen coin, and if the player wins one of the mini games, they get a new card, which depict things like clothes or hairdos. These can be scanned into the machine, changing the character's look. The cards of course have become quite valuable, and a quick scan of Ebay will turn up collections going for high prices. According to Sega, there's been 43 million Oshare cards shipped since launch. Compare this to the 280 million Mushi King cards and do the math. The game is one of the few female arcade hits. Stereotypically, women are in arcades to take sticker picture photos or humor their boyfriends. Oshare fans don't have boyfriends, because they're like six years old. But, that's beside the point.

(I don't mean to be off color, but is the figurine on the card wearing a thong?)

Fashionable Witches Here [Official Site] via AnimeNewsService

The New York Times had a piece we mentioned earlier this week that talked about Microsoft wanting to branch out beyond the hardcore gamers and attract women to the console. Ever on the prowl for good material, Bonnie over at Heroine Sheik has some excellent rebuttal to the Times' piece. She's pissed (and she should be) that the piece labeled woman gamers as "the rest." Her best point comes from the following: "the idea itself implies that women are peripheral. It's not that Microsoft is seeking out young women and campaigning toward their interests. They're talking about "mothers" and "wives" women defined only in relationship to gaming men." Owned?

We Are Not "The Rest of Us" [Heroine Sheik]
Microsoft Wants More than the Hardcore
A Game Console for the Rest of Us [The New York Times (login required)]

Tamagotchi Shop Simulation is the second biggest seller in Japan, and hey, whaddaya know, Bandai's looking for a way to cash in. The toy giant's back with new Tamagotchi toys. Last time around, the Tamas were breeding via infrared sensors. But, now the next gen toys are going to school and working. On November 23rd, the company will release Cho Jinsei (Living Life to the Fullest) Enjoy! Tamagotchi Plus.

Apparently, working and going to school equals "living life to the fullest." Way to help promote the breakdown of the family.

Tamagotchi DS game
New Tamagotchi Toy [Sankei]

I've punched and been punched. Funny thing is I don't remember it being exactly "happy." Here's a redemption game that proves me wrong. Called "Happy Punch," it's akin to the ol' swing a sledge hammer and hit the bell game. The object here is to slug a red button. The harder you punch and the higher the prize meter rises. Knock the crap outta it, and you can bag Disney goodies. Happy, happy indeed.

This machine is so pink, I worry. Let's hope it is directed at boys out to impress girls and not super-human, ass-kicking Japanese chicks out to win arcade prizes.

Good to know.