Women's RPGs?

Demonoid · September 19, 2008, 03:27:39 AM

This may be an odd question, but I was curious having just seen so much about "Women's issues" and such.

Has there ever been a rpg marketed to female gamers? Like a game "By women, for women" or something like that?

I can't ever remember hearing of one, and wondered if there ever had been one.

I've seen a lot of book lines and other media aimed at the female market, so it just made me wonder if the rpg field had ever tried it.

I don't need or want stupid, snarky answers, just a basic "yes" or No" will do fine.

The Yann Waters · September 19, 2008, 04:36:59 AM

There have been a few games marketed specifically to women, yes. Unfortunately, all such efforts (at least all that I can think of right now) tend to fall into the "girls like pink ponies" camp and assume that women are looking for completely different things in an RPG than men.

Saphim · September 19, 2008, 07:42:21 AM

Vampire is pretty blatantly aimed at the female market segment and enjoys huge popularity with my female players, so at least around here, the aiming is working.

Age of Fable · September 19, 2008, 07:54:26 AM

I think Blue Rose was.

Age of Fable · September 19, 2008, 08:00:56 AM

I think Blue Rose was intended to be more appealing to women than other RPGs, if not aimed at women exclusively.

noisms · September 19, 2008, 08:01:40 AM

Quote from: GrimGent;249263There have been a few games marketed specifically to women, yes. Unfortunately, all such efforts (at least all that I can think of right now) tend to fall into the "girls like pink ponies" camp and assume that women are looking for completely different things in an RPG than men.

You're trying to pretend girls don't like pink ponies?

The Yann Waters · September 19, 2008, 08:16:56 AM

Quote from: noisms;249273You're trying to pretend girls don't like pink ponies?

Some do. So do some guys. It varies. But basing a marketing campaign on the curious notion that all women or men must be alike in their tastes or preferences is pretty much doomed to failure. For instance, the various games out there that have been influenced by shoujo anime (like Sailor Moon RPG, HeartQuest, or even Maid) could perhaps be expected to appeal to a female audience, but there's no doubt that they also have their fair share of male players as well.

But hey, when you get right down to it, who doesn't like ponies?

Age of Fable · September 19, 2008, 08:19:33 AM

According to amazon.com, people who look at Blue Rose go on to buy

Blue Rose (51%)
Naughty but Dice: an Adult Gamers' Guide to Sexual Situations (26%), or
The Book of Erotic Fantasy (23%).

Which makes me think of some guy going "OK, I'll reel them in with Blue Rose - then, when the time is right..."

The Yann Waters · September 19, 2008, 08:37:25 AM

Quote from: Age of Fable;249278Naughty but Dice: an Adult Gamers' Guide to Sexual Situations (26%), or
The Book of Erotic Fantasy (23%).

Well, most of the material in those two books was at least written by women, although not exclusively for women. In a recent trainwreck of a thread elsewhere, the author of Naughty and Dice dropped by to caution the developer of a hentai website that he was making "smut in gaming" look bad, if memory serves me right.

gleichman · September 19, 2008, 09:37:47 AM

Quote from: noisms;249273You're trying to pretend girls don't like pink ponies?

Jkim seems fond of them, at least if they have horns.

Koltar · September 19, 2008, 09:39:42 AM

Based on what I see at the store the two most popular games with women are DUNGEONS & DRAGONS and RIFTS, with maybe GURPS coming in a close 3rd place.

Whats really interesting (maybe unusual) we're starting to get women gamers who are trying, then playing WARHAMMER 40K on our terrain tables. They seem to get a kick out of beating the guys at the game. (doesn't happen every game)

- Ed C.

gleichman · September 19, 2008, 09:40:53 AM

Quote from: Saphim;249268Vampire is pretty blatantly aimed at the female market segment and enjoys huge popularity with my female players, so at least around here, the aiming is working.

That was always my impression.

My own campaigns seem popular with women, almost always across the decades have had a good percentage of female players (1/3 to 1/2). But those aren't "aimed" at them as such.

ConanMK · September 19, 2008, 09:53:16 AM

Just curious... Are there any RPGs written primarily or exclusively by women?

I can't think of any off the top of my head, but there must be at least several out there.

The Yann Waters · September 19, 2008, 09:59:48 AM

Quote from: ConanMK;249314Just curious... Are there any RPGs written primarily or exclusively by women?

Cartoon Action Hour by Cynthia Celeste Miller, Breaking the Ice by Emily Care Boss, and Nobilis by Rebecca Borgstrom are the first ones that come to mind. The production teams for any number of other RPG books also include women, of course, but those are written by single authors.

Jason Morningstar · September 19, 2008, 09:59:54 AM

Quote from: ConanMK;249314Just curious... Are there any RPGs written primarily or exclusively by women?

Anything by Emily Care Boss, Meg Baker, Julia Ellingboe, Willow Palecek, or any other female game designer. Lisa J. Steele's written a bunch of stuff for GURPS. Off the top of my head.