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According to ELSPA, teenage gamers are in the minority, and the average age of gamers in Europe is 25-35. Eh?
Surveys tend to be a load of old baloney, but this one is rather amusing. ELSPA, or the European Leisure Software Publishers Association (or the people who try and stop from buying violent games)has concluded its annual market survey with some rather strange results. When finding out the average age of games players around Europe, ELSPA claim their results point to those around 25-35 years of age. Cut to comedy visual of Nintendo executive spraying coffee over his monitor. Either we're way out of touch, or those results are a little... off.
Considering a very small percentage of games on the market are catered towards the adult market (and I don't mean that kind of adult market), and the majority of games released are geared towards a slightly younger audience, these results seem even more hard to believe. ELSPA claim the release of the PS2 and the Xbox, plus the rising costs of PCs raises the average age. Their research also suggests that a high percentage of gamers are single, have "little or no children" and a high disposable income.
So, are Nintendo wasting their time with games about cuddly little monsters and lost plumbers? Not judging by sales figures. Sure, more mature games like MGS2, GTA3 and Halo will attract the older game, but 35 year-olds? Get outta here, pops.
What do you think? Are older gamers out-numbering us young whippersnappers?
Surveys tend to be a load of old baloney, but this one is rather amusing. ELSPA, or the European Leisure Software Publishers Association (or the people who try and stop from buying violent games)has concluded its annual market survey with some rather strange results. When finding out the average age of games players around Europe, ELSPA claim their results point to those around 25-35 years of age. Cut to comedy visual of Nintendo executive spraying coffee over his monitor. Either we're way out of touch, or those results are a little... off.
Considering a very small percentage of games on the market are catered towards the adult market (and I don't mean that kind of adult market), and the majority of games released are geared towards a slightly younger audience, these results seem even more hard to believe. ELSPA claim the release of the PS2 and the Xbox, plus the rising costs of PCs raises the average age. Their research also suggests that a high percentage of gamers are single, have "little or no children" and a high disposable income.
So, are Nintendo wasting their time with games about cuddly little monsters and lost plumbers? Not judging by sales figures. Sure, more mature games like MGS2, GTA3 and Halo will attract the older game, but 35 year-olds? Get outta here, pops.
What do you think? Are older gamers out-numbering us young whippersnappers?
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so what do you think happens to people when they hit 30? We all grow a beard and join CAMRA? what really happens is nothing - you carry on doing the things you enjoy, like gaming. but you do it in a bit more comfort and style since you can afford to. I've just specced out a new pc for gaming, which will go into my games room, and it's going to cost me 2 grand. fine, but I'd of found that outlay difficult when I was in my teens.
Why should it be so surprising that more and more gamers are older? I started with computers and gaming when I was little, on things like the ZX-81 and the Commodore 64, but a look in my passport tells me that - shock, horror - I am already 27 years old. And I don't have any intention of leaving games. In fact, the industry is getting older, too. Sid Meier and Peter Molyneux are still greats, but they're not in their 30s any more (I'd guess). I am in the games industry myself and want to be in it for a while, not until I'm 35 and someone tells me "sorry, pal, time to turn serious, write some databases" . SO I think it's just a natural development. And besides, isn't that what we want(ed)? We might be on our way to be taken seriously. The world is beginning to understand that comics are not just for kids, and maybe the same finally happens with games, too. It's a natural development, I think.
Which doesn't mean that there is no place for games that have cuddly monsters in them: it's not just kids who watch Disney films, and similarly it's probably not just kids who play Pokémon and such. But The Sims, which also (for some reason) sells heaps is not really a kids' game, is it?
So I am not really surprised, I have to say. Now excuse me while a get my walking stick and scream abuse at the youth of today :)
Marcel
Which doesn't mean that there is no place for games that have cuddly monsters in them: it's not just kids who watch Disney films, and similarly it's probably not just kids who play Pokémon and such. But The Sims, which also (for some reason) sells heaps is not really a kids' game, is it?
So I am not really surprised, I have to say. Now excuse me while a get my walking stick and scream abuse at the youth of today :)
Marcel
Yes we play - i have two kids ages 6 and 9 - they play Nintendo GBC and GBA and '64 and PC games. All their friends fathers , myself, and my older colleges who have grown up children also play games on PC, on the web, Playstation etc.
All us fathers that I know of who play games age from 35 to 60. I don't know if we outnumber the youngsters, but we are definitely gamers.
All us fathers that I know of who play games age from 35 to 60. I don't know if we outnumber the youngsters, but we are definitely gamers.
Hi all,
Well I'm now 39, but I definitely don't consider myself a 'pops' as Special Reserve referred to us over 25's!
Whether or not the general picture of average ages within the survey is correct or not, there certainly are an increasing number of older players, which is pretty logical if you look at the years that gaming begun.
It isn't a past-time for 'Computer nerds' anymore, it is now accepted as as a mainstream form of entertainment, for better or worst. (not!)
Maybe the 25+ age group have also realised this and started to take an interest, Why the assumption that you MUST start playing games BEFORE you are 25?
I started to play games about 10-ish years ago, which made me 28-29 at the time!!
Well, my son is now 15, I have played and enjoyed far more games than him, My only concern is whether he can increase his attention span from that of a goldfish (like many youth!) :-) , but given time and age, I'm sure he'll start to demand more than just a quick fix thrill type of game (I suppose everyone tires of kick-and-punch games eventually....)
I am also very lucky he lives with his mum, no competition for the computer (very often) that way.....!!! :-)
I'll carry on playing games that make me think, and that I can PAUSE, just so I can make a cuppa/get a beer, Have a p**s, take a phone call; y'know, all those funny things we humans need to do occasionally..... ;-)
Anyway, I have begun to digress!,
Toby
(Appologies if any of this has already been said, but I only came here initially assuming that there was be a poll of our ages......So where is it SR?!)
Well I'm now 39, but I definitely don't consider myself a 'pops' as Special Reserve referred to us over 25's!
Whether or not the general picture of average ages within the survey is correct or not, there certainly are an increasing number of older players, which is pretty logical if you look at the years that gaming begun.
It isn't a past-time for 'Computer nerds' anymore, it is now accepted as as a mainstream form of entertainment, for better or worst. (not!)
Maybe the 25+ age group have also realised this and started to take an interest, Why the assumption that you MUST start playing games BEFORE you are 25?
I started to play games about 10-ish years ago, which made me 28-29 at the time!!
Well, my son is now 15, I have played and enjoyed far more games than him, My only concern is whether he can increase his attention span from that of a goldfish (like many youth!) :-) , but given time and age, I'm sure he'll start to demand more than just a quick fix thrill type of game (I suppose everyone tires of kick-and-punch games eventually....)
I am also very lucky he lives with his mum, no competition for the computer (very often) that way.....!!! :-)
I'll carry on playing games that make me think, and that I can PAUSE, just so I can make a cuppa/get a beer, Have a p**s, take a phone call; y'know, all those funny things we humans need to do occasionally..... ;-)
Anyway, I have begun to digress!,
Toby
(Appologies if any of this has already been said, but I only came here initially assuming that there was be a poll of our ages......So where is it SR?!)
Meka Dragon wrote:
"Did I ever tell you that my wife bought me games and porn for Xmas?"
Once or twice, but I feel a new fascination every time you tell us. :0)
"Did I ever tell you that my wife bought me games and porn for Xmas?"
Once or twice, but I feel a new fascination every time you tell us. :0)
This is a blatent GameADay attempt!!!
to be honest, I expected better
to be honest, I expected better
Goatboy wrote:
> Jonman wrote:
> For some reason,
> she got upset if I got in from work, and wanted to play Final
> Fantasy
> 10 for three hours instead of listen to her rant about the people
> she
> worked with. But then she wasn't a gamer.
>
> --
> I feel your pain brother
Cheers, boss, but it's no problem. Although I'm now single, and not getting any, I've got all the time in the world to wear my thumbs down to stumps. Genius.
> Jonman wrote:
> For some reason,
> she got upset if I got in from work, and wanted to play Final
> Fantasy
> 10 for three hours instead of listen to her rant about the people
> she
> worked with. But then she wasn't a gamer.
>
> --
> I feel your pain brother
Cheers, boss, but it's no problem. Although I'm now single, and not getting any, I've got all the time in the world to wear my thumbs down to stumps. Genius.
Meka Dragon wrote:
> You poor fools.
>
> :-)
>
> Did I ever tell you that my wife bought me games and porn for Xmas?
Good work fella. That's a tough act to beat - what on earth can you get her that will be as good (except for more games and more porn)?
> You poor fools.
>
> :-)
>
> Did I ever tell you that my wife bought me games and porn for Xmas?
Good work fella. That's a tough act to beat - what on earth can you get her that will be as good (except for more games and more porn)?
Strange. Mabey because that generation were growing up when computer games first came out and continued to play for the rest of their life! I you think, old people watch television and don't like computer games (some do!). This is because they grew up when TV first came out. Just think, in 30 to 40 years time, Grandmas will be buying computer games with their pensions!
Why's SR so surprised by this report ????
As others have said, we single 25-35yr olds (I'm 28) have plenty of disposable income and we're the first wave of the computer-generation (have been exposed to home computers/PCs/consoles since we were quite young (I first got my hands on a home computer (speccy +3), ooh, far too long ago than I care to remember)).
Very few of my friends of my age have had no exposure to computer games what-so-ever...
The industry itself has known for a long time that the average age of gamers is getting older every year - hence the increasing number of games with 'adult content' - hence the need to have to ELSPA ratings.
The core target audience for the PS1 was 20-somethings! The core target audience for the PS2 and X-Box is 20-somethings!
Only Nintendo are only just getting round to the idea that gamers are getting older (which probably has more to do with the way consoles are viewed in Japan than anything else). Now even they are starting to see the light (sparked by the success of games like Goldeneye/Perfect Dark ?) - just look at the ad campaign for the GameCube!!
Will I still be gaming when I'm 35 ? Hell yeah ! I'll still be gaming when I'm 65!!!!
Of course you still get the cuddly, cute, games - games appeal to all ages - kids, teens, adults and even old fogeys... Hell, some of the cute cuddly games still appeal to me - I played Banjo-Kazooie to death, I can't wait for Mazza's next outing, I loved Mario Kart & Mario Tennis kicks butt (can you tell I'm a 'tendo nut yet ?), it's the GAMEPLAY that matters not how cute & cuddly (or otherwise) the graphics/story is !
As others have said, we single 25-35yr olds (I'm 28) have plenty of disposable income and we're the first wave of the computer-generation (have been exposed to home computers/PCs/consoles since we were quite young (I first got my hands on a home computer (speccy +3), ooh, far too long ago than I care to remember)).
Very few of my friends of my age have had no exposure to computer games what-so-ever...
The industry itself has known for a long time that the average age of gamers is getting older every year - hence the increasing number of games with 'adult content' - hence the need to have to ELSPA ratings.
The core target audience for the PS1 was 20-somethings! The core target audience for the PS2 and X-Box is 20-somethings!
Only Nintendo are only just getting round to the idea that gamers are getting older (which probably has more to do with the way consoles are viewed in Japan than anything else). Now even they are starting to see the light (sparked by the success of games like Goldeneye/Perfect Dark ?) - just look at the ad campaign for the GameCube!!
Will I still be gaming when I'm 35 ? Hell yeah ! I'll still be gaming when I'm 65!!!!
Of course you still get the cuddly, cute, games - games appeal to all ages - kids, teens, adults and even old fogeys... Hell, some of the cute cuddly games still appeal to me - I played Banjo-Kazooie to death, I can't wait for Mazza's next outing, I loved Mario Kart & Mario Tennis kicks butt (can you tell I'm a 'tendo nut yet ?), it's the GAMEPLAY that matters not how cute & cuddly (or otherwise) the graphics/story is !
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