Guilt Isn't About Playtime: Why We Can't Call Ourselves "Gamers" — The Reality of "Guilt" Experienced by One in Three Women

Guilt Isn't About Playtime: Why We Can't Call Ourselves "Gamers" — The Reality of "Guilt" Experienced by One in Three Women

2025年08月30日 10:06
According to a research and commentary article published on August 28, 2025 (a contribution to The Conversation featured on Phys.org), a survey of 1,000 female gamers in the UK revealed that 29% feel guilty about spending time on gaming, and **16% keep their gaming a secret due to concern about others' perceptions. Nevertheless, 41% stated that "gaming is one of the pleasures of the day."** While female participation in gaming has increased, their self-identification as "gamers" and the sense of belonging in gaming culture remain uncertain. Phys.orgUniversity of Stirling


Research Summary: Numbers Reflecting "Feelings" and "Culture"

The survey was conducted targeting women residing in the UK (across ages) who primarily play on mobile devices. The findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal 'Sex Roles' focusing on psychology and gender studies. The survey revealed that

  • "Guilt" does not correlate with the actual amount of playtime (even strong feelings of guilt do not reduce the "amount of play").

  • Those aged 16-24 are about three times more likely to feel guilty compared to those over 55.

  • People who think "gaming is a male hobby" or feel "I am not a 'gamer'" tend to feel more guilty (on the other hand, those who believe "anyone who plays even a little is a gamer" feel 42% less guilty).

  • 75% self-identify as "casual gamers", but some of them play over an hour a day on PC/consoles, and only 16% who play over 5 hours call themselves "hardcore".
    These findings suggest that     "a sense of belonging to the culture" is key    .University of StirlingSpringerLinkPhys.org


In the background, there is a broad trend that "now 51% of women engage in some form of gaming (compared to 53% of men)," while there is a significant "imbalance" in the ratio of women depending on the genre and platform. Limited disposable time, gaming discovery experiences, and marketing biases likely contribute to the "narrow entry," leading to feelings of guilt and "inability to identify as gamers."Phys.org


Guilt Stems from Feeling "Outside the Scene" Rather than "Playing Too Much"

The study suggests that guilt is not about "reflecting on playtime" but is closely related to **feelings of "exclusion from culture" and "anxiety about identifying as a gamer."

  • The stronger guilt among younger people is considered to be due to higher sensitivity to peer pressure and evaluation, in addition to the reality that women have relatively less leisure time (due to household and caregiving responsibilities) overlapping with the social norm that "leisure should be 'productive.'"Phys.org

  • Women who feel "I don't know which game to choose" or "Is it too violent?" are more likely to feel guilty. The difficulty in accessing or finding diverse games also becomes a psychological barrier.Phys.org

  • The background of **16% keeping it "a secret"** also correlates with those who feel more anxious or depressed on social media being more likely to keep it secret.University of Stirling

Voices from Social Media and Communities: Empathy, Rejection, and Reconsideration

This topic immediately sparked discussions within the gaming community. Below are some representative reactions (summarized and excerpted).

  1. Empathy and Empowerment

  • Encouragement that "gaming is for everyone" (e.g., "Gaming’s for EVERYONE!") and the view that the rise of "cozy games" is expanding spaces for women.ResetEra

  • Some express a sense of distancing themselves, saying "the label 'gamer' itself has become toxic" ("the label has become toxic").ResetEra

  1. Criticism of Structures

  • Criticism that "the cultural norm that 'unproductive time is bad' creates guilt."ResetEra

  • Gatekeeping (attitudes that draw lines about "who is a gamer") hinders self-identification.ResetEra

  1. Skepticism Towards Survey Design

  • Criticism from a media literacy perspective that "conclusions can be guided by the design of questions."ResetEra

  1. Issues of Market and Exposure

  • Proposals for the production and distribution side to change the "discoverability" and "presentation" of works reaching women.ResetEra

Thus, empathy and support, criticism of norms/industry structures, and cautious interpretation of the survey are emerging simultaneously.


Positioning of the Research: What's New and Where Are the Limitations?

  • Novelty: The fact that guilt and secrecy have not reduced the actual playtime is significant. While there is a psychological burden, the aspect of "not being able to proudly talk about being a gamer" is more of a cultural and social issue.Phys.orgUniversity of Stirling

  • Limitations: The fact that the sample is UK-based and primarily mobile-focused women limits the scope of the results. The self-reported nature of the survey requires consideration of bias (social desirability, recall). Nonetheless, its publication in the peer-reviewed journal 'Sex Roles' indicates that the methods and statistics meet academic standards.SpringerLinkUniversity of Stirling

  • Continuity: This theme has been previously reported in academia and the press (such as press materials from 2023), and it remains a subject of long-term interest. The peer-reviewed publication provides academic backing to the discussion.Correlation Machine

So, How Can We Make It Easier to "Identify as a Gamer"?—Proposals at the Implementation Level

1) Lower the "Step" for Game Discovery

  • On the store/launcher side, initially display **exploration tags based on preferences such as "low load, non-violent, short length.".

  • Default the availability of demos and cloud trials to make the "first step" easier.

  • Incorporate "You are already a gamer" as a nudge message in the UI (visualizing self-efficacy).
    → Alleviate anxiety about "not knowing which to choose"##HTML

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