Girls' video games facts for kids

"Girls' video games" were a special type of video game. They were made mostly for young girls in the 1990s. During this time, many game makers tried to create games just for girls. They felt that the video game world mostly focused on boys' interests. This effort was called the "girls' games movement."

Exploring Girls' Video Games

What Was the Girls' Games Movement?

In the 1990s, many video game companies noticed something important. Most video games were made for boys. They saw that girls didn't have many games designed just for them. So, these companies decided to create games specifically for young girls. This big push to make games for girls became known as the "girls' games movement." It was a time when developers tried to offer more choices for female players.

Purple Moon and "Purple Games"

One famous company that made games for girls was Purple Moon. It started in 1995. Purple Moon created a series of games about growing up. These games featured a teenager named Rockett Movado.

Purple Moon's games were often called "purple games." This name came from how they were made. The company did a lot of research. They studied what young girls liked and what their interests were. Then, they used this information to design their games.

Why Were "Purple Games" Criticized?

The "purple games" often focused on things like gossip, friendships, and makeup. These were seen as typical interests for girls at the time. However, some people thought these games were too narrow. They felt the games might make girls think they should only be interested in certain things. These critics believed the games were too focused on stereotypes.

Despite the effort, Purple Moon's games did not sell very well. In 1999, a toy company called Mattel bought Purple Moon.

Preserving Girls' Game History

Even though these games didn't last long, their history is important. An organization called the FEMICOM Museum works to keep these games alive. It was started in 2012. The museum wants people to learn about these unique games. They also want to show how they fit into video game history. In 2015, a special event at the IndieCade Festival talked about the history of these games.