For what it’s worth- these women were well aware that there ARE women who play those kind of action-y/sneaky/punchy/shooty games. Their larger point was just as there are ladies who like that sort of material, there are dudes who play bejeweled blitz. (Mentioned by name in such an example by Cara Ely, I believe. I’m not sure, I missed it in my notes.)

Whether or not these women currently work at companies that are making those kinds of games doesn’t really strike me as relevant, although I get where you’re coming from. If it makes you feel any better, Rachel Bernstein in particular has some pretty hardcore PC strategy titles in her portfolio, which aren’t what you’re describing, but they ain’t exactly Farmville.

Also I’m suddenly aware of the irony that my twitter avatar features a large unicorn.

As someone who plays and sells games its a fight for me every day to prove I play things that are not like Nintendogs and The Sims. I don’t play FPSes because the field of vision sucks and so does my directionals skills when I can’t the world around me like I’m a horse with blinders on. But I loves me some Street Fighter and Bayonetta and some sneaky sneaky kill kill.

And things are still seen as tomboy and girly girl because there are parents who refuse to believe their daughters regardless of age only like princessy things because that’s what they like. I had one girl pretend she was buying halo or something similar for her brother when her mother was around because she wanted to play it herself. You have to open the parents eyes as much as gaming companies that girls play a wide variety of games too.

This isn’t as well thought out as I would like it to be but the gist of my rant is there I hope.