As soon as the video game world pressed the start button on its business, it never stopped playing. Like any video game, they reach major checkpoints and beat levels. From Pac-Man with joysticks to Angry Birds on the iPad, the video game industry has a consistent history of success. Today everyone knows someone who plays or has played a video game. New games and game consoles are constantly being advertised and released. They're also a fun way to keep people abreast of the growth of technology. According to Melissa Terlecki, professor of psychology, "Engagement and experience with current computer technologies... is important to provide both men and women... Because computer games represent a seamless transition to technological era, those who don't play may be at a disadvantage.” However, as the industry became more and more successful, its target audience narrowed. As kids played more often, the industry began to focus on its male buyers. Games were designed that made men the dominant characters and women ignored. However, the industries did not realize that by doing so, they were losing a huge part of their business: female players more harm than good to the industry's economy. Sexism in video games is a widespread problem and is economically harmful because it drives female gamers away from the video game industry. Many vintage video games had female protagonists who were financially successful without having to be sexualized. The first video games appeared in the 1950s, but the industry itself began in 1971 and developed its first successful games, such as the still popular Space Invaders. It was a huge leap forward to the industry's period of success or...... middle of paper...... Yasmin B. Kafai et al. Np: MIT P, 2011. 5-7. Literary reference center. Network. November 12, 2013. Salter, Anastasia and Bridget Blodgett. “Hypermasculinity and wolf dicks: the controversial role of women in the new video game audience.” Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media 56.3 (2012): 401-16. EBSCO eBook Collection. Network. November 11, 2013. Terlecki, Melissa, et al. “Sex Differences and Similarities in Video Game Experience, Preferences, and Self-Efficacy: Implications for the Gaming Industry.” Current Psychology 30.1 (2011): 22-33. Rpt. in Current Philosophy. Np: np, nd No. page EBSCO eBook Collection. Network. November 11, 2013.Williams, Mike. “$14.8 Billion Spent on Gaming in US Last Year, Says NPD” Gaming Industry. Np, nd Web. December 17, 2013. Worley, Joyce. "Women join the arcade revolution." Electronic Games magazine May 1982: n. page Archive. Network. December 17. 2013.