The perception that video games are just for kids, particularly young males, continues to be destroyed by the evidence. The numbers cited above show that adults are more likely to play more hours than teens. In addition, the CEA study found that women far outnumber males among game players between the ages of 25 and 34. Sixty-five percent of women in that age group play video games while only 35 percent of men do.

Apparently, women gamers between 25 and 34 far outnumber men because of the rise of online gaming. Females are less interested in sophisticated console games, but they do like simpler games such as Solitaire or Tetris, which often are available for free online at web portals like Yahoo and AOL. Koenig says the online games are also less violent and competitive than their console counterparts, an important factor for female players.

Microsoft’s Xbox Live Arcade recently added several simpler game titles to appeal to this growing segment.