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Computers And Video Games And Trends In Gaming by Sarah Gentili

The other day I was watching television and began flipping through the stations. I came across a program that was covering E3, which is the largest gaming convention in the country. This is where all the gaming companies converge on Santa Monica CA for a three day bash to introduce their new products. While I consider myself a bit of a nerd, I do not spend a lot of time gaming.

There were two things I noticed while watching some of convention coverage. The first was that the games they were featuring have come a long way since the day of 8 bit (pc) personal computer games. Technology has advanced to the point that video games are becoming a real competitor with films and movies. One example of this was the movie “300". It took ten days to add the digital element to the film, which comprised over seventy five percent of the movie. Digital video, a technology used in both games and cinema is cheap and takes less time. It’s an equalizer between the two industries.

One of the other things that caught my attention was an interview they did. One of the hosts was leading a discussion with several others about the changing trends in gamers and the gaming industry. They covered several different items, but the one thing that stuck out the most for me was that the average gamer was over thirty years old.

One of the guests explained that many people in the general public have the misconception that games are too violent and inappropriate. They think games have a negative impact on the boys who are playing them. Games could even lead to violent or unpredictable behavior. The fact is games have matured because the audience has matured.

Being curious, I did some more research and found some additional information on this changing trend.

TOP 10 INDUSTRY FACTS (provided by The Entertainment Software Association)
1. US computer and video game software sales grew six percent in 2006 to $7.4 billion – almost tripling industry software sales since 1996
2. Sixty-nine percent of American heads of households play computer and video games.
3. The average game player is 33 years old and has been playing games for 12 years.
4. The average age of the most frequent game buyer is 40 years old. In 2006, 93 percent of computer game buyers and 83 percent of console game buyers were over the age of 18.
5. Eighty-five percent of all games sold in 2005 were rated "E" for Everyone, "T" for Teen, or "E10+" for Everyone 10+. For more information on ratings, please see www.esrb.org.
6. Eighty-seven percent of game players under the age of 18 report that they get their parents’ permission when renting or buying games, and 89 percent say their parents are present when they buy games.
7. Thirty-five percent of American parents say they play computer and video games. Further, 80 percent of gamer parents say they play video games with their kids. Sixty-six percent feel that playing games has brought their families closer together.
8. Thirty-eight percent of all game players are women. In fact, women over the age of 18 represent a significantly greater portion of the game-playing population (30%) than boys age 17 or younger (23%).
9. In 2005, 25 percent of Americans over the age of 50 played video games, an increase from nine percent in 1999.
10. Forty-four percent of game players say they play games online one or more hours per week. In addition, 32 percent of heads of households play games on a wireless device, such as a cell phone or PDA, up from 20 percent in 2002.

While I’m glad that the percentage of youth playing violent video games is much smaller than I thought, the fact that grown men and women are taking their place is just as disturbing. I guess that “thirty” really is the new “twenty”. Obviously many gamers have been exposed to video games at a younger age and carried the habit over into adulthood. Also, the games have gotten better. Many offer tough competition that turns some gamers on. Perhaps certain games do provide a way for parents to share an activity with their kids. But still, I cannot stop wondering if the many hours spent on games is the best use of time for these gamers. Some competition and fun by individuals, and even some family activity is OK, but how much is too much?

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