They’re for men

A PEW Research Center survey, published in December, says 60 percent of those polled believe “most people who play video games are men”.

Top-selling games such as and tend to be marketed to men and almost three times as many men describe themselves as “gamers” (15 percent of men compared with 6 percent of women).

The latest data from the Entertainment Software Association, the lobbying arm of the video-game industry, does indicate that the majority of players – 60 percent – are men.

But that still leaves a sizeable percentage of female players.

There are also more women older than 18 who play video games than boys younger than 18 who play; women 50 and older are more likely than their male counterparts to play.

And men and women say they’ve never played a video game in almost equal numbers.

A Pew Research Center survey published last August found that nearly 60 percent of teenage girls play video games on a computer, console or cellphone.

One reason these players aren’t noticed: almost half these girls never play online games and a quarter of them play alone, never in the physical presence of another person.

Only 28 percent of the girls who play video games online use voice chat to talk to other players. More than 70 percent of teenage boys who play online talk.

PICTURE: NEWSCOM CHILD’S PLAY: After a review of research, the American Psychological Association called for less violence in video and computer games for children. However, a study found that a month of steady, intensive play did not increase aggressive behaviour.