EA's Charm Girls Club series to charm us all this fall

by JC Fletcher { Jun 1st 2009 at 12:00PM }

EA just announced a brand new IP today -- with four new games for Wii and DS! Not sure how you guys are going to feel about it, though. It's called Charm Girls Club.

It "celebrates everything that's fun about being a girl," said Sarah Handley, Senior Director of Marketing for EA Play. In this case, "everything that's fun about being a girl" includes pajama parties (Charm Girls Club Pajama Party for Wii), proms, and clothes (My Perfect Prom, and My Fashion Show, all for DS). You'd think, given the stereotypical nature of the other games, that My Fashion Mall would be about shopping -- but it's actually about mall management. Every girl's dream!

Charm Girls Club will be in stores, benefiting from awkward GameStop promotion this fall.

Gallery: Charm Girls Club line (Wii/DS)

Tags: charm-girls-club, charm-girls-club-my-fashion-mall, charm-girls-club-my-fashion-show, charm-girls-club-my-perfect-prom, charm-girls-club-pajama-party, e3-2009, ea, ea-casual-entertainment

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Saria the Cat @ Jun 1st 2009 12:12PM

Oh God, I abhor these types of games, especially since they just reinforce princessy female stereotypes. Please someone develop a girl-targeted game about becoming an astronaut or engineer or anything aside from a "fashion designer" or "mall manager" and you'll be my hero.

Then again, I was always a tomboy myself and would never have gone for this kind of crap at that age.

Drew -- PS360: uphillbothways @ Jun 1st 2009 12:54PM

How do you target a game towards females without delving into the stereotypes? A game without those stereotypes is just a game with cross-gender appeal.
...
Okay, maybe The Sims could fall into this category. I don't know if it's marketed towards females more than males, but I know quite a few more girls than guys that like it. But it is a good game regardless of main demographic.

Saria the Cat @ Jun 1st 2009 3:35PM

That's the challenge, though, to make male-dominated professional fields appeal to girls. Girls are STILL growing up pushed away from math and science tracks due to gender expectations by EVERYONE, not just family or friends or the school. I understand game developers just want to cut a profit, but it would be great if we started moving towards something better as a society, and the game industry is just one piece of that.

You can attempt to appeal to specific audience without reinforcing stereotypes, i.e. make a game appeal to young girls that ISN'T about pajama parties. Just getting girls more interested in professional fields would be a great thing. I'd like to see Imagine Doctorz or something, not Imagine Babyz and Imagine Fashion. It's just what I'd personally like to see on shelves for girls as an option.

Drew -- PS360: uphillbothways @ Jun 1st 2009 4:31PM

Ok. I see your point. Unfortunately I don't know much at all about games for little girls and boys, but from what I've seen in TV commercials for toys in general, you're absolutely right. (Bratz sickens me.) There are some exceptions though - my niece loves Dora the Explorer and the associated video game.

I don't know.... you've given me something to think about, and it's taken me about 10 minutes to write this comment as my mind goes around in circles.

goldeneyesoldier ( noble prophet of rant and ownage ) @ Jun 1st 2009 6:11PM

Metroid FTW.

TracerBullet @ Jun 1st 2009 12:42PM

Thanks, EA. Now, Nintendo and other companies must show something great, epical proportion great, to counterbalance and aavoid the usual complainings about the Wii, it's games and demographics.
Oh, what's the bloody use, I will complain: Charm Girld Club? Aw, puuuuh-leeze!

GohanGVO @ Jun 1st 2009 12:43PM

ATTN: EA

Stop taking lessons from Ubisoft.

Thanks,

Everyone

emichan @ Jun 1st 2009 12:55PM

"Please someone develop a girl-targeted game about becoming an astronaut or engineer or anything aside from a "fashion designer" or "mall manager" and you'll be my hero."

Have you played Science Girls yet? :)

I have no objection to there being games about pajama parties and dressup and dolls, I even like that stuff sometimes. But I do object to this being represented as *everything* that's fun about being a girl... (Or to being fun for girls only! Don't boys jump on beds? And speaking of, how long until some concerned parent complains that jumping on the bed is dangerous?)

Saria the Cat @ Jun 1st 2009 3:40PM

Exactly! :) I had my own fair share of Polly Pockets and dress up, because it's fun and you shouldn't prevent your kids for enjoying what they do, but it'd be nice if other activities and aspects weren't so grossly underrepresented in girl's games, or if these girly things weren't advertised as the *only* things a girl enjoys.