Women lead in opting for gaming as career: HP report

A report by Hewlett-Packard has revealed that women lead men in in opting a career in gaming and willingness to spend on a gaming PC.

It said that 96 per cent of women in their preference of gaming to reduce stress and inducing positive feelings, while it is 94 per cent in the case of men. Also, women are more willing to buy a gaming PC priced over Rs one lakh across South India and Bengaluru (51 per cent) shows high willingness to invest over Rs one lakh in gaming PCs.

The HP India Gaming Landscape Report 2021 highlights the growing preference for PC gaming with 88 per cent of gamers surveyed believing that PCs offers a better gaming experience than a smartphone. More importantly, 37 per cent of the surveyed mobile gamers wish to migrate to PC gaming for a better gaming experience. This trend is significantly evident across South India, especially in cities such as Kochi, Bengaluru, Coimbatore, Hyderabad and Chennai. The report also highlights a growing preference for gaming as a career option, with women showing a stronger affinity towards it.

The report said that in South India, gaming has emerged as a career option with 83 per cent respondents considering gaming as a viable career option. Women lead men with 84 per cent in expressing a desire to pursue gaming as a career, followed by 82 per cent of male respondents.

Gamers across Coimbatore (94 per cent), Hyderabad (90 per cent) and Kochi (89 per cent) have displayed a higher affinity for gaming as a career option.

According to the HP study, 94 per cent respondents across South India agree that gaming helps reduce stress and induce positive feelings. Women are leading this shift in perceptions around gaming in recent times, calling it out as a key to relieve stress, improve cognitive skills and mental wellbeing.

Around 94 per cent of female respondents believe that gaming is the best source of relaxation and recreation, as compared to male respondents (92 per cent).

Additionally, 93 per cent of female respondents believe gaming helps reduce work/ study pressure, as against 92 per cent of male respondents. Around 96 per cent female respondents also feel that gaming helps reduce stress and induces positive feelings, as against 94 per cent male respondents.

As per the survey, Hyderabad (99 per cent), Chennai (97 per cent) and Coimbatore (94 per cent) are more accepting in gaming as a stress reliever.

Nitish Singal, Head, Personal Systems (Consumer), HP India, said: " In the last 18 months, the Covid-19 pandemic has caused lot of stress for us but it’s heartening to see gaming helping people to manage their stress and help them connect with their friends and families remotely. Across demography, users are taking gaming more seriously and considering it as a viable professional avenue. We’re excited to see this positive sentiment for PC gaming industry and believe we are at an interesting growth phase for the PC market in India.”

Gamers from Kochi and Bengaluru are most willing to spend above Rs 1,00,000; whereas gamers from Chennai, Hyderabad, and Coimbatore prefer spending between Rs 50,000 and Rs 1,00,000 on gaming PCs.