FUNDAMENTALS OF GAME DESIGN, SECOND EDITION
Gender Inclusiveness
To attract women players, you don't have to make the game about stereotypically feminine interests such as fashion or shopping, any more than you have to make games about monster truck rallies to attract men. Rather, to make a game of interest to both sexes, you only need to avoid including material that discourages one group
or the other from playing. To make a game that both sexes will play, don't build content that will limit the interest of, or offend, either sex.
The biggest turn-offs for women are usually:
■ Hypersexualized female avatars and other characters.
■ Repetitive, monotonous play.
■ Play without a meaningful goal. Simply racking up the highest score isn't enough.
■ The solitary nature of single-player play. If you're making a single-player game, there is nothing you can do about this; it's just something to be aware of.
