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British women in 2017 are spending a month of every year playing videogames, according to new research.
Researchers from Guinness World Records 2017 (Gamer’s Edition) have revealed that the average woman spends up to 12 hours a week playing games on their mobiles and consoles. The former is more of a time-sink, says the research, with women spending an average of eight hours a week playing mobile games like Candy Crush, Words With Friends and Fallout Shelter.
The survey, which was undertaken by 1,500 women, found that two fifths said that gaming is theraputic, and over a quarter said they get a ‘genuine buzz’ when they successfully complete a level or score sought after points or rewards.
On average, British women have over five gaming apps downloaded to their mobile devices and they dedicate 15 per cent of every day to playing games and puzzles. Eight in ten prefer to game on their own, but 18 per cent regularly play with their other half, and 44 per cent have said that gaming together has brought them closer in their relationship.
However, there is fierce rivalry between couples with over two thirds (68 per cent) of females claiming they are far superior than their partner when it comes to gaming.
Phoenix Perry, Lecturer in Computing at Goldsmiths, University of London said: "As someone who works in computing and video game development, these figures do not come as a surprise to me. I regularly work with female gamers who will often describe the therapeutic effect of playing and the buzz of succeeding in a game. And of course, it goes without saying that I very much enjoy the experience myself.
“I am a passionate advocate for women in gaming and the tech industry in general, and my work constantly looks for opportunities to bring people together to raise awareness of our collective interconnectivity.
“Studies like this show that the appeal of gaming is anything but exclusive to men, and that can only be a good thing."
More than two thirds (67 per cent) of the 1,000 girls polled said their favourite type of game was a puzzle or pattern game and the most popular place to play was when in bed (54 per cent). Candy Crush emerged as the top game played by the nation’s female gamers, followed by Angry Birds and Temple Run.
Just over a third (34 per cent) said their go-to place to game was on a bus or train and more than one in ten (11 per cent) even get tapping away on their smartphone while in work. However, 23 per cent claim their boss has caught them engrossed in an online game once or twice, but a sneaky 77 per cent said they play discreetly so that colleagues think they are working.
Interestingly, 28 per cent of the females polled think they are a calmer individual since they started gaming and a quarter reckon they have better reflexes. Nearly a third (31 per cent) felt gaming was the best way to get some ‘me time’.
But more than one in ten (11 per cent) female gamers said their kids are constantly nagging them to get off their phone and to stop playing games. How the times have changed!
TOP 20 MOST POPULAR GAMES (VOTED BY WOMEN)
1. Candy crush
2. Angry birds
3. Temple run
4. Fruit Ninja
5. Words with friends
6. Cut the rope
7. Subway surfers
8. Flappy Bird
9. Despicable Me: Minion Rush
10.Clash of Clans
11.QuizUp
12.Doodle jump
13.Draw me
14.Crossy Road
15.Lara Croft GO
16.Clash Royale
17.Fifa mobile
18.Fallout shelter
19.Real Racing
20.Kingdom Rush
