As I've mentioned before my guilty pleasure with video games is The Sims. I recently had an article in my feed celebrating the fact that a recent survey showed that The Sims audience was 60% female. That doesn't surprise me, because I think a game like the Sims is a type of genre that would appeal to more women, but good grief am I sick and tired of the double standard!
The same old story. If women enjoy a game it is cause for celebration, but if men enjoy a game then they are evil and are keeping women out. Part of the reason I stopped getting gaming magazines (been reading them since the days of Nintendo Power) was because I got sick and tired of every other issue having some article about some poor woman who was told mean words when she was playing online or the millionth article about a female developer because we have to be constantly reminded there are women who are in the gaming business.
I will forever rue the day that the gaming industry took seriously the garbage that Zoe Quinn and Anita Sarkisian spew out. I guess it was somewhat satisfying when Anita got upset about a race swapped Buffy reboot, because when it is something she likes it isn't ok to crap all over it.
I see the sims as more of a virtual dollhouse than a game, personally, but that's more a technical definition thing than a put down. it can be fun, and that's what matters. If people give you shit for that, then in the immortal words of Richard Pryor, "Fuck em."
As for the AAA market chasing a phantom audience, I wouldn't lose hope. The more they cater to non-gamers and ignore their loyal fanbases, the more independent developers will rise to fill that hole in the market.
I wont lie to you, a lot of the indie scene is garbage, but you get some gems now and again. Look at scott cawthon for crying out loud. Maybe FNAF isn't your thing, but you can't deny the game made an impact. Hell, look at the Slender series or the stuff put out by Chillas Art.
...and smaller studios are making ambitious games as well. Ark, Satisfactory, Oxygen Not Included, etc. didn't come from the biggest names in the Biz, but they're still fun games as well.
edit: forgot to add the following
The beauty of Capitalism, warts aside, is as long as there's a demand, someone can and usually will supply the product.
Thanks! I’ll check out some Indie stuff
No problem. Like I said, there's a lot of garbage, but you can find good stuff, lol.