Meet Zoe Flower. This industrious writer, TV producer and game designer has now stepped into the role of the video game industry's official Gamer Girl.

by Libe Goad

If you haven't heard the name Zoe Flower, you soon will. This former Electric Playground host and Official PlayStation Magazine columnist has assumed the role of the video game industry's "Gamer Girl" and is touring the country, doing radio and TV spots to promote new games, systems, discuss trends and issues, which includes being someone who can talk girl stuff while turning a game into her proverbial bitch. As if that wasn't enough, Flower is also in the process of creating Hardcore Candy, a girl-oriented TV show about the extreme sports lifestyle, which includes games. You've gotta love this woman.

Q: What role will you play as Girl Gamer?

A: I've recently been doing a string of radio and television interviews to discuss the state of the videogame industry as PS2 celebrates its first birthday and Gamecube and Xbox come to shelves. I've been working with an agency that developed the concept and thought I would portray the Gamer Girl profile perfectly. While the initial goal of the Gamer Girl concept was to discuss current products and issues with games, many of the interviews have turned to the fact that I am female and play games, something many people believe to be an anomaly. While in San Francisco, I played an on-air Madden tournament against DJ Eric V of the Baka Boys, complete with trash talk. It was an absolute blast! I am heading to Philadelphia and Chicago this month for some television morning shows. That's pretty exciting! The only bad thing is that I'll be traveling and working during the launch of Metal Gear Solid 2, the only game that has ever put me in such a state of anticipation that I can't think about any other game.

Q: How did the Girl Gamer concept materialize?

A: Instead of having PR representatives from around the industry discuss their latest technologies or products, the agency wanted someone who could address the entire gamut of games and systems, all while offering up a little female sass. "Gamer Girl" is a profile that is meant to represent the combined presence and lifestyle choices of today's gamer--basically the voice of gamers everywhere. Since I've worked in television previously and have made my opinions well known through my Official PlayStation Mag column, I seemed a good choice. I think the female persona of Gamer Girl offers more of an interesting hook to interviewers through the issue of gender, and shows that these days you can't walk down the street and pick out who is a gamer and who is not.

Q: What are your official duties as the industry's Girl Gamer?

A: As Gamer Girl, my mission is to infiltrate all forms of media and discuss my own personal gaming choices, answer questions about the new consoles coming out, analyze the issue of gender in the video game industry, and generally have fun and dish out some attitude to all those who believe that girl gamers don't exist. The program began in October with work around LA and the Bay Area. I'm off to the east coast next and who knows what will happen from there. It's been a great opportunity to talk about what I love and meet interesting people. I love the challenge of demonstrating my knowledge and passion for games, and nothing is better than walking into a studio where the opinions about who I am (giggly, blonde, wannabe geek girl) are preconceived, and leaving after completely changing that opinion, and I am conceived as an intelligent, technologically savvy woman.

On to Page 2: Flower's journey through a video game wonderland > > >