• by Shankar Gupta , October 6, 2006

Online gaming is often perceived as a predominantly male pastime, but the vast majority of active online gamers in the United States are women, according to a study released Thursday by Nielsen Entertainment.

Fully 64 percent of online gamers are women, according to Nielsen. Online gamers overall account for 56 percent of the country's 117 million total active gamers--defined as people ages 13 and up who own and personally play games on a gaming device for at least one hour a week. Overall, when all video games are considered, male players still outnumber female by more than two-to-one, the research said.

Women who play games are taking such pursuits to mobile devices. Twenty-six percent of female gamers played mobile phone games, compared to 23 percent of male gamers.

Nielsen concluded that the gaming industry would do well to develop mobile games with this split in mind. "For female mobile gamers, the industry can benefit currently by developing a unique voice that speaks to them directly, educating them about pricing while also encouraging gaming on their mobile phone."

Also bucking conceptions of gamers as universally young, the study found that 13 percent--15 million gamers--are over 45, and 21 percent are over 34. Teens still made up the largest portion of active gamers--nearly 48 million, or 41 percent.