ABSTRACT
Since the late 1990s, we have witnessed some remarkable changes in the fi eld of digital games. The most obvious one concerns the move of digital games into mainstream entertainment. People of all ages and backgrounds, and not just young boys and men, can be seen playing digital games. New gaming formats and platforms have expanded participation into mobile, massive online, and alternative reality gaming anytime, anywhere, and with anyone. Equally important is the recognition of digital games for their educational benefi ts amplifi ed by the creation of the serious games1 movement. But arguably one of the most signifi cant changes has been the increased presence of girls and women as gamers. Industry reports (Entertainment Software Association [ESA], 2006) list over 40% of women as gamers with casual gamers consisting of over 70% of women players.
