Average Gamer Is 37 Years Old [Slashdot]

[DP ServBot]

kolbe writes "A new study from the Entertainment Software Association suggests that the average age of today's gamers is between the 37 and 41 years old. If true, does this mean that game studios should be adjusting their demographics accordingly? Is Generation X the next 'baby boomer' market for the gaming industry?"http://a.fsdn.com/sd/facebook_icon_large.png (http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fgames.slashdot.org%2Fsto ry%2F11%2F06%2F08%2F032249%2FAverage-Gamer-Is-37-Years-Old%3Futm_source%3Dslashdot%26utm_medium%3Dfaceboo k) http://a.fsdn.com/sd/twitter_icon_large.png (http://twitter.com/home?status=Average+Gamer+Is+37+Years+Old%3A+http% 3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2FjZTIUV)

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[Orion Pimpdaddy]

Here's a direct link to the PDF:

http://www.theesa.com/facts/pdfs/ESA_EF_2011.pdf

As far as marketing, I think companies are already adapted to Generation X. If 37 year olds are still playing games today, the industry must be doing something right.

[Aussie2B]

I've always hated these kinds of studies that claim that half of all gamers are women or that the average gamer is way older than we'd assume because they twist the truth to such an extreme degree. Basically if you've ever spent a couple minutes toying with some dumb game on your cellphone, suddenly you're a "gamer".

Now if we look at people that have actually bought a console and/or handheld, play games fairly regularly, and actually care about games to some extent, we all know that we're looking at mostly men, with most being in their teens or 20s.

[Icarus Moonsight]

What's the median age of the Exceptional Gamer? More interesting.

[heybtbm]

37 to 41? Sounds about right.

[Graham Mitchell]

I've always hated these kinds of studies that claim that half of all gamers are women or that the average gamer is way older than we'd assume because they twist the truth to such an extreme degree. Basically if you've ever spent a couple minutes toying with some dumb game on your cellphone, suddenly you're a "gamer".

Now if we look at people that have actually bought a console and/or handheld, play games fairly regularly, and actually care about games to some extent, we all know that we're looking at mostly men, with most being in their teens or 20s.

I agree. That age range just sounds like the group who can afford smart phones. They download angry birds for free but they'll never pay $50 for fallout 3.

I'm 32 and very few people in my age range use their ps3 for something other than madden and netflix. I only know 2 people in my age group who own a 360 (a console with no blu-ray incentive for purchasing.)

[The Shawn]

39 checking in . BOOYA!
:)

[Damaramu]

I'm 35, so I guess it sounds about right.

[98PaceCar]

I think it's pretty much dead on. Considering it's an average, that would mean that the sampling ranges from about 18 to 55. The 55 feels a slight bit older than what I would expect, but I think a lot of people that were old enough to really experience and appreciate the early beginnings of gaming (Teenagers and early twenty-somethings during the 80-83 timeframe) would be in their late 40s to early 50s by now. I'm not sure that enough of them would still be gaming to pull the average that high, but I guess for this sample they were.

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

I think the mid-30's group (which I am in) is a HUGE group. Most of us got our love for gaming from the big gaming boom during the early 80s, and it's been with us ever since. We saw the rise of arcades, and the rise of Atari, Pac-man, etc. Then, during our teenage years, we had Sega and Nintendo giving us great game after great game.

I can't wait until we are all in nursing homes playing PS13, X-Box 5000, and Wii U Me They Us. Our golden years are gonna be rowdy. \\^_^/

[Lucifersam1]

I teach high school and it is true that almost every male student plays video games on a console (you'd be surprised how many only have a PS2...). On the other hand, I am 33 and the majority of my friends have a PS3. Very few beside me actually have a 360, though. They don't really play sports games at all (a few have Tiger Woods, but play many other games).

Also, the kids all have better phones than the teachers (and better cars... hrm).

[The 1 2 P]

So if you are in your 30's then you are average....an average gamer that is. I also think that this is about right, although I would peg it at 35 which is almost identical.

[WCP]

Now if we look at people that have actually bought a console and/or handheld, play games fairly regularly, and actually care about games to some extent, we all know that we're looking at mostly men, with most being in their teens or 20s.


Teens or 20's ? Maybe back in the early 90's it was like that. The thing is, gamers from the early 90's, that were in their teens and 20's are quite older now. They are in their mid 30's or early 40's now. I'm one of them, and I'm still gaming like I've always been.

[Aussie2B]

You don't think MOST gamers are males in their teens and 20s? Of course there are older gamers, younger gamers, and female gamers too, but those are all in the minority. I think as gaming itself gets older, the number of 30+ year old gamers will increase as well, but I think we'll always see a general trend of female gamers losing interest when they hit their teens (when it's no longer deemed "socially acceptable" for them) and male gamers losing interest at some point in their 20s or 30s when they get other interests and/or responsibilities.

[heybtbm]

You don't think MOST gamers are males in their teens and 20s? Of course there are older gamers, younger gamers, and female gamers too, but those are all in the minority. I think as gaming itself gets older, the number of 30+ year old gamers will increase as well, but I think we'll always see a general trend of female gamers losing interest when they hit their teens (when it's no longer deemed "socially acceptable" for them) and male gamers losing interest at some point in their 20s or 30s when they get other interests and/or responsibilities.

I can understand how you might come to that conclusion, but according to the study the facts state otherwise.

[calistarwind]

I'm 36 and a female..grew up playing games and continue to play games. My husband is also 36 and plays games.

[exit]

You don't think MOST gamers are males in their teens and 20s?

This would have been true 10 years ago or so, but now that the kids who grew up playing Atari/C64/NES/SNES/Genesis/ect.. are either hitting, or are over the 30 mark, that's really not the case anymore.

[98PaceCar]

This would have been true 10 years ago or so, but now that the kids who grew up playing Atari/C64/NES/SNES/Genesis/ect.. are either hitting, or are over the 30 mark, that's really not the case anymore.

QFT! Back about 7 years ago when I read my first article about average gamers, it hit right where I was at 30. Now, 7 years later, it still hits right where I'm at (37). Gen X is really the first generation to grow up with games and I don't feel like the numbers are dwindling as we age. In fact, we are the ones pushing the age barrier ever higher and helping to legitimize (sp?) gaming as a mainstream pursuit. The kids coming in behind us are just filling in a void left as we age. I don't think the average will end up quite as far as we may push it initially, but I think it will probably settle in the high 30s to mid 40s. Much past that and priorities shift towards retirement planning, so the disposable income aspect will take a back seat to financial responsibility and living a less cluttered life.

[stonecutter]

About to turn 40, still an avid gamer. Sounds right to me, I know plenty others as well.

[Aussie2B]

I can understand how you might come to that conclusion, but according to the study the facts state otherwise.

I already pointed out that these kinds of studies exaggerate the truth, using the most little bit of experience with games to define a "gamer".

I think you guys are looking at yourselves or Digital Press and thinking we're the norm, but we're really not. Go to some gaming conventions or even just to some other message boards and you'll see that the ages skew much younger and that almost everyone is male. Heck, just go into a GameStop and look around (although that could be misleading with the people shopping for their kids or boyfriends/husbands).

[Emperor Megas]

I'll be 37 in 2 months and I'd say 90% of my male friends play video games. I honestly don't know many guys in my peer group who stopped playing games as they grow older. In contrast to what others in my age group have offered here, I don't know many people who don't own an XBOX360, and very few who own a PS3. It doesn't really mean anything, I just thought it worth mentioning.

My generation came up with the Atari 2600, video arcades, and the NES. I don't think we take gaming for granted like the younger generation does. It's hard to be jaded about the brutal, photo-realistic carnage that modern game consoles churn out when you came up spending hours a day, absolutely fascinated, just moving (rectangular) pixels that barely resembled planes and tanks across a black and white screen. IDK, the study seems legitimate to me.

[Graham Mitchell]

I think you guys are looking at yourselves or Digital Press and thinking we're the norm, but we're really not.

This. Most people in my profession and age group that I know of don't game. Many say it's a "waste of time", and those who did play at one point stopped after they had kids. Then again, I'm in medicine so perhaps that's probably not the "norm" either. But it is my experience.

[98PaceCar]

I already pointed out that these kinds of studies exaggerate the truth, using the most little bit of experience with games to define a "gamer".

I think you guys are looking at yourselves or Digital Press and thinking we're the norm, but we're really not. Go to some gaming conventions or even just to some other message boards and you'll see that the ages skew much younger and that almost everyone is male. Heck, just go into a GameStop and look around (although that could be misleading with the people shopping for their kids or boyfriends/husbands).

Actually its been my experience that outside of a core group, most of dp is younger than the median presented by this study. While it is certainly possible to skew the numbers to create a result, this isn't the first time i've seen data presented to support this conclusion. A visual survey of gaming conventions is hardly scientific, but when you factor in that people closer to this age group will typically have more demands on their time (families, career, etc), its understandable why a younger group seems to dominate convention attendence.

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

Here's a little bit more about the study. I don't see why the data would be inaccurate.

.....

The research for the 2011 Essential Facts About the Computer and Video Game Industry was conducted by Ipsos MediaCT and is the most in-depth and targeted survey of its kind, gathering data from almost 1,200 nationally representative households that have been identified as owning either or both a video game console or a personal computer used to run entertainment software.

The Entertainment Software Association is the U.S. association dedicated to serving the business and public affairs needs of companies publishing interactive games for video game consoles, handheld devices, personal computers, and the Internet. The ESA offers services to interactive entertainment software publishers including a global anti-piracy program, hosting the E3 Expo, conducting business and consumer research, representing the video game industry in federal and state government relations, First Amendment and intellectual property protection efforts. For more information, please visit www.theESA.com.
......

[RCM]

Just because some of you don't believe the figure doesn't mean it's wrong based on the qualifications they set while doing the study.

What does "gamer" even mean anymore? Do you have to be as hardcore as we generally are to be considered a gamer?

[calistarwind]

Also remember, just because the average age is 37 it does not mean every person who is 37 plays games. Out of a group of people most of them fall into that age category. So there will be whole buildings of 37 year old people who do not like to game.

[NE146]

I fall right into it pretty much.. I mean heck, I'm 42. :p

[Icarus Moonsight]

Just because some of you don't believe the figure doesn't mean it's wrong based on the qualifications they set while doing the study.

What does "gamer" even mean anymore? Do you have to be as hardcore as we generally are to be considered a gamer?

This explicitly states, the average gamer age. Kids-teens and the elderly are extremes of age, so not average. What's the middle between 20 and 60? OMG!

That's just boring. A gamer, or a video game enthusiast is not going to even register when the standard is average. The result couldn't be any different because of this. It's basically the median age, period. Simply about half the average life expectancy. The average Lawn Darts player is probably 37... Average Statistician is probably 37, and cognitively lazy too. Average any activity age is probably 37.

It's not wrong, it's just stupid, arbitrary, purposely ignores essentials as irrelevant and is meaningless.

Confirmation bias, confirmation bias everywhere! LOL

[kupomogli]

I believe it. With the release of the Wii and stuff on Facebook, etc, a lot of older people who would generally not play games are also play games. Then there are those that grew up playing games as well.

[Leo_A]

I can understand how you might come to that conclusion, but according to the study the facts state otherwise.

I imagine the facts included things like people playing games on their phones, solitare on their computers, Pogo.com members, etc.

As far as the average age of what we consider as gamers, I'm sure it's significantly lower when you remove these many casual segments. I wouldn't be surprised to find the average age of a gamer on a console is under 20. It's certainly not past 30.

[WanganRunner]

Study makes sense to me.

It's effectively the NES generation, people who bought the NES when it first came out. I'm at the younger end of that, 29 now, but anyone who bought it as a high school kid or something would be late 30's now. These people probably aren't ever going to stop playing videogames, and the average gamer age will get older as this generation ages.

It's been that generation and everyone since, because that was the first time that videogaming achieved true mass-market penetration in the United States.

[boatofcar]

I already pointed out that these kinds of studies exaggerate the truth, using the most little bit of experience with games to define a "gamer".


You pointed it out with no evidence whatsoever. Why would I be more likely to believe your baseless claim than a legitimately carried-out study? The fact is, gamers are more than just people with 360s and Playstations. I don't know any smartphone-owning person that doesn't own at least one game for it, or any computer owner that has never played solitaire.

[heybtbm]

I already pointed out that these kinds of studies exaggerate the truth, using the most little bit of experience with games to define a "gamer".

Name one of these "exaggerated" studies. I'll wait.

[NE146]

What makes anyone think an older gamer would generally only be familiar with casual & cell phone games? A 37 year old video gamer would basically have actually lived through and experienced (rather than just reading or hearing about), all the console & arcade generations since the late 70's in video gaming's short history. e.g. A younger gamer might know the NES was popular.. but it's it's different than being a kid during that time and experiencing it as it happened, playing those games new.

Speaking for myself.. I may be ancient at 42, but I can do relatively well most of the time against 20-somethings in a game of MW2/Black Ops, but I KNOW I can school nearly all of them as well in an actual arcade Defender cabinet (a real man's game). Of course.. it's just a result of actually being familiar with it.. but still. :D

[RJ]

Im right in the middle at 39 & almost strictly play PS2 arcade compilations.

[Leo_A]

What makes anyone think an older gamer would generally only be familiar with casual & cell phone games?

I don't think anyone said such a thing.

What some such as myself are saying is that the average age of a gamer isn't the same as the average age of someone playing something like the Xbox 360, the person that grew up with things like the Atari 2600 or NES and never left gaming, etc.

It's an important distinction to remind people that many of those in their 40's, 50's, and 60's that count as gamers are playing casual games like what Pogo.com offers and aren't what we'd consider the traditional gamer. Of course there are quite a few exceptions to the rule, but no one is going to make me buy the idea that the median age of a Playstation 3 owner, for instance, is nearly 40. Yet some seem to want to believe this is exactly what that study is saying and want to pretend that there aren't millions of people out there whose gaming time is spent with things like Facebook games.

And that interpretation is trying to make this study say something that it doesn't say. This study isn't claiming that the average age of someone playing the latest game on the Xbox 360 is 37 years old. It's including a much broader group of individuals that includes many that have never even touched a gaming console. For instance, my mother in her 50's and my father in his 60's play things such as solitaire on their computers and have a combined 5 minutes of lifetime contact with a game controller or handheld game system (I can remember getting them to briefly try River Raid on the 2600 once, for example). Yet them and many others certainly qualify as gamers and are raising the average age of individuals that play videogames significantly.

There's no way in heck that the average age of a console gamer in 2011 is anywhere close to 37. The average there I bet is in the low 20's if I had to make a unscientific guess at it. Probably could dig up some NPD data to even show that.

[RPG_Fanatic]

I'm 39 and turning 40 in three months. I'll play till I die.

[98PaceCar]

There's no way in heck that the average age of a console gamer in 2011 is anywhere close to 37. The average there I bet is in the low 20's if I had to make a unscientific guess at it. Probably could dig up some NPD data to even show that.

There's reputable proof posted that says it's 37, if you have proof to the contrary please post it.

[boatofcar]

Probably could dig up some NPD data to even show that.

Pray tell how you would do this.

[Leo_A]

There's reputable proof posted that says it's 37, if you have proof to the contrary please post it.

There's reputable proof that the average age of a gamer is 37. There isn't reputable proof that the average age of a console gamer on a platform such as the Playstation 3 is 37.


Pray tell how you would do this.

Using something called a search engine to find NPD's PR releases and other information I could locate in the media since NPD's research summaries typically make the rounds throughout the gaming press (They do a pretty good job of preventing piracy of their actual reports though).

I actually tried after posting that earlier post and didn't find much data for the average age of console owners in the past year or two. I know they've tracked it since I found a few nibbles of information here and there, but without being an employee of a firm that subscribes to NPD's research data, I couldn't locate everything I needed. I just found mentions of the average age of individuals playing games on their PC from NPD (Early 40's) that also mentioned that the average age of console gamers was significantly younger, but that's as close as I got.

[Orion Pimpdaddy]

This explicitly states, the average gamer age. Kids-teens and the elderly are extremes of age, so not average. What's the middle between 20 and 60? OMG!

That's just boring. A gamer, or a video game enthusiast is not going to even register when the standard is average. The result couldn't be any different because of this. It's basically the median age, period. Simply about half the average life expectancy. The average Lawn Darts player is probably 37... Average Statistician is probably 37, and cognitively lazy too. Average any activity age is probably 37.



You can't assume that "it's basically the median age." The study didn't give the median, at least not in the PDF.

All your assumptions about 37 being the middle of everything assumes that the spread is even from 20 to 60 (an equal number of 20s, 21s, 22s, etc). Not all number sets are distributed like that.

The statisticians I know have brains that move pretty fast; I'd hardly call them cognitively lazy. Granted, computers do a lot of the work.

[boatofcar]

"Now if we look at people that have actually bought a console and/or handheld, play games fairly regularly, and actually care about games to some extent, we all know that we're looking at mostly men, with most being in their teens or 20s."



Using something called a search engine
Thanks for being an ass.



I actually tried after posting that earlier post and didn't find much data for the average age of console owners in the past year or two.
Really? You give me a sarcastic response and then tell me in the next sentence that doesn't actually work? Unbelievable.



I know they've tracked it since I found a few nibbles of information here and there, but without being an employee of a firm that subscribes to NPD's research data, I couldn't locate everything I needed. I just found mentions of the average age of individuals playing games on their PC from NPD (Early 40's) that also mentioned that the average age of console gamers was significantly younger, but that's as close as I got.

Dude, I don't know how much faith you put into NPD, but it's way too much. There's no way on earth you can tell from sales figures the average age of console gamers, especially in a market as nebulous as video game sales, with so many sales outside the realm of NPD.

[duffmanth]

I think the mid-30's group (which I am in) is a HUGE group. Most of us got our love for gaming from the big gaming boom during the early 80s, and it's been with us ever since. We saw the rise of arcades, and the rise of Atari, Pac-man, etc. Then, during our teenage years, we had Sega and Nintendo giving us great game after great game.

I can't wait until we are all in nursing homes playing PS13, X-Box 5000, and Wii U Me They Us. Our golden years are gonna be rowdy. \\^_^/

i completely agree with you. I'm 30 and myself along with many of my friends around my age and a little older that grew up with NES, Sega and arcades are still into gaming as a result.

[Chadt74]

While I've been out of touch on some of the most recent statistics but I think the issue is that some of you have a very narrow view of 'video gamers'. In 2006 Adult men spent 7.6 hours playing video games and women spent 7.4 hours a week playing video games. Currently Forrester Research has four sections of gamers, one of which is the 'hardcore' gamer which is the one most of you are speaking of; ironically one is called the 'collector' who buys more games than plays and that is usually the slightly older gamer than the hardcore [DP users?]. But what many of you are missing is that women and older gamers are still using the PC to play cheap and free games. With cell phones and tablets increasing the penetration of gaming you will see even more 'casual' gamers who are older and more female. So while you don't consider 4 old ladies playing hearts over the internet via a PC 'gamers' they are.

As a note about how the stats are provided, I agree that the label 'gamer' is slightly misleading. For example, Forrester in one study asked their sample if they have played a game in the last 6 months. So yes the data collection can be refined, but the overall results are there, the 'average' gamer is in their mid 30s and more likely female than you'd think ASSUMING you are talking about more than console games, which yes are dominated by the hardcore gamers.

[BHvrd]

I'm 36 and game like a mofo.

[Leo_A]

Thanks for being an ass.

Hardly.

And just what did you think I was going to do? Try to refresh my memory on my college statistics class and take my own survey of the habits for 1000 Americans or some such nonsense?


Dude, I don't know how much faith you put into NPD, but it's way too much.

Who said I put any real faith into it? It's simply another source that's just as "reputable" (to use Pacecar98's own words) as this survey.


There's no way on earth you can tell from sales figures the average age of console gamers, especially in a market as nebulous as video game sales, with so many sales outside the realm of NPD.

They track far more than just sale figures.

[98PaceCar]

There's reputable proof that the average age of a gamer is 37.

There isn't reputable proof that the average age of a console gamer on a platform such as the Playstation 3 is 37. The study doesn't make such a claim from the highlights I saw. Yet some people, such as yourself judging from your postings in this thread, seem to want to believe that's just what this is saying because your 37.

Where are these hordes of people significantly older than you playing on game consoles like the Playstation 3 to get the average age so high? The answer is that the people in their 40's, 50's, and 60's and perhaps beyond that are responsible for helping raise the average significantly are largely playing casual games like what EA's Pogo.com service offers. There aren't a ton of 50 year old men and women out there sitting in front of a tv screen with a controller glued in their hands playing the latest $60 release from companies like Activision. There's a good number out there of gamers past the age of 40 that love and regularly enjoy traditional videogaming, but there's certainly far more gamers past the age of 40 whose idea of videogames is largely nontraditional and different from ours.

People calling out Aussie2B's statement that I quote below as being incorrect because of this aren't correctly reading this study's conclusion. Quoting the article posted with this story, it said that a "new study from the Entertainment Software Association suggests that the average age of today's gamers is between 37 and 41 years old." It doesn't say that the average age of a console and/or handheld gamer is between 37 and 41 years old. Aussie2B's statement probably isn't terribly far off the mark if we specifically looked at console gaming and dedicated handheld game systems.

Heck, we're a classic gaming forum and I feel safe judging from the forum activity here to wager a guess that even our active forum community has a lower average age than 37. There seems to be far more teens and 20 somethings regularly posting in our forum community going off what I read than people 30 and over.

"Now if we look at people that have actually bought a console and/or handheld, play games fairly regularly, and actually care about games to some extent, we all know that we're looking at mostly men, with most being in their teens or 20s."



I must have missed it, but I don't believe that anybody else in this thread is trying to spin the data in the way that you think they are, even Aussie2B. The thread is about gamers, not console gamers, not console gamers that play PS3, not console gamers that play Call of Duty on their PS3 while wearing nothing more than a towel on their lap, or any other way you want to slice it up. It's about average gamers.

The study quite simply states that the average age of a gamer is 37. Where it falls short is in defining what criteria was used to define a gamer and with that, leaves itself open to individual interpretation. Now in a broad definition like this, yes, the people that play dreck like Minecraft and Farmville ARE gamers and a lot of them are most likely older than 37. The typical DP member may look down on them; hell, I look down on them. But I don't dismiss that they are gamers and certainly don't dismiss the impact that they have on the companies we all rely on for our gaming fixes.

Now I will say that yes, I do believe if you did a study and looked at the more traditional definition of console gamers, you would see a drop in age. I'd also hazard a guess if you looked at WoW gamers, you'd see an increase in age. But unless I missed it, this study isn't about that.

I firmly believe that there was some real thought and effort put behind this study. Given that the target audience is the companies out there making and publishing games and how much money those companies control, the ESA had to make it as correct as possible or risk their own reputation. I don't think they were going to mess this one up in order to satisfy the types of people that hang out at DP.

I wish I could understand why you have such a hard time with taking this study at face value and why you feel you need to try and alter the rules to make it invalid. I assure you, I have no vested interest in what the average age of gamers is, or any other group for that matter. I simply found it interesting that it falls directly where myself and those that I consider my peers currently are and when I put some thought into it, it made a lot of sense given the potential gaming history people my age potentially have. I do know some very hardcore players and collectors that reach up well into their 50s. In fact, I tend to hang out more with older gamers simply because they are better able to appreciate the same things I do. But I certainly don't try and pretend that there aren't people younger than me playing games.

It's an average. Some gamers are older than me, some are younger. At the end of the day, it doesn't really make a bit of difference either way other than being an interesting study. <shrug>

[Leo_A]

You didn't say that this study claims that console gamers have an average age of 37?

Take a look at post #38.



There's no way in heck that the average age of a console gamer in 2011 is anywhere close to 37. The average there I bet is in the low 20's if I had to make a unscientific guess at it. Probably could dig up some NPD data to even show that.

There's reputable proof posted that says it's 37, if you have proof to the contrary please post it.

http://digitpress.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1825944&postcount=38

Sure looks like you did.

And looking over their survey just now, it's very clear that they're including a very broad definition of who qualifys as a gamer that includes those playing things like Angry Birds on their iPhone, solitaire on their PC, Farmville on Facebook, etc (For instance, the study states that nearly 1/3 of gamers are over the age of 50; just one of several elements of the study that very clearly demonstrates the broad look they were taking at the industry).

And I never tried to alter the rules to make this invalid and there's no basis in your claim that I did. I was simply attempting to remind people over several posts that this study wasn't specifically looking at just gamers on consoles, PSP's, and DS's (Which several of you, such as yourself in post 38, wanted to think).

I'm not sure why you ever wanted to contest that. I wasn't the one trying to misread this study. make it say something it didn't say, or claim it was invalid like some wanted to think.

[98PaceCar]

You didn't say that?

Take a look at post #38.

http://digitpress.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1825944&postcount=38

Sure looks like you did.

And looking over their survey just now, it's very clear that they're including a very broad definition of gamer that includes those playing things like Angry Birds on their iPhone, solitaire on their PC, Farmville on Facebook, etc.

And I never tried to alter the rules to make this invalid. I was attempting to remind people that this study wasn't specifcally looking at gamers on consoles, PSP's, and DS's (Which several of you, such as yourself in post 38, want to think).

That's all.

Wow, I'm actually at a loss for words right now. If you have to resort to a single misinterpreted quote to make your point, well, I don't even know how to respond to it. From where I'm sitting, you are the one that brought up that this is about console gaming. If you were trying to make the opposite point you clearly failed in that. I don't think that there is another person here that would take anything I've posted to mean that I in any way feel that this study is directed at console gamers and not gamers in general.

All I can do at this point is laugh at you! Take some time, reread the thread and focus on comprehension. You've made yourself look like a giant ass and all you are trying to do is dig yourself out of the hole you've put yourself in.

I mean really??!! LOL!!

[boatofcar]

I'm reminding people such as yourself what it actually says.

I don't think so. I think you're trying to prove, by anecdotal evidence, that the average age of a console gamer isn't 37....or 92, or 6. That data isn't part of this survey, and you do not have access to this data, which is why I am confused as to how you can be so sure that it is men in their early 20's.

[Leo_A]

I don't think so. I think you're trying to prove, by anecdotal evidence, that the average age of a console gamer isn't 37....or 92, or 6. That data isn't part of this survey, and you do not have access to this data, which is why I am confused as to how you can be so sure that it is men in their early 20's.

I never said anything about gender and just ventured a guess at age.

It very well might be 37 for all I know (Even though I believe the average age if we looked at dedicated gaming devices is significantly lower). But all I was trying to get across was that this study wasn't any more evidence of what 98PaceCar wants to believe in post 38 than it is for my own impression of the average age of players on dedicated gaming devices.

The study simply doesn't say what someone like 98PaceCar in post #38 states.

And that was my only point I was trying to get across. The study was taking a very broad look at gamers, it wasn't specifically just examining dedicated gaming devices.


From where I'm sitting, you are the one that brought up that this is about console gaming. If you were trying to make the opposite point you clearly failed in that. I don't think that there is another person here that would take anything I've posted to mean that I in any way feel that this study is directed at console gamers and not gamers in general.

All I can do at this point is laugh at you! Take some time, reread the thread and focus on comprehension. You've made yourself look like a giant ass and all you are trying to do is dig yourself out of the hole you've put yourself in.

I mean really??!! LOL!!

I fail at reading comprehension? Show me where you actually thought I was suggesting this study was stating that the average age of a console gamer is 37. And it's convenient to point out an entire post from you that states exactly what you just said you never stated as a "misinterpreted quote" Just what were you trying to say then? Are you sure what your other postings in this thread say are actually what your thoughts are?

And the person who resorted to name calling just now should go look in the mirror.

Here are some highlights that very clearly show what I was saying. Maybe you'll actually try to read them for a change.


I imagine the facts included things like people playing games on their phones, solitare on their computers, Pogo.com members, etc.

As far as the average age of what we consider as gamers (As in the type of individual that visits this forum), I'm sure it's significantly lower when you remove these outliers.




There's no way in heck that the average age of a console gamer in 2011 is anywhere close to 37. The average there I bet is in the low 20's if I had to make a unscientific guess at it. Probably could dig up some NPD data to even show that.
There's reputable proof posted that says it's 37, if you have proof to the contrary please post it.
There's reputable proof that the average age of a gamer is 37.

There isn't reputable proof that the average age of a console gamer on a platform such as the Playstation 3 is 37. The study doesn't make such a claim from the highlights I saw. Yet some people, such as yourself judging from your postings in this thread, seem to want to believe that's just what this is saying because your 37.


And that interpretation is trying to make this study say something that it doesn't say. This study isn't claiming that the average age of someone playing the latest game on the Xbox 360 is 37 years old. It's including a much broader group of individuals that includes many that have never even touched a gaming console.

[98PaceCar]

I fail at reading comprehension? Show me where you actually thought I was suggesting this study was stating that the average age of a console gamer is 37.

Yes, I actually feel that you have failed in this instance. If you actually read what I said prior to post 38, you will see zero mention of the word console and in all honesty, I think my posts are pretty clear on the subject both before and after. Yes, I misquoted what you said in that post. Eh, it happens. I certainly wouldn't try to build an entire argument over a single post.


And the person who resorted to name calling just now should go look in the mirror.

If I were the first person that expressed that you are being a bit, let's call it difficult (just to be polite), I might take that advice. I'm not the first and I'm pretty confident in my assessment of where we are now.

I'm going to bow out now, this is clearly going nowhere and quite frankly, it's not worth any further effort.

[Leo_A]

Just what were you trying to accomplish with post #38 then when you initated our conversation?



There's no way in heck that the average age of a console gamer in 2011 is anywhere close to 37. The average there I bet is in the low 20's if I had to make a unscientific guess at it. Probably could dig up some NPD data to even show that.
There's reputable proof posted that says it's 37, if you have proof to the contrary please post it.

My two post in this thread prior to that post from you stated the following.

http://digitpress.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1825760&postcount=30

http://digitpress.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1825914&postcount=36

I don't see any relevancy with what you stated in post #38 other than some sort of argument suggesting that this study indeed is saying that the average age of a gamer on a console is 37.

If that wasn't what you were saying, why didn't you clarify it several post ago? I've been reponding to you under the impression you actually thought what you said, until you went and suddenly changed your tune just now and started to get insulting.

And I don't see why a little bit of sarcasm to someone else (Which I was out of line with) warrants the type of response you made. And disagreeing with you in a thread doesn't somehow make me anymore "difficult" then you are since it takes two for a continued debate like this, unless you have some credentials I'm unaware of that leave your opinions on this basically undebatable (Such as being a member of the actual ESA team that conducted this study).

I thought this was dead and buried yesterday until it popped back up this evening suddenly. I figured you saw my point, or just figured to agree to disagree. I just chose to reply now since I was having a good time (Other than being a jerk towards boatofcar) and like to debate, especially when I think something I said was misunderstood. Wasn't out to be "difficult".

[98PaceCar]

Just what were you trying to accomplish with post #38 then when you initated our conversion?



My two post in this thread prior to that post from you stated the following.

http://digitpress.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1825760&postcount=30

http://digitpress.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1825914&postcount=36

I don't see any relevancy with what you stated in post #38 other than some sort of argument suggesting that this study indeed is saying that the average age of a gamer on a console is 37.

If that wasn't what you were saying, why didn't you clarify it several post ago? I've been reponding to you under the impression you actually thought what you said, until you went and suddenly changed your tune just now and started to get insulting.

And I don't see why a little bit of sarcasm to someone else (Which I was out of line with) warrants the type of response you made. And disagreeing with you in a thread doesn't somehow make me anymore "difficult" then you are since it takes two for a continued debate like this, unless you have some credentials I'm unaware of that leave your opinions on this basically undebatable (Such as being a member of the actual ESA team that conducted this study).

I thought this was dead and buried yesterday until it popped back up this evening suddenly. I figured you saw my point, or just figured to agree to disagree. I just chose to reply now since I was having a good time (Other than being a jerk towards boatofcar) and like to debate, especially when I think someone I said was misunderstood. Wasn't out to be "difficult".

Well, so much for being done I guess.. Lol!

Honestly, I think if you erase post 38 which I've already admitted was misquoted, we are actually on the same page. But, you've seemingly latched on to a belief that I'm saying that this study was about "console" gamers. Please, with no sarcasm or malice intended, reread my posts prior to 38 and tell me that you honestly believe that I in any way meant that this study was about console gamers. I'm pretty sure you can do the same with my posts after 38 as well. I don't feel that my stance needed clarification because, outside of 1 post that I've already admitted was misquoted, what I've said has been consistent and clear. Again, if that's truly not the case, I'm must be missing it somewhere.

If I insulted you, I apologize for that. Boatofcar is someone that I consider a respected peer and it will always color my judgement of others when I see them attack my peers. Perhaps that's not the best way to be, but that coupled with a seemingly unfounded insistence that my stance was actually contrary to what I had been saying put me in a place where I felt the need to post. I hadn't posted to this in the past few days because I hadn't been in front of a computer until tonight. I saw where it went and felt the need to defend my stance.

It is what it is. I think a clear case of BOTH of us misinterpreting what the other posted. I honestly feel that outside of one misquoted post, my stance was and still is clear and consistent.

[Parodius Duh!]

all these "studies" are stinking bullshit. What, did they interview all the gamers in the world? Everybody I know between the ages of 37-41, do not play games, maybe like 3 of them. Everyone I know between the ages of 18 and 32, well, all of them are gamers to some degree.

[Leo_A]

You quoted something from me that states that I think the demographics of the average console gamer is significantly different than that of the average age of a gamer in general just in order to disagree and claim that this study unequivocally says that.

And now you have the nerve to get angry with me and rude while claiming that you never even said that in the first place?

I'm not sure what purpose you did all this for other than to hear yourself talk. Why clearly quote someone, disagree with what you quoted, and now claim that you never were disagreeing about what he said in the first place? Just what were you trying to do this with the linked post if it wasn't to disagree?

It's hardly my fault, dimwit.

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1825944&postcount=38

And folks, it's rather amazing that it has had to be explained that the average age of a console gamer doesn't equal the average age of a gamer in general across all types of devices. That some of you actually have argued this point just boggles the mind when this study makes no secret that it's a general look across all forms of videogaming and that this statistic is an average of all of that data. It's something that should hardly have to ever been pointed out to any of you.

Learn to read, people.

[heybtbm]

all these "studies" are stinking bullshit. What, did they interview all the gamers in the world? Everybody I know between the ages of 37-41, do not play games, maybe like 3 of them. Everyone I know between the ages of 18 and 32, well, all of them are gamers to some degree.

(sigh)

This what it sounds like when "The People of Walmart" speak.

[Icarus Moonsight]

You can't assume that "it's basically the median age."

It's not an assumption. 37 is nearly dead halfway between birth and 75. Gaming is near universal, that's the only interesting thing this study suggests, and that's something I knew from my own experience well before this study was probably funded.

Average *insert thing here* being a dull subject is also not an assumption. Ever seen a Penthouse forum letter start, "This always happens! You are absolutely going to believe this..."?