Although there is still a distinct lack of women in the Web3 sector, blockchain-based games geared towards women may help drive inclusivity. A recent report by the Entertainment Software Association found that 48% of gamers in the United States identify as female. It has also been noted that nearly half of all gamers in the world are women. The attention that women have received in the billion dollar gaming industry is noteworthy. This, along with the exponential growth that the GameFi industry expects, is the main reason why a number of Web3 games are designed specifically for female users.
Beryl Lee Chavez, co-founder of Yield Guild Games — a global gaming community for earning play — told Cointelegraph that she believes that blockchain-based games like Axie Infinity are starting to see an uptick in female gamers. “Although statistics show that play-to-win games attract more male users, we believe that more women will start to become interested,” she said.
Finance and Web3 gaming are closely related, Yat Siu, co-founder and CEO of Animoca Brands, told Cointelegraph, noting that over time, this will naturally draw all kinds of people into the space. However, he believes that women, in particular, will be attracted given their tendency to be more financially responsible. “This is particularly evident in developing countries where microfinance and microcredit in particular are mostly led by women,” he noted.
Web3 games include features to attract women
A number of Web3 games are coming to fruition with the goal of attracting a predominantly female audience. For example, Fashion League is a free-to-play mobile game that allows users to develop their own fashion empire. Teresia Le Battistini, CEO and founder of Fashion League, told Cointelegraph that the game allows users to create virtual clothing lines that can eventually be sold as non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, while brands can leverage the game to showcase digital products: “We believe it will transform It’s all to gaming in the future, as our stats find that the gaming market will exceed $300 billion by 2027. Web3 games must be inclusive.”
Le Battistini explained that to drive female participation, the Fashion League has certain features that naturally attract women. “The aesthetics of the game are important, along with the fact that it will be available first on mobile devices. Women love to play games on mobile, as there is a low barrier to entry.” Recent statistics say that 62% of people install a game on their phone within a week of owning it. Furthermore, these results indicate that the current gender split in mobile gaming is 51% for women and 49% for men. In terms of aesthetics, a report from The Female Quotient found that this is the most important factor in attracting women to the Web3 space.
Fashion league avatars. Source: Fashion League
Lee Chavez, who serves on the Fashion League’s advisory board, noted that many Web3 games focus on first- and third-person shooters, but lack creativity. She noted that the Fashion League encourages individuals to create digital items, which can eventually evolve into sellable NFTs. “We are enabling the creator economy with a fun game. The more users play, the more points they can earn. In-game cash can then be exchanged for tokens that can be converted into fiat currency.” Chavez Lee also mentioned that players can compete and interact with each other during events such as fashion shows, adding a layer of socialization to the game.
In addition to Fashion League, Mishi McDuff, founder of digital fashion brand House of Blueberry, told Cointelegraph that the company has launched a 3D boutique shopping experience on the Roblox gaming platform. Known as “BlueberryXWorld,” McDuff explained that the Web3 game was designed to create a fun and safe environment for players to explore their digital identity:
Avatars can browse the two-story Blueberry store and try on clothing and accessories. The sleek lines and silhouettes of the collections are paired with flints like mini skirts, crop tops, and metallic party tops, along with fun accessories like cat backpacks. Plus, a variety of avatars are available. Hairstyles for further personalization.”
Like Fashion League, BlueberryXWorld is created entirely by female designers and developers. While McDuff noted that the game can be enjoyed by all, she believes this element ensures that female creators are able to have their views heard. She explained, “In most traditional games, you see women represented in an unrealistic way: no cellulite, no stretch marks, no body fat. Our avatars have love handles and stretch marks and all the other things that make us human.”
