At the vast majority of tournaments out there, the guys far outnumber the girls. Why is this? I'm going to explore a few of the possibilities.

Girls and Card Games

First of all, there's the "geek factor." This isn't to say that playing makes you a geek, but that a lot of girls are either afraid of being judged if they play or stereotype the people who play as people they don't want to hang out with. On the other hand, a guys could very well feel the same way. So, while this may play a part, I don't think it's the whole reason.

Second, just a lack of real interest. When I first learned about yugioh, my thought was something to the point of "It looks like it could be fun, but I don't want to spend my money on it." A study I once saw stated that a girl is more likely to pay a reduced price for something she sort of wants and that a guy is willing to overpay for something he really wants. Applying this to yugioh, if a guy wants to play, he may be more likely to pay. If a girl wants to play, she may look at it say it costs too much - and spend her money on something else. A 2-player game that takes time to learn, costs money, and that you can't play with your friends isn't an interest.

Third, the competitive aspect of it. The idea of a competitive card game simply tends to be more appealing to guys. Personally, I feel that yugioh is somewhat like PE. The guys want to go out onto the field and hit the home run/score/win, and the girls want to chat with their friends. Competitive head-to-head hobbies (racing, sports, card games, and other contests of ego/ability) tend to attract guys more than girls.


I believe that a lot of people don't play for all of the reasons above, but that those reasons, for whatever reason, have a greater impact on girls. I also believe that they happen in the order I gave. At first thought, it's liable to be blown off as a "geeky" hobby. Next, if a friend or someone else creates some interest, the time and money needed may drive a person away. Finally, if the game becomes too much about winning and ceases to be fun, a lot of people (especially girls) may lose even more interest in it. The social aspect of it is what girls are often interested in. In general, when girls do play, they started playing because their boyfriend/friend/brother/nephew/neice/other played. Finally, the fact that so few girls play in the first place may be a factor. It can be intimidating to be outnumbered 10 to 1.

Most girls just do not like this kind of stuff. The time and money factor do not come close to the joy that yugioh has brought to me.

I agree w/ Dum Manz Groop, especialy, that the money iv put in has been worth it. Also girls, just dont normaly care about that kind of stuff. Although about a month ago at school me and a friend (hes completely nerd/geeky looking) were playing Magic The Gathering in the school library, and these 2 complete preps that were in our class were like "i wanna play" so we tought them how to play (though i dont think they ever actually understood what in gods name they were doing), but it fun watching them trash talk each other over playing a land.

But seriously, girls just dont go for that kinda thing : /. Its a very social game, but many girls dont consisder being in a room w/ a bunch of nerds (regardless of how funny we are to talk to) socializing. :confused:

I think one big part, that no one has said, was that the show probably drives most of the older people away. Because it either has to be someone you know, or the T.V. show that gets you started. And the TV show isnt really attracting to most people over the age of 11-12 (not to say thats true all of the time) and it especialy isnt something a girl would watch. For instance, i love playing yu-gi-oh, even though i dont really like the show, and i dont watch it.

But maybe one day we will have a much greater female turn out in yugioh or some other card game (please dont make a barbie doll card game >.<) but that is a story for another day.

CYA Wes

Girls are just too different from guys. We love power, control, competitive events. Girls like to be losers than with competitive guys. They like mindless chats and BS. We compete because we either want to or have to. But they constantly think for my victims (not just in Yugioh) instead like "they have their reasons too," "why are you doing this? you are mean," "if you compete, you would make the rest of the losers feel bad," "real winners don't do this, that, and ..............." Of course they don't know how it feels to be superior. I hear those on a daily basis, and that's only from my classmate.

The difference on how we talk to losers: Try to imagine the following, girls would offer external warm to the loser like "it doesn't matter if you lose, you are still a winner to me." Guys would make the loser feel burning inside like "how long are you planning to stay down? Get up! And defeat me!"


One of the reasons I think they don't like Yugioh is because of the difference of views on the same stuff.

The image in their minds about games is that unpopular guys stuffed themselves into a crowded store. Of couse now we have to define what is popular. To them, popular guys are the girly wimps that stay away from competitive events, listen to their stories about their EX, their parents, their friends, their friend's friends, their........... you get the point.

The name "yugioh" is a major turndown. Girls would turn away from the game just by hearing the stupid name. If people understand the how the game works and tried it, they would get addicted immediately. It's the urge, the intensity, the topdecking that drives us. The reason why I choose Yugioh is because there are situations when my field is wide open and I had to take a direct hit. That feeling is priceless(that's the reason i don't run Burn decks). Of course girls find that feeling hard to handle.

Girls are more interested in their General Hobbies. Shop,Clothes,Chat, all those things, most girls are not as competetive as men are. But then again....it could also be that..they dont want to hang out with people who play the game. I see girls play a lot though

hi can i duel you for fun. I like to duel you some time so plaese duel me.

do you what to be my gf and if you do be my gf plaese tell me you boose size

I am a grown women and I love to play. I guess it depends on the up-bringing of each female. Some females are very competitive. Just don't count them out. They can make the game very interesting.

Lindsay

i am 31 and i love this game. it's not about "geeks" or whatever you want to call people who play this game. in my area (Dallas), there are just regular people who attend the tournaments. yes there are some guys who would be considered "geeks". but almost all are normal everyday guys like me who find yugioh a way to relax and un-wind from a stressful work week. and yes there are a few girls who play this game. the last regionals here, i saw around 4-5 girls there who played. one one looked liked a 20 something who was pretty hot.

but the reason why girls don't play is simply the difference in the sexes. as with everything else, girls are the nurturers and feminine species. most don't find competition something that interests them. they don't want to be associated with a "guy" thing and sometimes fear ridicule from fellow girls who may see their want to be in a "guy" competiton as a sign of wierdness. most girls in the age range of 13-16 definitely are not interested att all in card games or the such. they are too interested in the next dance, the cute guy at school, hanging out at the mall shopping, etc. girls in the age range of 16-20 are more interested in the prom, homecoming, the cute guy at school, going out to a club, shopping, etc. but i find the girls (young women) 21+ are more likely to start wanting to get involved in more things than what i mentioned before. they young ladies i have seen playing yugioh are in this age range. as females get older, thier outlook on life changes. their interests and views change from when they were younger. boys don't matter (as much), going to the mall becomes less important, talking on the phone with girlfriends/boys drops dramatically. they start realizing these things are a waste of time. they begin to want to explore the world and try new things. more adult hobbies. a hobby that may have seemed interesting to her as a teenager but not enough to take up due to she was meeting her friends at the mall now seems fun enough to give a try. they realize that sometimes competiton is not just a guy thing and can ge enjoyable.

now for those guys reading this who might say "well yeah but every girl i've played yugioh against....i just whomped them right away...they suck...they were a joke"......maybe you should actually talk to her and try to help and encourage her more. if she is playing yugioh, but obviously doesn't have skill, at least you know she has the courage to try this game. you should make suggestions to improve her deck. show her strategies. practice duel with her to help her become a better duelist. cuz if a girl who is in this game feels she is no good or not skilled enough and no one takes the time to help......she will quit the game. and that's a shame cuz yugioh is a game for anyone of any gender or age.

Well, just out of curiousity, how many times did girls asked you to ditch yugioh?

more than 15 times for me.

I started Yugioh under different circumstances. I got MARRIED first!! This way my wife couldn't back out ....I became the perverbial dork after the fact!!

When we were first married I tried to teach it to her, and that quickly disseminated.

So then she had issues with my Saturdays being spent without her. I told her there was always an invitation to come along. Also, the cost of Yugioh was to hard for a female to grasp.

My Psych major tells me that she is jealous and needs a HOBBY. It's not that all of my time was spent on Yugioh...just Saturdays. We go on married dates regularly!

Now my wife is hooked on Scrapbooking!!! This way she has a hobby, she has something for Saturdays to do....and she can spend as much money as I do on Yugioh!!!!

Well at the SJC here in Houston, we had oh, roughly 3 or 4 girls playing in it I believe. The Regional the next day we had 2 girls playing, some had dropped to play in the side events.

We also have a female judge who helped to Judge the SJC, and she knew what she was talking about with rulings.

So the game is not entirely over run with guys, girls do play, but it depend on the area and the setting. I have seen atleast 2 girls at 3 different regionals here. One thing that might help the game a little more is if the male that played the game would not walk around drooling over the site of a female playing. I honestly think some girls use that as a weapon to help them beat the boys.

Yeah... I'm sure ost girls would say "My six year old brother plays that game". The show to me is a once in a while when nothing is on thing. For the most part, people think it is nerdy because there are dragons, warriors, and ect. which make it look like were stuck in fantasy. We yugioh players are not geeks... we are misjudged.

wow... there's a lot to discuss...

actually, some girls like to play. heck, some girls love to play.

the majority of them do not. the reasons that the majority doesn't are varied, but one important reason comes out, and its the same reason that a lot of you don't play Pokemon anymore: its not cool in the eyes of their friends.

first and foremost, the girls like to stick together. as pointed out above, they shop, they scope out guys, they shop, they go to lunch, they shop, they hang out, they shop, they go dancing, but most importantly the shop.

sorry, that is so steriotypical of me... :rolleyes: but in the high school and early college circles, this is very important to some.

but seriously, the second reason girls don't like to hang out at the local card shop is that they get that look from the other gamers, peering over the magazine with the half naked elvish girl strapped to a tree picture on the front. then, these same guys will ask them if they want to play a card game. or, they attempt to hit on the girls. heck, the gamers sometimes try to hit on the moms. so, moms really don't like to hang out at the store, and that's why you see a number of dads there instead (who actually turn out to be a good gamer every so once in a while).

another reason, is that if you actually get a girl to sit down and play, the other guys will come over and try to help out by reaching over they shoulder and telling them what to play, trying to sit close and saying that they'll help out, or the worst thing... trying to look down their blouse. i've been to events where at least a dozen guys are trying feverishly to get a 'peek'... at the same time. its actually quite embarrassing.

i have noticed a few things at the few places i've gone that have girls. the girls dress conservatively. no low cut blouses, no dresses, no tight fitting clothes, sometimes no makeup either. they just don't put an effort into themselves so they don't attract too much attention.

but they still do....

the problem is when they begin acting like a guy. they joke around, they throw back smart remarks to try to fit in, but unfortuately by doing so, they accidentally put down the players in such a way that the player gets embarrased in front of their other friends. then, the girl becomes the <'bad name here'>. that's terribly sad to see, since she's just trying to fit in. the guys can do it, but the girls have a different standard they have to set. when they see they've crossed a line, but cannot make things right again, since the shop is beginning to spread bad rumors of the girl, then they go away and never come back.

its pretty sad.

for most girls, showing up, trying to fit in, trying to watch what they say, watching what they wear, watching how they act, and all the other things that go along with it become so difficult that they would rather go shopping.

and we're Back to Square One.

so, when a girl comes in and tries to fit in, cut them some slack and try to act semi-normal. you may find that you see a lot more female types in your store when you do.