Virtual reality games for kids
No prizes for guessing that virtual reality games are very popular with kids, i.e. teenagers. This a type of technology which they love and enjoy working with and tend to be less inhibited than adults. This also gives them a chance to use their imagination, socialise with others and learn new things.
We know many kids are tech-savvy so no surprises that they are more likely to adopt these types of games. But don’t rule out adults as many of them enjoy virtual worlds such as Second Life where they get the opportunity to play games.
In these scenarios kids have the chance to choose an avatar which represents them. They use this character in a variety of ways such as role playing, making things, learning a new skill or generally functioning on a day to day level, e.g. eating, sleeping etc.
There are virtual worlds for kids and there are virtual reality games for kids, both of which are discussed as separate articles.
Gender and virtual reality games
As well as separating adults games from kids games there is also the issue of gender. By this we mean games for boys and games for girls.
These are discussed as follows:
As you might imagine there is a gender divide when it comes to VR gaming with strong preferences on either side. At the risk of stereotyping, boys often prefer games about sports, first person shooters, RPG, strategy, adventure and simulation. A popular example is World of Warcraft.
Girls like games in which they own a virtual pet, shopping or fashion. Virtual worlds are also popular where girls can dress their avatar in a certain way, create a personality and then socially interact with others. These appeal to girls who don’t like violence, crime or military campaigns.
