Laura Fryer of Microsoft told an audience at the 2001 Game Developers Conference that she was the only woman among 400 attendees at that event, but in 2005, Ms Fryer, who is now executive producer at Microsoft Game Studios, was in the company of many more women. The industry is still changing, but estimates are that women account for only about 12.5% of the work force in the game industry. Half of all Americans play video games, and females prefer cooperative games, first person shooter, and shorter games. Games are becoming a mainstream genre, and, to make them appeal to a large audience, women have to make important decisions, says Jamil Moledina of the Game Developer's Conference. Women commenting on their progress in game studios include Sheri Graner Ray of Sony Online Entertainment, Ms. Fryer, and Clarinda Merripen of Cyberlore Studios. Ms. Ray, who is a senior game designer, was told in one interview by a CEO that he did not think she would fit in or that she could make real games. She says she loves her job and that she is vocal and active in talking up the need to widen the market. Ms. Merripen says women have less leisure time than men and are more affected by unusual working hours and the long hours required to finish a project on schedule. Ms. Merripen, as director of operations at Cyberlore, is working to deal with such issues by coordinating four primary areas: finance, human resources, IT, and facilities management. A primary concern now is getting a nursing station for an employee who recently gave birth. Ms. Fryer of Microsoft says her most impressive achievement is the launch of the first version of the Internet gaming zone at Microsoft, MSNZone.com, which is one of the largest online gaming services. Two thirds of the players using the zone are female.