The Microsoft Store at the Toronto Eaton’s Centre hosted its first ever women’s gaming social Saturday.

The event aimed to empower women who play video games and to discuss the importance of community involvement.

Anna and Maggie Zhang, a gamer girl duo, are excited about the event.

About Overwatch, Anna Zhang said, “I love the game — it’s fast-paced and challenging but the community has its own downfalls.”

To them, the event is more than entertainment and more than a game, but it has its down side.

“As soon as I speak online, I am instantly targeted because I am a girl. Sometimes it’s better if I don’t speak at all,” Maggie Zhang said.

Unfortunately, this is standard in some online communities: gamers hiding behind their screens, saying whatever they like.

The event is one way to entice female gamers to come into the spotlight, without the toxicity of the online community.

“Meeting other girl gamers is my goal at the event,” Zhang said. “All my friends who play are guys — I wish it was more diverse,”

Gamers played on the first floor of the Eaton Centre from 4 to 9 p.m. on April 28.

The staff provided raffle prizes and free refreshments throughout the event.

Augustine Ng, a journalism student at Ryerson University, commented on his last visit to an event.

“Playing Overwatch in public was interesting. I was used to my own setup at home, so it took a little bit of getting used to,” Ng said. “But once we got into the game you don’t really notice you’re at a Microsoft store.”

Augustine felt the event could’ve been done better. “There were only six people and some of the computers were malfunctioning,” he said.

Throughout the following week, events will be occurring daily.

Click here, for the full event calendar.