Gaming Has Transcendered Demographics
In today’s world, gaming has transcended demographics to the point of universality. We no longer refer to gamers as ‘people who play video games.’ Instead, we refer to them as ‘gamers’. And what do we mean by gaming? We play video games because we want to feel part of a larger community. We play to meet other like-minded souls and feel a sense of belonging.
While the older demographic spends the most time watching television, younger audiences prioritize video games over social media, streaming TV, and movies. Big brands are taking advantage of this demographic by marketing to younger gamers. Meanwhile, older gamers engage in meaningful ways with their gaming. Almost two-thirds of gamers in the U.S. age group regularly consume food or drinks while playing. This is an indication that gaming is becoming a popular hobby among older gamers, too.
Video games may help improve memory and spatial thinking skills. Gamers have improved spatial thinking skills and improved their ability to visualize space, and studies conducted by the American Psychological Association show that a certain type of shooter game improves spatial thinking. These benefits are evident in both children and adults. In addition to improving memory, some games also improve social skills. This means that gamers may be a valuable resource in the real world as well as in video games.
Video games have become the preferred form of entertainment, influencing the lives of millions of people worldwide. The number of gamers is increasing exponentially and will reach 2.8 billion by 2021. Currently, there are 2.5 billion gamers in the United States alone. But if we include the world’s population, this figure would be much higher. There are a further 1.5 billion gamers in Asia. It’s hard to imagine a world without video games.
Despite these statistics, male gamers remain the majority of gamers in the U.S. According to Pew Research, male gamers outnumber females, and the average age of a gamer is 34 years old compared to 36 years old for women. A significant proportion of older male gamers is likely to be a woman. Many of them play games to improve their quality of life, as 3 out of five American gamers do. And while the majority of the population plays video games, more than half of them play alone.
In the United States, 38% of gamers are 35 years old or older, while 21% of gamers are under the age of eighteen. A quarter of those who are over age 65 are gamers. In addition, 75% of households have at least one gamer, ranging from pre-Boomers to post-Boomers in their seventies. If you’re looking for a way to find out whether you’re a gamer, make sure to check out these stats.