Lifetime: Games for women
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Jul 18th 2007 at 7:58PM }
There are moments you just couldn't make up the story if you tried -- this is one of those times. Lifetime network, television for women, and RealNetworks (yup, they're still around) are joining up to make downloadable games for women. The first game will be Sally's Salon and releases July 25. The game has players "direct Sally through a virtual beauty salon by performing and customizing beauty services and hiring employees." Kind of sounds like Diner Dash and Cake Mania, but minus the entrepreneurial feminist ideals.The game will be promoted online and on Lifetime's television network between reruns of Unsolved Mysteries and Golden Girls (oh Rose, you still bring a smile to our face). Apparently Lifetime and RealNetworks have been collaborating since 2004 and the games section of Lifetime's website is its most popular with million of games played on topics such as "makeovers, prom dresses and cleaning." Ah yes, Lifetime casual games, doing its part to show women their place in the 21st century.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
fffunfarm06---xbl @ Jul 18th 2007 8:26PM
wow just to think that women want to be the same as guys, and they come out with stereotypical women games. but thats what women want. i swear most women dont want to do mens duties, like war and fighting and driving fast cars.
not to be feminist all up in here, but before the comments start flaring bout womens rights, girls have there niche of stuff. cleaning, cooking, styling, and looking good for us guys. its funny but 79 percent true.
FM @ Jul 18th 2007 8:40PM
*crosses fingers for a Supermarket Sweep game*
unosturgis @ Jul 18th 2007 8:59PM
hahahahah oh crap that would be SO fun! Especially with online multiplayer!!!
Geist @ Jul 18th 2007 8:48PM
Way to promote a stereotype, ladies.
HotShotX @ Jul 18th 2007 8:52PM
Congratulations Lifetime, you are on the verge of killing 25 years of feminine progress in America.
~HotShotX
Curmeo @ Jul 18th 2007 9:21PM
lol
Neebs @ Jul 18th 2007 9:20PM
Lifetime is like the emo channel.
Sean DL @ Jul 18th 2007 9:35PM
Ok, what entrepreneurial feminist ideals do Diner Dash and Cake Mania have that this game doesn't?
And speaking of stereotypes, I can't wait to see Maxim's casual games.
Cerpin_Taxt @ Jul 18th 2007 9:48PM
You know their are still women that consider such things as being a homemaker or working a salon, a-okay. I'm pretty sure Lifetime knows a hell a lot more about what their audience wants to play on their website than we do.
3cubedminus3squared @ Jul 18th 2007 9:58PM
Exactly. Unless you're part of the target audience [I highly doubt it] then I don't think they care what you have to say.
Avatar @ Jul 18th 2007 10:17PM
According to my mother (a 50 year old housewife who loves Lifetime), the games and shows aren't too far off from what was reinforced when she was growing up. For her it's like a trip down memory lane. So if she likes it, I'm sure there are plenty of others who do too.
She's just waiting for the game where you have to carry your drunken husband up to bed after a hard night of drinking with the guys.
Meowzers @ Jul 18th 2007 10:17PM
*facepalm*
The only women who are going to be interested in whatever cliche/stereotype bullshit games Lifetime coems up with are the women who already fall for that vomit-inducing channel. I didn't even think that channel still existed since it technically does more harm than good for the womans' image. Except for Golden Girls.
And come on, any woman who's interested in gaming wouldn't give a shit about what crap they come up with.
Tulang @ Jul 18th 2007 10:38PM
I'd be up for playing a Golden Girls game. I'd pay extra to play as Bea Arthur and wrestle a raptor.
BananaBoat @ Jul 18th 2007 10:59PM
Personally I want a game where you do the laundry, cook dinner, and then get dirty with your boyfriend. Wait, that's actually what I'd like from my girlfriend ;_;
Oh and all channels that are "For Women" are so bad that I wouldn't watch them with Jack Thompsons eyes.
Goofyman @ Jul 18th 2007 11:30PM
Unsolved Mysteries is no longer on the air on Lifetime.
In case you were wondering.
Vidikron @ Jul 19th 2007 12:18AM
Snap! They're going after the Wii's audience!
Vidikron @ Jul 19th 2007 12:19AM
j/k
sort of...
Abscissa @ Jul 19th 2007 3:10AM
Channels like Lifetime, Spike and G4 have shot society straight back to the 50's. Thanks, assholes.
Abscissa @ Jul 19th 2007 3:12AM
And that goes quadruple for all of the advertisers on those channels.
Amber @ Jul 19th 2007 6:32AM
As a female who enjoys games like Gears of War and Command & Conquer 3, this is a little insulting-- but if that's what older females have been begging for, they can have what they want. Nothing is keeping me from playing my bloody war games.
Think of it this way: if they really are trying to appeal to a niche audience, they're turning off "real" female gamers (ones that will play games that- gasp- have blood or fighting in them) but the money of those women who actually LIKE this kind of thing falls into their pockets.
Amber @ Jul 19th 2007 10:17AM
Oh, and as for the chauvinist asshole who thinks he has us figured out on the first comment, most of us aren't like that. Maybe you're stuck in the 50s, and I don't know how you actually live in society today with an attitude like that.
Chocolate Starfish @ Jul 19th 2007 8:28AM
End women's suffrage now!
Jerk Face @ Jul 19th 2007 9:57AM
Now hold on here.. Just because Lifetime is involved with making games that target THEIR audience, doesn't mean they're destroying all the progress women have made in society over the last 50 years. That is ridiculous!
My wife (who is 24, stop picturing your mom) watches Lifetime movies on occasion and loved Diner Dash and probably would be able to spend at least a few hours enjoying this shitty salon game. What is wrong with that? Nothing!
Don't get all high and mighty just because you have a vagina and play Gears of War. I mean, good for you for playing something that you enjoy; but also good for my wife if she wants to pretend to run a shitty diner all day! It's all about having fun and there are games for everyone!
Jeez!
Almack64 @ Jul 19th 2007 10:00AM
Well my wife loves all those games they have on Lifetime online. To the point where she asked me why there aren't games like that on the consoles. It was actually pretty funny.
There was this one game she really like and she told me she wanted to get something like that on the Wii. When I told her there wasn't any game like that she asked me if there was anything on the VC. I told her there defintely aren't any "old" games like since that wasn't their focus back then.
She simply looked at me and told me well that's why she doesn't buy video games and went back to her laptop to play the lifetime games. It was funny but it makes me really agree that there's a gaming market out there still not fully reached by consoles.
Jerk Face @ Jul 19th 2007 10:00AM
What an ass hole, ha ha!
Jerk Face @ Jul 19th 2007 10:01AM
That was supposed to be a reply for Chocolate starfish.. didn't really WORK right.
Almack64 @ Jul 19th 2007 10:05AM
That's so funny just a few weeks ago my wife and I were talking about how much fun a supermarket sweep/ shop til you drop game would be on the wii.
She was telling me how you cold use the pointer function and also specific motions like scanning the stuff at register.
At first I thought she was crazy but then as she described it I realized something like that would be so much fun especially multiplayer.
Almack64 @ Jul 19th 2007 10:12AM
Oh by the way my wife is 23 just to give you some reference.
Also those female hardcore gamers on this site, don't knock another woman gamers just because they don't like the games you like, they play games therefore are gamers.
But I guess the whole causual gamers aren't really "gamers" matra crap exists in female gaming circles too. And I alwyays hoped you ladies had just a little more sense than your "hardcore" male counter-parts. I guess not.
absolute_nonsense @ Jul 19th 2007 12:31PM
Setting back womens "progress" to the 50's? Man I love revisionist history.
Obviously there are good things that came out of the womens movement, but I would argure by far more bad was done. Legalized murder in the form of abortion, the stripping away of anything masculine in society and replcacing it with what you think men think and a myriad of other social ailments that we suffer thru today are a real testament to all this "I am woman, hear me roar" crap.
I'm so glad my wife is a good strong woman, that doesn't need society or other nonesense to tell her that, she can think and act on her own and all without having to demasculate others.
Wow what a thought.
Vegan @ Jul 19th 2007 12:30PM
Hey, maybe they'll make a wife-beating game for the Wii.
Uncle Red @ Jul 19th 2007 12:49PM
Wifebeater- She doesn't take it anymore and it is now an FPS where she uses household items to make him "feel her pain".
Homewrecker 2- Her husband cheated on her, but she still loves "her man". It's that trollup that she is gonna get back at. This FPS allows you to Co-Op with other homewrecked wives. Chase the trollup in your Minivan and smash her VW Jetta for points!
Xanax- See how long you can go without taking any prescription meds. Can you get past that snooze alarm? Will you mope all day under the covers or shower and go to work? Will he call you back? Do feel bloated? Why is your mother nagging you to visit? Did you forget to get the kitty litter again?
Almack64 @ Jul 19th 2007 2:40PM
The said thing about your post is they really sound like games based on some of the Lifetime movies.