# Why are males better at competitive gaming? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [May 1, 2010, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-males-better-at-competitive-gaming/537944 "2010-05-01T04:39:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-males-better-at-competitive-gaming/537944/21 "2010-05-01T18:33:31Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > Did you read my OP? I knew a lot of females who played WoW _constantly_ but were still bad at PvP, although I’m willing to acknowledge that if you break it down into “male vs. female players” and then “male ‘hardcore’ players vs. female ‘hardcore’ players” you are going to get an even bigger gap. I don’t play WoW at all, so I have no insight here. The competitive games I play are mostly FPSs. > [@Guy](#): > > But I still don’t accept the fact that the percentages of skilled players are the same. It’s just not true. I don’t have hard data to back it up (but neither do you), but my experience encompasses a pretty damn large sample size. And if you want to say “but how do you know the genders of people playing?” well - when you play all day every day you get to know the people you are playing with. You talk about the key players on not just your server but in your battlegroup (servers you compete with), you talk to them on the forums, and you learn things about these people. Most people have mics, and if they don’t, their genders still become known at some point. And among our battlegroup there was exactly _one_ female player who was competitive in the upper echelon of the arena circuit (and she happened to be my 2v2 partner. A little Asian chick who was an awesome druid), despite the countless female players who just couldn’t hack it. When I used to play Halo online, whenever I heard a chick on the mic, it was typically moments before I had an energy sword stuck up my ass. No, I don’t suck at games. Maybe the only chicks who were willing to wade into the hell that is Xbox LIVE were the ones who were good enough to kick ass? I don’t know. But I certainly saw more competitive play from females than you seem to be seeing. Maybe it’s the difference between FPSs and MMOs. You could argue that MMOs require more intelligence and obviously men have the advantage there. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-males-better-at-competitive-gaming/537944/22 "2010-05-01T18:37:38Z")
But basically what I’m saying is, if you were to poll everyone who plays WoW, a much higher number of the male players would also play other games while a significant number of the female players weren’t really gamers and were into a more relaxed experience. An ex of mine used to be addicted to WoW- again, I’ve never played it, but I’m pretty sure maxing out a character’s level in a week is good and apparently she did that with a bunch of characters for her guild or whatever. But she sucked at PvP and sucked at most other competitive games. What other games **did** she play? Surprise surprise. Turn based RPGs. ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-males-better-at-competitive-gaming/537944/23 "2010-05-01T18:59:48Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > You’re rolling your eyes at me for being skeptical at your rather bold claim? The reason I can’t buy it is because while the gender gap is fairly large in say, FPS games, it’s not that large for WoW (there are a ton of female players on there). Yet they still virtually all sucked at high-end arena PvP. Virtually all WoW players **in general** suck at high-end arena PvP. I’ve played a lot of WoW too, and got into raiding. I generally didn’t PvP because it just wasn’t as good as cooperative play, in my opinion - after many a try, let me tell you. Very very few WoW players are high level PvPers; should it really be surprising that even fewer of them are women? There are lots of women who play WoW, but it’s still nowhere near 50%, especially with hardcore players. Besides, if reaction time was the issue, how would women be present in raid guilds? Reflexes are an issue in difficult raids. You seem to be making some really sweeping judgements about women based on your personal experience with WoW PvP. Let me tell you, as a female who plays lots of competitive games, the biggest boundaries to women being interested are social, not physical. I’ve never had a hard time competing with male players who put in similar time investitures, and I don’t know any women who have. You could just as soon make the assumption that women who play games just do it to care for other people and nurture them because you see a lot of women playing priests and druids, or that men are naturally sneaky and devious because you see that most rogues are men. But it’s ignoring the social elements involved. Anyway, if you doubt my reflexes, come play TF2 with me sometime. I won’t say I’m top-tier competition ready, but good enough to hold my own with most classes. (I favor Engineers, Pyros, Snipers, Soldiers, and Medics, and am less skilled at Demomen, Scouts, and Spies; what does that mean about female gamers? Nothing!) ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-males-better-at-competitive-gaming/537944/24 "2010-05-01T19:08:51Z")
Just to clarify: I play a lot of FPSes and other competitive games as well. It’s just that I mentioned WoW because of the relatively high number of female players there, but you make a valid point about how they’re attracted to it without necessarily being into other games (like FPSes). Also the community aspect I mentioned meant I was more sure of the genders of people I played against. In Halo, I still feel like every time I hear a girl with a mic and look at the scoreboard at the end she ends up being terrible - but who knows how many play that don’t have mics? I still have my doubts about your claim, but without some sort of scientific study (and I really doubt there is one) I guess we’re not going to be able to settle this point. And **fluid** , I don’t play TF2 but if you play Halo at all I’d love to play you. Or **AClockwork** , since you did mention Halo. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Palooka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/palooka/32/2902_2.png) [@Palooka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palooka)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-males-better-at-competitive-gaming/537944/25 "2010-05-01T19:30:48Z")
> [@Shalmanese](#): > > Males are better at competitive everything. Even in sports which are 90% female and don’t rely on brute strength or skill like equestrian, men are still better. Whatever the reason for this is, is your answer. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-males-better-at-competitive-gaming/537944/26 "2010-05-01T19:42:21Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > Just to clarify: I play a lot of FPSes and other competitive games as well. It’s just that I mentioned WoW because of the relatively high number of female players there, but you make a valid point about how they’re attracted to it without necessarily being into other games (like FPSes). Also the community aspect I mentioned meant I was more sure of the genders of people I played against. > > In Halo, I still feel like every time I hear a girl with a mic and look at the scoreboard at the end she ends up being terrible - but who knows how many play that don’t have mics? I still have my doubts about your claim, but without some sort of scientific study (and I really doubt there is one) I guess we’re not going to be able to settle this point. > > And **fluid** , I don’t play TF2 but if you play Halo at all I’d love to play you. Or **AClockwork** , since you did mention Halo. 🙂 [Oh? Are you guys on Live anymore? If so, it’s time to get your beating.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=471159&highlight=sdmb+gamertag) ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-males-better-at-competitive-gaming/537944/27 "2010-05-01T19:43:50Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > In Halo, I still feel like every time I hear a girl with a mic and look at the scoreboard at the end she ends up being terrible - but who knows how many play that don’t have mics? I still have my doubts about your claim, but without some sort of scientific study (and I really doubt there is one) I guess we’re not going to be able to settle this point. Nothing is stopping you or us from doing a study. Sure, it won’t be the most professional and it won’t be recognized anywhere but it might settle the issue for us. Make a new thread and come up with some sort of testing criteria. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-males-better-at-competitive-gaming/537944/28 "2010-05-01T19:44:50Z")
As for you guys who are on Live- I don’t have an Xbox anymore, unfortunately. And I won’t until I get money. But feel free to add me as a friend: AClockworkMelon. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-males-better-at-competitive-gaming/537944/29 "2010-05-01T19:56:47Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > [Oh? Are you guys on Live anymore? If so, it’s time to get your beating.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=471159&highlight=sdmb+gamertag) Haha, you know what? I friended “aaa SDMB” a while ago but forgot about it and didn’t actually check the list. Which one are you? I’m online now as GloriousKZ. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-males-better-at-competitive-gaming/537944/30 "2010-05-01T19:57:23Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > As for you guys who are on Live- I don’t have an Xbox anymore, unfortunately. And I won’t until I get money. But feel free to add me as a friend: AClockworkMelon. Money fail. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-males-better-at-competitive-gaming/537944/31 "2010-05-01T19:58:44Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > Haha, you know what? I friended “aaa SDMB” a while ago but forgot about it and didn’t actually check the list. Which one are you? I’m online now as GloriousKZ. Phil Addio. I am, however, contemplating changing it back to a derivative of “Dixon Tufar”, which it originally was. I’ve got some brand knowledge to maintain. I’ve been trying to get my Halo legs back under me in time for the Beta, so if you’ll ever have a chance, it’s now. ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-males-better-at-competitive-gaming/537944/32 "2010-05-01T20:01:11Z")
> [@fluiddruid](#): > > Anyway, if you doubt my reflexes, come play TF2 with me sometime. I won’t say I’m top-tier competition ready, but good enough to hold my own with most classes. (I favor Engineers, Pyros, Snipers, Soldiers, and Medics, and am less skilled at Demomen, Scouts, and Spies; what does that mean about female gamers? Nothing!) Do you play TF2 on a computer? If so we should get in contact, it’s just about the only game I play now-a-days and I suck so badly at it that being in contact with good players won’t hurt. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-males-better-at-competitive-gaming/537944/33 "2010-05-01T20:05:42Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > Money fail. Yup. Unemployed despite my best efforts. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-males-better-at-competitive-gaming/537944/34 "2010-05-01T20:14:06Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > Yup. Unemployed despite my best efforts. Economy-sized fail. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-males-better-at-competitive-gaming/537944/35 "2010-05-01T20:23:49Z")
> [@Fake\_Tales\_of\_San\_Francisco](#): > > Of all the games I’ve played, none of them have had any obvious way to find out for certain what the gender of my opponent is. Of those that extensively use microphones, I rarely actually hear female voices. On the odd occasion that I do, they are harassed constantly by the male gamers. [hijack] Which is why I never speak on TS: even when they may think it’s flirting, or supposed to be flattering, having eight guys go “oooOOOO, speak again, say something!” when I just pointed out a possible tweak to our strategy isn’t what I call a desirable result. [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-males-better-at-competitive-gaming/537944/36 "2010-05-01T20:29:50Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > [hijack] > Which is why I never speak on TS: even when they may think it’s flirting, or supposed to be flattering, having eight guys go “oooOOOO, speak again, say something!” when I just pointed out a possible tweak to our strategy isn’t what I call a desirable result. > [/hijack] Meh, I hear females on mics all the time and I’ve never seen anything like this. I don’t doubt it happens but people seem to be exaggerating the degree that it does. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-males-better-at-competitive-gaming/537944/37 "2010-05-01T20:34:45Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > > [@Nava](#): > > > > Which is why I never speak on TS: even when they may think it’s flirting, or supposed to be flattering, having eight guys go “oooOOOO, speak again, say something!” when I just pointed out a possible tweak to our strategy isn’t what I call a desirable result. > > Meh, I hear females on mics all the time and I’ve never seen anything like this. I don’t doubt it happens but people seem to be exaggerating the degree that it does. Yeah, I’ve never experienced anything that obnoxious, either. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-males-better-at-competitive-gaming/537944/38 "2010-05-01T20:38:18Z")
It would have been obnoxious even if it was only one guy (it wasn’t), simply because it meant they hadn’t listened to a word I’d said. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-males-better-at-competitive-gaming/537944/39 "2010-05-01T20:40:28Z")
I’m sure it happened to you and that’s unfortunate, but I’ve never personally seen something like that happen. When a girl’s on the mic guys tend to make shameless sexual innuendo before killing her and teabagging her. When a guy’s on the mic they call him a fag before killing him and teabagging him. When it comes to discussing strategy within a team I’ve never heard anyone harassed like that one way or the other. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-males-better-at-competitive-gaming/537944/40 "2010-05-01T20:45:29Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > I’m sure it happened to you and that’s unfortunate, but I’ve never personally seen something like that happen. > > When a girl’s on the mic guys tend to make shameless sexual innuendo before killing her and teabagging her. When a guy’s on the mic they call him a fag before killing him and teabagging him. When it comes to discussing strategy within a team I’ve never heard anyone harassed like that one way or the other. Yeah guys, especially gamers (since there are a lot of younger men who game), are just crude to everyone. You shouldn’t let one bad experience scare you from ever using a mic again. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-males-better-at-competitive-gaming/537944.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-males-better-at-competitive-gaming/537944.md?page=3)