We've all read the statistics and the surveys about girl gamers. Some guys actually refute the information since they can't seem to - well, they just can't seem to process it.

This has been a point of argument many times over (or every time a new study or survey surfaces) but the fact is, girl gamers DO exist, even if there aren't as many out there as the guys. Guy gamers are attracted to role playing game types like Blizzard's World of Warcraft since it's a chance to hold a sword (or whatever) and hack the player next to you. It's all about competition.

For girls, it's more for the cooperative play rather than the competitive. Elaine Chase, senior brand manager for Magic: The Gathering, notes that she has seen an increase in the girl population during game tourneys and conventions. This has spurned Shelly Mazzanoble, an associate brand manager at Wizards of the Coast to write a book to be released in September entitled, "Confessions of a Part-time Sorceress: A Girl's Guide to the D&D Game".

Anyway, girl gamers are not limited to RPG card games and pen and paper like Dungeons & Dragons. The World of Warcraft and other MMOs have since attracted a good number of women.

A bane to the girl gamer's existence? Guys who play girl characters. There's nothing wrong with it actually, there are no rules stopping guys from picking girl avatars. The thing is, when a real girl gamer comes along - nobody would believe that she's a girl. Some of the time, the dudes insult the girl character for her "disguise".

Girls aren't there to diminutize the guy gamers, they're there to have some fun. So guys, be nice. Take it from this writer, who is in fact - a girl gamer.