Hrmmm- well my wife in particular did buy (and plays every day) her 3ds - so that *is* a console - unfortunately due to a wrist problem most console controllers are painful for her to use for extended periods of time - so she uses her computer because the keyboard/mouse combo doesn't cause her wrist pain.

Considering that over 1/2 the games she plays (batman, dead space, tomb raider, etc.) were multiplats - (and honestly considering that most games are multiplat and include PC) I don't see your point.

Outside of nintendo and 100% exclusives that were made by the company in question (hello uncharted) games aren't limited to 'consoles' anymore.  I just don't see what difference it makes that these games are played on a computer vs console - this isn't a "PC master race" issue or a graphics battle - this is just flat out the same game being played on a different system - because it's enjoyable - at that point you need to put away the 'console or GTFO' attitude and realize that these women I know who play primarily on the PC can't just be ignored when it comes to a game market. Or is this an example of moving the bar - first it's 'they only play phone games' then it's 'well they aren't on consoles so...' 

WTF are the females playing?
You would figure at 44% I would have ran into a few of them on Destiny, COD or BF.
Wonder if the preorder pick up line at GameStop for The Witcher 3 will be 44% female and 56% male?

my ex wife has never played a console game, your wife has playe a console game-  so what is your point

I think he is differentiating between console/console type games V  mobile/phone tpye games   I think most would agree the demographics of those who primarily play games like GTA, COD etc (on a console or pc) are going to greatly differ fro those who primarily play games like Candy Crush, solitaire  and Flappy bird on mobile/phone and/or facebook on pc)

the definition of "gamer" was not articulated in the study but it seemed to infer that someone like my 70+ year old mom may be included in it because she has played solitaire on her PC and played a few educational  mobile apps w her 4 year old grand daughter

Sure I can buy that - my original response what to the person who didn't know any women who played 'real games' - I offered up that in my (admittedly limited) group of friends I know several who are all in the 30-40 age range - that play 'real games' although not on a console (defined as gaming only box).

I didn't infer anything from the unarticulated definition of gamer - it seems like as much a jump to conclude it means people who have played solitaire as it does to say it means only people who play call of duty.  The response you quoted is more to the point that thinking people who play PC only aren't 'real gamers' and those who make games for consoles shouldn't value them as customers.  I'll agree the overlap between people who may have only played candy crush or some other phone app and someone who games as a hobby (be it handheld (3ds or vita, etc) or console or PC) really shouldn't overlap - I do agree that the statistics should be broken down a bit more to show the separations.  There is no evidence of this being done in the study, however it still takes a giant leap to assume that all the female participation originates from casual/mobile only games.

I would be curious to know the breakdown by sex of console/pc gamers only for the simple fact that my own experience shows more women prefer PC's to consoles specifically - I think the overlap of what games they play on that platform would shock most people on these forums though.

well said -  The way the study uses the word "gamer"  with little definition causes many people to automatically or even subconsciously insert their own defintion of "gamer"   That is what it seem to me from reading many of  the responses-  IMO that is what the ESA prob wanted given it is in their memberships benifit to show a significantly growing base of "gamers" both in total numbers but in diversity as well

What gets me is the percentage of gamers that drops from age 18-35 to 36-49. It takes a 13 percent drop. Then from age 50 it takes a hike back up to 27percent. What happens when you get to 36 do large proportion of gamers suddenly say ,NO ,No more gaming ,not till I'm 50..

Well i know it didn't happen to me when i reached 36.

There's all these gamers out there at age 36 just stop gaming , if it's true maybe that's the age group games companies need to aim to. We need to get them back.. Fourteen years without playing a game.. what are they all in asylums in straight jackets.

There are huge amounts of female gamers on Nintendo systems.. Their Miiverse social network really shows how diverse gaming really is. The other two systems just don't have that kind of portal.

Females are playing all sorts of games, from games like Darksiders,Mario 3D world, Tomadachi Life,Animal Crossong New Leaf is huge with the female market. Plus Females like RPG where they can create their own characters and wander of..

Also mobile/Tablets  has brought a lot of female gamers to the hobby. We have to come to terms guys ,The Females are here to stay.. I don't mind. well i do when they beat the living daylights out of me on Tekken Tag 2 though..

Did I mention anything about PC?  No. 

Putting Facebook and Smartphone gamers in the same category as other gamers is like putting Toyota Prius buyers in the same category as Dodge Viper SRT buyers.

Sure they are both cars, but it incredibly skews the results.

Ive never seen anyone complain about having more women gamers-  the question is how "gamer" is defined in the survey and how much the stats might change depending on the defintion of "gamer" actually used-  So i m not sure who it is that needs to "come to terms"?