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?"

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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).