"OLD-SCHOOL" GAMERS MAKE 1/3 OF MARKET

[Michael Thomasson]

I came across this and found it refreshing, although a bit disturbing that the group considers N64 and PS1 as "old School." Anyway, make of it what you will....


"OLD-SCHOOL" GAMERS MAKE 1/3 OF MARKET

Phoenix Marketing International's new research market study, "Consumer Buying Intentions," indicates that four out of five households play video games and that one third of gamers play older platforms such as the original PlayStation, Nintendo 64 or Super Nintendo.
David Pluchino, the Senior Research Manager at PMI states, "Whether playing on a computer, console, or handheld system, the majority of US households are gaming. Interestingly, more than a third of gamers are holding onto older systems and actively using them."

The survey also found that roughly 17% of those planning to buy a new system this holiday season will also purchase an older console.

[Red Shadow]

My follow-up question would be: why? I mean, I know why _I_ play the classic systems, but I'd be curious to see them gather data from these people to find out why many are going for the older units. Possible reasons I can think of:

1) Was already in the house, purchased long ago, seemed like something to sit and play.

2) Nostalgia factor generated by the above

3) Cheaper (as long as you're not into the WNC), so it makes more sense to furnish that system for less.

4) Something about the old games appeals more than the new ones.

(add any you can think of)

I think the percentage of 4 would be the thing I'd be the most interested in. If there's statistics showing people like a lot of the oldschool gameplay as opposed to many of the newer titles, we might see more ports, remakes, updates, sequels, and games that cater to that kind of audience. Don't get me wrong, I love my RPG's, but once in awhile I like to sit down and whack skeletons and mummies with my whip, and the like. Less complicated and graphic-intensive games seem to be a dying breed.

[Lady Jaye]

It's not a question of being a retrogamer here. Chances are, many people interviewed just can't afford (or aren't willing to pay so much money) to buy the latest systems, so they end up being a generation behind.

That's the way I used to be. I bought the SNES a mere few months before the N64 came out. When I got my Coleco Gemini in 1987, my parents weren't willing to spend a few hundred dollars to get me a NES or a Sega Master System...

[Gapporin]

I came across this and found it refreshing, although a bit disturbing that the group considers N64 and PS1 as "old School."

Even though I don't consider them "old school", I still think that they are a part of retrogaming. After all, they're "dead" consoles.

[charitycasegreg]

A couple days ago while I was talkin to a freind, he says "Man greg, you are the master of all things vintage" I started laughing and then he asked if I had a super nintendo./ Then he went on about how he has one and he still plays it sometimes just because it has some great games. He also has the newer systems and he isnt poor or anything. He just enjoys the classics as many other people I know do.

[Anthony1]

I wouldn't read too much into those statistics.

I know alot of people who have young children, and the young kids have a PSone or a N64. The reason has nothing to do whatsoever with "retrogaming".


It has everything to do with the prices of games for those systems. The really young are quite happy playing a PS1 or N64 even though the graphics are very outdated by the current standards. And when the parent goes to flea markets and places of that nature, they can find games for them for $5 or less each. So it's an economical thing.

I know that when my Son starts playing Video Games I'm going to start him off with a Super Nintendo. He can have one in is own room, and he really can't do that much damage to it, because it's a cart based system. So it just makes sense to do that with younger children.

I would say that in the vast majority of those cases, where people have a PS1 or N64, and it still get's played in their household, it's because they have young children, and it just makes more sense for them from an economic standpoint to do that, then to say buy them a XBOX or PS2 or even a GameCube. It isn't so much the cost of attaining the actual hardware, as it is a situation of buying the games on a regular basis. It's much cheaper to buy a kid a Crash Bandicoot game on the PS1 every month, than it is to buy them whatever it is they want on the XBOX or PS2 or Cube.

Yes, I know that there are a number of "budget" games on these systems, but one persons "budget" is another persons bankruptcy. There is a big difference between a game costing $5 and a game costing $20, when you are a parent, and you want to shut a kid up real quick by getting them a game.

[klausien]

More people would buy alot more of the pre-PSX stuff if there were more consoles available in the wild. Someone asks for NES & SNES consoles every day at work. Hoarding and eBay killed the retro market.

[NE146]

What the heck am I then. I've been playing games since the EM arcade days and still play my old consoles, yet what does my money go to? NEW games. I just forked out a bunch of cash for a bunch of games for my xbox, ps2, GC. But my favorite game is original Donkey Kong amongst others :D