It’s a rare occurrence, coming across another female in a multiplayer lobby. Everyone knows of course that there are girls online and you’re probably going to match up with one sooner or later but two, randomly thrown together into the same match? That’s a big deal for the boys and an even bigger deal for me.

When I first started feeling alienated by my gaming passion, I turned to the place that most outcasts turn to find others like them - the Internet. Hoping to find out that I wasn’t the only one like me, hoping to find other adult gamers that play the same games I do and in the same way. What I found was that whilst there are loads of us out there with the same love for games but totally different tastes in genre and play style my eyes were opened to the diversity of the hobby about which, I thought, I knew it all.

I’m a bit of a fussy gamer, there are so many games and types of games that I take one look at and think I won’t enjoy and don’t even give it a chance, I’m getting better since joining Ready Up. I mean I want to know my stuff. I can’t just be focusing on FPS and Hexic HD all the time when there are so many other avenues to explore. I remember watching my boyfriend play Gears of War when it was first released and actually thinking, “this looks stupid, third person = crap and the giant soldier guys omg just ridiculous!” It was only after I gave it a chance and actually played it that it turned out to be one of my favourite and subsequently most played games of all time. It spurred on the need for my own profile, my own 360 and the start of my unhealthy relationship with achievements. I wonder if that frame of mind is more common in those who don’t play any games at all, they decide they won’t enjoy it or can’t do it so they don’t even try.

Having met and chatted with other gamers I realised that as in any aspect of life, none of us are the same. I still hold out hope that I’ll find a lady gamer online who is like me. I suppose it’s just a human nature thing, birds of a feather and all that clichéd crap, someone to relate to and who agrees and adds to your opinions. Even though I enjoy a good debate it’d be nice to feel like I fit in somewhere every now and then.

I guess what’s inspired this strange and probably regrettably personal blog is starting Halo 3 from scratch again. Whereas I used to get all excited to see a girly gamertag thinking “friend???” I soon realised that down in the “n00b ranks” most girls are there to get a load of attention from guys. Having now attained a more respectable rank again, to be matched up against another female of the same sort of skill is even more exciting for me. It’s a strong drive to do well in the game, I have more to prove. If I get my ass kicked by her I can’t make myself fell better by falling back on my pride’s defence mechanism that no one expects a girl to do well anyway. If I beat her it’s more of a win cause in my mind she’s just like me! Of course I will never know if there is a girl that’s just like me out there cause if they are, they won’t chat or send friend requests to people they don’t know :)