In celebration of Women’s History Month, leading global mobile and PC casual game developer and publisher, GameHouse commissioned Pollfish to survey over 800 US and UK consumers aged 18 years+ through 65 years+ about their interests, hobbies and passions, and how their mobile devices factor into this.
74% of those surveyed say that they play mobile games once - several times per day; and more than 67% quoted mobile gaming as a vital part of daily ‘me time’, stress relief, relaxation and fun. In fact, when asked specifically how they like to spend their ‘me time’, across the board, women of all ages are choosing mobile gaming as a key means to relax and unwind, with almost 73% of women aged 35-44 years playing mobile games during their ‘me time’.
Simonetta Lulli Gómez, CEO, GameHouse, said, “Thanks to our unrivalled heritage of the past 25 years in the genres that women engage with the most, GameHouse aims to own the ‘Me time - Game time’ mobile gaming experience.”
She continued, “As a company we are on a mission to design around female gaming preferences and to encourage women to take their ‘me time’ and enjoy it! We believe that GameHouse’s casual mobile and PC gaming experiences, with strong relatable characters and story narrative, provide the perfect escape from day-to-day commitments, to unwind and recharge your batteries.”
Where watching TV and listening to music remain big hitters for women wanting to switch off, the research indicates that mobile gaming has also become central to their down time and entertainment. 60% of 35-44 year-olds surveyed said they enjoy spending their ‘me time’ listening to music and 20.97% doing DIY. But 33% said they favour playing games, with 25% of 45-54 year-olds and 20% of 55-64-year olds enjoying playing games in their ‘me time’. Amongst all means of relaxation and entertainment, for women aged 18 years+, overall gaming ranked the sixth most popular way to relax and unwind amongst respondents.
60% of those aged 18 years+, said they see gaming as fun, with over half valuing it as a means to ‘relieve stress’ and 39% as a means to ‘take a moment for myself’. Additionally, two thirds of women aged 18 years+ said they feel ‘relaxed’, ‘stimulated’, ‘engaged’ or ‘focused’ when on their mobile, proving that mobile provides the perfect escape from day-to-day commitments for all ages. They enjoy spending a lot of time each day gaming, with 33.22% playing several times a day and 41.04% playing once or twice per day.
Within gaming, Bubble Shooters, Puzzle, Word, Board and Collapse games ranked the highest, with 48%, 35%, 35% and 32%, respectively, playing these genres currently or over the past three months. Overall, women value the problem solving, challenge, growing and strategic thinking aspects of gaming the most. Of those surveyed, mobile remains the most popular gaming platform for women, with 42% playing games on Android and 54% on iPhone.
When asked how else they like to spend their time on mobile, respondents confirmed they like to focus on social media (76%), streaming entertainment like video and music, researching, browsing and shopping (66%) and communicating with friends and family (60%).
Mobile Gaming and ‘Me time’
Globally, almost three quarters of women are playing games in 2023. Female gamers in fact represent 48% of the global mobile gaming market; with 21% of adult mobile gamers being women aged 36 years+.
Yet women continue to feel guilty about taking ‘me time’ with 34% of respondents saying they sometimes feel guilty about taking their ‘me time’; and 15% saying they frequently or always feeling guilty taking ‘me time’, compared to just 7% of men.
Respondents stated that often they must limit ‘me time’ to a few times per week, either just before bed time or first thing in the morning, when they are ‘free of chores’ or ‘’when the husband is at work’ and ‘kids are at school’. Worse still, some don’t take it all.
46% percent of those surveyed aged 18 years+ said they feel they don’t get enough or any ‘me time’, with just 32% saying they get an average amount. Within this, 60% of 35–44-year-olds said they don’t get enough or any ‘me time’. The research shows that kids play a bigger role in when women get their me time.
Emmi Kuusikko, Head of Product Strategy, Insights and Growth, GameHouse, said, “Our research shows that women seek ‘me time’ but feel guilty about taking it and that women find mobile gaming to provide the perfect escape, a means to unwind and have fun.
She continued, “GameHouse’s ‘Me time - Game time’ campaign celebrates female gamers across the world and encourages women to claim their me time - we all need it!”
GameHouse® is strategically positioned with its puzzle, narrative and storytelling games to connect with female casual gamers that currently make up over 60% of the total players of the top 1,000 games on the Apple App Store. GameHouse mobile games are available for download on the Apple App store here and on Google Play here and its PC gameshere. Please see GameHouse for further information.
To download the “Me time - Game time” research report and live action video please see press kit Password: MeTim3!
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Notes to Editors
Press Kit - available here. Password: MeTim3!
About GameHouse
GameHouse®, a subsidiary of RealNetworks, develops and publishes immersive games that center around storytelling for iOS, Android, and PC. GameHouse® is well known for having built and created stories with unique characters and artwork that are played and loved by millions every month, like Emily's adventures in Delicious® World or Delicious® Bed & Breakfast. GameHouse® has released over 5,000 games and apps that have been used by over 250 million players in over 215 countries, making it one of the top mobile games studios targeted to female audiences in the world.