Mobile gaming has widened its audience dramatically, and women have played a central role in that change
For a long time now, video gaming grew quietly while the rest of popular culture paid it only a fleeting look. The industry expanded year after year, reached new audiences, and settled into daily life without much noise. More recently, that has changed. Gaming now sits firmly in the media spotlight, spoken about alongside film, music, and fashion. It shapes how people relax, socialise, and express themselves in ways that feel natural within everyday routines.
Globally, the video games industry now generates over US $200 billion each year. In fact, it earns more than music and movies combined. Games live on phones, laptops, and TV screens, meeting people wherever they already spend time. Players turn to them during small pauses in the day or in the quiet hours of the evening. Gaming has become one of the most common ways people engage with media because it offers something interactive, personal, and social all at once.
DREST: Fashion & Makeup Game
India has followed this rise in its own way. Over the past decade, gaming in the country has grown steadily, powered almost entirely by smartphones. Affordable data and widespread access to mobile devices opened the door to millions of new players. Video games now reach across age groups, cities, and lifestyles, becoming part of how people pass time and connect. The Indian gaming market sits in the low billions of dollars today and continues to grow as participation deepens.
One of the most important shifts in gaming has been who it speaks to. The old image of the gamer as a teenage boy alone in a dark room no longer maps reality. Mobile gaming widened its audience dramatically. Women have played a central role in that change. Many of the most successful games are powered by massive audiences of women of all ages, shaping not just who plays but how games are designed and experienced.
These games focus on approachability, pops of colour and sound, routine, and emotional ease. Candy Crush captures this perfectly; it fits naturally into everyday routines and does not ask for long stretches of focus or technical knowledge. Players open it in short moments, often on commutes or coffee breaks, as a way to pause or gently unwind. The visuals feel cheerful and familiar, and the rhythm stays forgiving, making the experience feel instinctive and comfortable for many women.
A popular genre of simulation and dress-up apps
These games also create moments of connection. Conversations about challenging levels, tricky moments, and winning strategies slip into group chats and casual exchanges without effort, blending play into everyday communication. The tone remains light, friendly, and easy to share.
Infinity Nikki is an open-world adventure and dress-up game
As more women embraced mobile gaming, the industry responded. Designers leaned into warmth and clarity. Interfaces softened. Experiences became calmer and more welcoming. Play started to feel like a reliable pleasure built into the day. In India, this sensibility shows up clearly in the popularity of games like Ludo King. The game builds on something familiar and turns it into a relaxed social ritual. People play while chatting or catching up, often without treating it as a formal activity, and women frequently anchor these shared moments within family and friend groups. The enjoyment comes from the deeply social nature of the game, including its in-built voice chat.
Fashion and lifestyle driven games sit comfortably within this broader cultural evolution. These experiences speak to creativity, taste, and self expression, creating room for experimentation without pressure. Here are some of my favourites:
COVET FASHION
EA’s Covet Fashion offers players a space to explore style in a way that feels like a playful sandbox. Players, primarily women, style outfits, respond to fashion briefs, and engage with real world brands. The focus stays on aesthetic judgement and personal preference, allowing fashion to function as both expression and interaction.
DREST
As fashion and technology have drawn closer together, games like Drest position themselves almost as interactive fashion editorials, featuring luxury labels and themed styling challenges that echo magazine culture.
SUITS ME
Suits Me follows a similar model, inviting players to assemble looks for competitive events and community voting, reinforcing the idea that taste itself can function as gameplay.
SUPER STYLIST
Some games have leaned into narrative and career fantasy, like Super Stylist. It places players in the role of a working stylist, building a client base and shaping looks for events and photoshoots. These games are designed to turn professional fantasies into fun interactive loops that resonate strongly with female audiences. How’s that for a little work experience?
INFINITY NIKKI
The genre has also begun to stretch beyond pure styling into broader interactive worlds. Infinity Nikki blends fantasy exploration with fashion mechanics, where outfits influence abilities and progression. This is a particularly delightful approach, showcasing how deeply fashion can integrate into a game’s design, when a decorative choice becomes a core system that shapes how players move through virtual spaces and engage with the world.
Across these titles, a shared thread emerges; fashion games have created spaces where players can experiment with identity, mood, and aspiration at their own pace. The experiences feel personal and expressive, mirroring the way fashion operates in everyday life while reinforcing community and self discovery. Women have not simply joined gaming audiences. They have helped shape the medium itself. Their preferences influenced how games look, feel, and fit into daily life. As a result, gaming now operates as a cultural layer rather than a niche hobby. It intersects naturally with fashion, lifestyle, and identity, and feels like a familiar part of modern life.
(Shagun Shah, Associate at BITKRAFT Ventures, is a video game developer turned investor. He is a firm believer that both fashion silhouettes and game mechanics are all about balance.)
