Rise of the women gamers

A December 23, 2008 BBC News Technology item:

The virtual battle of the sexes
By Tamsin Osborne
BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7796482.stm

is the latest in a number of articles I've seen lately that document that video games aren't just for the Elf Lord in his bachelor pad.

According to Ms. Osborne,

But this stereotype has been challenged by a study investigating gender differences among gamers.

It found that the most hard-core players are female, that gamers are healthier than average, and that game playing is an increasingly social activity.

Despite gaming being seen as a male activity, female players now make up about 40% of the gaming population.

One possible problem with this study is that it only looked at one online game - EverQuest II. But this finding is in keeping with my own experience. Many of the folks I know who play World of Warcraft, EverQuest and who participate in Second Life are female.

Does this statistic translate in your library gaming events, if you have them? Let us know your experience in a comment.