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This paper describes an investigation conducted into the current accessibility and allure of gaming platforms for females. In order to investigate one of the most developed areas of new media, a traditional feminist approach of explaining factors that exclude females from new media technologies was avoided in favour of a focus upon the experiences and attitudes of females who already view themselves as 'gamers'. Synonymous with 'grrl gamer' and 'game girlz' this paper uses the term 'girl gamer' to describe females who possess an aptitude for the games that currently define the contours of the gaming culture. In-depth interviews and ethnographic game-play observations conducted with a small sample revealed that 'girl gamers' possess an alternative playing orientation, style of play, the importance of cultural competency in game preference, as well as knowledge on the ways gaming is embedded in household dynamics.
Schott et al. (Fri,) studied this question.