According to a report, almost 50% of adolescents in the United States steer clear of video games that depict women in "stereotypical and harmful ways"

A study reveals that more than 40% of young American gamers steer clear of media that portrays women negatively. Conducted by UCLA's Center for Scholars & Storytellers, the Teens and Screens Report 2025 involved 1,500 participants between the ages of 10 and 24 to investigate their gaming interactions.

The findings indicate that 42.1% of female gamers avoid games with derogatory representations of women, with 36.8% of male adolescents also expressing similar preferences.

Concerns about harassment were prominent among those surveyed. Over half of female gamers expressed the need to conform to specific behaviors due to identity factors like gender or race.

Male counterparts echoed these feelings, with 64.5% citing pressure to alter their behavior while gaming. The CSS commented that such social elements within gaming might enhance pressures tied to conforming with community standards.

Moreover, diversity remains a critical consideration among young gamers, as 41.6% of them look for games with varied racial characters and narratives.

Yet, 47.8% of participants reported challenges in locating games with relatable characters, a sentiment more commonly shared by Asian (55.9%) and Hispanic or Latino (56.3%) players.

On a positive note, 88% of gamers found community within their gaming experiences, with almost 70% feeling a stronger connection with friends through gaming. Furthermore, 52.3% reported emotional benefits from gaming, while a smaller percentage mentioned feelings of increased aggression (32.9%) or stress (27.8%).