Latina Gamers Are Speaking Out, Move Over Guys

Picture it in your mind. Someone is furiously tapping buttons on a video game controller, as the characters roam on-screen running, jumping and navigating the course.

Well, what did you picture? Most people would say a young male — but a crop of women gamers say they’ve been there all along and are rapidly becoming part of, and being sought by, the video game industry.

“We’ve been getting more females playing games,” says Maria Vargas, a blogger by the name of La Chica Gamer, who is pursuing a career in video games and is currently attending Inter-American University in Puerto Rico to receive a degree in computer engineering specializing in software. “The video game industry is realizing games for women don’t have to be brain games or puzzle games.”

In fact, The “Need for Speed” franchise by Electronic Arts (EA), which has sold 100 million games in more than 60 countries over an 18-year span, featured Latina race car driver Glory Fernández for the launch of “Need for Speed: Most Wanted” in 2012. “EA’s Need for Speed franchise has been a favorite among Latinos for years,” says Susana Núñez who works in public relations and was involved with the campaign for EA. “However, it wasn’t until last year that EA really celebrated their connection with their Latino – and Latina – fans by partnering with Glory Fernández.”

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