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40% of Adults Play Games

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the that's-it dept.

Gamasutra reports on an AP Poll stating that some 40% of American adults play games. From the article: "The poll also yielded plenty of other results worth ruminating on - 45 percent of gamers play over the Internet, and those who do are notably more 'hardcore' than those who do not. Forty-two percent of online gamers spent four hours or more per week playing games, but only 26% of offline gamers did similarly. The AP/AOL survey also revealed that, of those who play online games, almost one in five said they had formed real-life friendships or relationships with those they play with online, showing the use of gaming as a social activity, even when playing remotely against others."

7 of 80 comments (clear)

  1. Okay people by imboboage0 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Does it really matter the percentage of people that play games? I believe many of us do it as a way to have fun and pass time. Is it really such a surprise that people play games? I'm really getting tired of all these studies.

    --
    Honesty may be the best policy, but by process of elimination, dishonesty is the second best policy.
    1. Re:Okay people by porcupine8 · · Score: 4, Insightful
      Well, it matters in that certain political and/or media figures try to paint all "gamers" as lazy teenagers with no lives, goals, or aspirations who can't distinguish fantasy gameplay from reality. And a certain portion of the population, who don't play games and who don't personally know many gamers, believe them.

      The more statistics like this get out, the more these people are challenged by the fact that "gamers", in fact, are normal everyday people - including *gasp* adults with jobs and families. And that, while keeping small children from witnessing graphic sex and violence is one thing, it's quite another to censor an entire category of media that is widely enjoyed by adults who can make their own decisions.

      --
      Warning: Apple/Nintendo fangirl. Likes her electronics cute & cuddly. May be rabid.
  2. Mainstream by Enderandrew · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This doesn't surprise me in the least. Gaming is mainstream, though some people don't realize that. That's why Halo 2's opening day of sales was better than any opening day of sales for any movie in history.

    --
    http://blindscribblings.com - Tasty pop-culture in conceptual fashion.
  3. How do you define games? by Bongo+Bill · · Score: 5, Insightful

    How many of these games are Solitaire and Minesweeper, or on Flash portals like PopCap? These are very clearly games, but to what extent can they be compared to what the average Slashdot user thinks of as games (Halo, Metroid, Final Fantasy, GTA, &c.)?

    --
    ...but is it art?
  4. Is it just me... by fm6 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    ... or are other people bothered by the assumption that when somebody says "games" they mean "computer games"?

  5. 9 out of 10... by truthsearch · · Score: 5, Funny

    9 out of 10 Americans hate the tenth for telling them about useless surveys.

    --
    Developers: We can use your help.
  6. More importantly by Geneus · · Score: 3, Insightful

    What percentage of gamers are adults? I think that would be much more interesting than the other way.