By Jenny McBean, Insight Director and Head of Gaming at Bryter
Gaming is now the world's largest entertainment industry, with global revenues reaching $522.5 billion in 2025 - surpassing the film ($33 billion) and music ($31.7 billion) industries combined. Women make up 48% of gamers worldwide, making them a critical driver of the industry's continued growth. Yet despite their significant presence, they remain consistently underrepresented by an industry that too often fails to reflect their experiences and influence.
For the past eight years, Bryter's Women Gamers Study has tracked the behaviours, motivations and experiences of women gamers, helping developers and publishers better understand this evolving audience. In our eighth edition, we surveyed 1,015 PC and console gamers aged 16–65 across the UK and US, uncovering the statistics and trends shaping women's gaming experiences today.
Below is a preview of the insights from the Bryter Women Gamers 2025 Report, which explores how women are playing, what motivates them, and where opportunities remain for an industry seeking to better engage this growing - but still frequently overlooked - audience.
Historically, many women have been reluctant to describe themselves as "gamers". While outdated stereotypes have played a role, many women have also felt they needed to reach a certain level of skill before earning the title - often reinforced by being told they aren't "real gamers".
Encouragingly, this perception is changing. In 2019, 38% of women said they wouldn't describe themselves as a gamer. By 2025, that figure has fallen to 24%.
As gaming becomes more mainstream and representative, more women are confidently embracing the gamer identity and challenging outdated assumptions about who gamers are.
Women's gaming habits continue to diversify, with growing participation across genres that have traditionally attracted predominantly male audiences.
Since 2020, we've seen significant increases in women playing:
Greater diversity in playable characters, more inclusive game design and evolving communities have all contributed to this shift.
The data reinforces that women are far from confined to a handful of casual or “cosy” genres. As more women identify as gamers, their gaming repertoires continue to expand across competitive, creative and immersive experiences.
Correlating to changing genre trends, women’s motivations for gaming are also evolving. In 2020, gaming motivations leaned more towards mental challenge, puzzles and progression. Today, 66% of women say they seek immersive worlds and engaging stories, highlighting a growing appetite for richer, more meaningful experiences.
Social gaming has also become increasingly important. Six in ten women say gaming is an important part of their social life, demonstrating the growing role communities play in shaping the overall gaming experience.
Identity and self-expression are also becoming increasingly influential. Three in four women want the games they play to reflect who they are, whether through character customisation, personal playstyles or meaningful in-game choices. For developers and publishers, this underlines the importance of creating experiences that allow women players to express themselves in ways that feel authentic.
While progress is being made, toxicity continues to be a major issue for women in gaming. Since hitting a peak in 2022, reports of toxicity have declined by 14%, suggesting that industry efforts are beginning to have an impact. However, one in three women still experience toxicity on a regular basis, with women aged 16–24 reporting the highest levels.
Perhaps more concerning is the impact of toxicity in gaming spaces. While more than half do regularly report incidents of toxicity, one in four choose to ignore abusive behaviour altogether.
Why? Many women simply don't believe their reports will be taken seriously or that meaningful action will be taken against offenders. Until reporting systems become more trusted and consistently deliver visible consequences, many women will continue to feel that remaining silent is the easier - and safer - option.
Women are helping shape the future of gaming. They are playing across more genres, investing more deeply in gaming communities, and seeking experiences that reflect both their identities and interests.
As the audience continues to evolve, the opportunity for developers, publishers and brands is clear: those who genuinely understand women gamers - and design experiences that reflect their needs - will be best positioned to connect with one of gaming's most influential and fastest-evolving audiences.
Want to build a better understanding of key categories and target audiences? Get in touch here with one of the insights team to learn more about our gaming research methodologies and how insights can inform future development and strategies.
Read more about Bryter's Women Gamers Study across the years on our dedicated Women Gamers page.
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