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With ESWC 2005 wrapping up one of the largest female competitions in Counter-Strike, it gives the community the opportunity to reevaluate the progression and direction of female gaming. Twenty-four teams from around the globe attending a major event would suggest that female gaming has come a long way from its grass roots. Or has it?

The fact is that the ESWC 2005 female tournament was merely an exhibition of female gaming. The ESWC was not a competition to showcase highly talented Counter-Strike play but instead was an exhibition to merely showcase the female sector of the Counter-Strike community. Taking away gender differences reveals that this event was principally an exhibition of less world class Counter-Strike played by a very lucky minority who have no disadvantage to the majority.

Bigger female tournaments with greater prize money awards are seen as a step forward for female gaming, when in reality they are nothing but a farce. With 'male' gaming, the competition was first to come, then came the money and tournaments. Throwing more money at girl gaming in order to raise the level of competition is thinking backwards.

It is my argument that female leagues are being hosted for all of the wrong reasons. Whilst the girls involved with these leagues claim that the only reason they are participating is because they are trying to look after the development of female gaming, it seems that the only people they are looking after is themselves.

I pushed the question to girl gamers, "Why should girls be so privileged to be flown around the world and to play each other when male teams of comparable skill level are lucky to even get web space and a twelve player server?"

Some of the responses I received were:

Written 16/5 12:22 by Le1a (SWW) "Well as I said, nice to see everyone have so different feelings about it.”

Written 16/5 13:25 by bieke (-secrecy-) "Plus if u are a girl explain me why you should enter a mixed tournament while it’s easier to win some money in the girl’s tournaments."

Written 16/5 13:15 by aNouC (x6tence.AMD) "Most of the European teams practice 99% of their time against males, they just visit female tournaments because they are easier to win and you get money from it, wouldn’t you go to an event to try to get some thousands of euros every now and then?"

And that is it in a nutshell. Why would they bother trying any harder than they need to when it is all given to them on a plate with a silver spoon.

This is definitely not raising the skill of female gaming. Giving girls the easy way out means girl gaming is always going to be just that - 'girl' gaming, and girls will never be taken seriously by the greater community. We'll always be 'pretty good for a girl'. Females will never be respected as players and the female community will always be seen as a novelty.

It is all very well to throw stones from the road side, but why have girls taken to their own leagues and competitions in the first place. Who is to blame? In a word: everyone.

Donna 'bag_lady' has already brought to light the maturity problem in the Counter-Strike community concerning sexism. The general attitude towards girls has persuaded females to stick to their own groups. Any group that is treated as inferior will naturally unite to provide themselves with strength as a group. We then see the emergence of girl clans. Sure there is no harm in that, in fact sponsors see it as an easy way to gain much wider exposure. Girl teams naturally accept these offerings, and why would they not? Would any team not want to be sponsored by Nvidia?

The reality of it is that we are seeing amateur Counter-Strike teams sponsored by blue chip companies that are known to only sponsor the most skilled teams. The greater community naturally scoffs at these 'professional' girl teams receiving prestigious sponsorship packages and thus the slander continues. This curtain of international female competitions with big prize purses cannot hide the fallacy which the community sees through. The slander continues and girls further segregate themselves from what could potentially be a competitive, unisex community.

It is a recognizable cycle that needs to be stopped if girls are to ever be taken seriously.

First, girl tournaments need to reduce their prize purses and take on a more promotional role. This will still encourage girls to get more involved in competitive gaming, but will also cement the notion that playing in established tournaments and leagues is the only way to win significant prize money and to gain international fame.

It is all in the direction. Yes, throwing more money at girl tournaments will definitely make more teams participate and take competitive gaming more seriously but it also causes more ridicule, discourages girls from trying to play against males, and generally divides the community further. Is this the direction we want to take female gaming?

Girls, guys never shut the door on us to the high levels competition, we shut it on them. Until we open the door we will never be true competitive gamers and will remain pretty good 'for a girl'.