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More Than Half of the US Plays Videogames
The newest NPD numbers pass on a heartening statistic about the adoption of games: more than half of the US population plays videogames via some method. "Most people said that per week, they're either playing just as many or less hours than they did last year. Thirty percent said that they play more than a year ago, while another 30 percent said they play less and 40 percent say that they play the same amount of hours. Males aged 18-34 continue to be the heaviest gamers and are more attracted to hardcore games as opposed to casual games."
...that means that according to Jack Thompson, over half the US is going to go on a killing rampage.
The other half just play with their wanker...
Most people said that per week, they're either playing just as many or less hours than they did last year.
Or
"Most people said that per week, they're either playing just as many or more hours than they did last year."
Both statements are true.
If I have been able to see further than others, it is because I bought a pair of binoculars.
I should say meaningless to me... or more, I just don't want to spend the time trying to figure them out.
Do not meddle in the affairs of sysadmins, for they are subtle, and quick to anger.
The number might be higher if people realized (or admitted, depending on how you view it) that those online flash distractions and card games are actually video games.
Ahhh, the good ol' "I can't comprehend anything beyond my nose" argument. How have you ever managed to live to 31? And let's all hope you don't make it to 32.
yeah uh... not all games are FPSs fool how about you take a look into some other genres
I dont think we should use the term "hardcore gamers" for people with tunnel vision when it comes to what games they will play
it should only apply to the crazies like me, who will play nearly anything as long as its not yet another jap RPG
OK, so you are a self-described "hardcore" gamer...well, I have some sad news for you bucko. As soon as you say you refuse to play a game because either A. it is on a console or B. it is on a game system made by a specific company, you are basically revealing to the world that you are a moron. A complete and total moron.
What kind of gamer would want to LIMIT themselves by refusing to play games on certain platforms/systems? If you truly are a hardcore gamer, you would be playing as many different games as possible on as many different systems as possible...otherwise, you are what some people like to call "fake".
Who gives a crap if it's played with a keyboard/mouse or a controller? Who cares what company manufactured the system it plays on? If it's a video game, and it's fun, what more could you possibly want?
Christ, people like you piss me off...
Living With a Nerd
I am by no means a hardcore gamer, nor did I claim to be. I don't have the time for that. But the article, and I, both refer to hardcore GAMES, as opposed to casual games. You failure to comprehend invalidates your first two paragraphs.
Do not meddle in the affairs of sysadmins, for they are subtle, and quick to anger.
I dunno man...all of that sounds rather elitist...elitist and 'hardcore' tend to go hand in hand, you know...notice I called you a "self-described hardcore gamer". I didn't assign you that label, I said you were a "self-described". The description that you gave in both of those quotes of yourself tells me what you think of yourself when it comes to video games...hence, self-described.
Living With a Nerd
With that out of the way, is this really surprising anyways? With Nintendo making games appeal to a much broader audience than ever before, we literally have a wide selection of video games for every market. Whether it's the sims on PC, soduku on hand-held, bowling on the Wii, or educational and learning games for the kids, I think that the US has learned to embrace the entertainment value and tailor it to everything from learning to leisure.
The only real barrier to entry is getting used to a specific UI and there are a stubborn few that will refuse to learn something new, but there are plenty willing to learn as the market adapts to them, and thus I think that adaptation will only continue to grow too.
I also think it makes sense that the hours played is flattening off. While I formerly was bad at putting a game down to go to (work / class / social interactions), I slowly realized there was a time and place for video games and began to play responsibly (although WOW is still pretty friggin addictive). I think most (we'll say 'normal') people already have this internal regulation, recovering addicts like myself that threw off the "hours played" curve are slowly coming out of the darkness.
I won't say this is a good change as educational video games are not a substitute for good parenting, only a supplement, and I see some people forget this. Additionally (and I still refuse to say this in certain terms) things like video games could be a cause of ADD and other attention disorders.
I will say that it is good to kick back and relax as long as it doesn't interfere with your life and some games can be good teaching tools if used properly.
The original generic sig.
Let me clarify.
1. I play games that I would consider hard core. Crysis, as opposed to Tetris.
2. I don't play enough to think of myself hardcore. 4 hours as WEEK maybe. A 6 hour LAN party once a month.
3. Being that I don't play that much, I am very discerning about WHAT I play, and HOW I play. Keyboard/mouse are the controllers for me. I want a high resolution. Console graphics at low res have completely caught up, but currently I don't know of any TV or console that'll do 1600x1200. I'll be going to 1920 with my next upgrade. As far as controllers, I don't think I'll ever be able to do a headshot with a joy nub.
4. I also prefer the 'mod-ability' of PC games. I can't tell you how long I played starcraft on user made maps.
I think audio is the only place where console games are on par. And I think that with what I've heard of Xbox Live, Consoles may have the edge in networked games.
*Disclaimer* we just bought my kids a PS2 for Christmas (yeah, not spending THAT much money.) It'll be interesting to see which one they prefer. A lot goes to be said for just dropping in a CD and turning it on.
Do not meddle in the affairs of sysadmins, for they are subtle, and quick to anger.
Regardless, the way that you talk about it makes you sound like an elitist ass. And btw, any TV that can output a 1080P signal is already putting out a higher resolution than 1600X1200....not to mention 1600X1200 isn't all that high for modern PC games...
As far as headshotting with a controller, it just takes some getting used to...if anything, it just means you are more skilled if you are able to. Being able to be just as proficient in an FPS using a mouse as you are using a controller is a great skill to have btw. You never know when a great shooter is going to be a console exclusive...Goldeneye, perhaps?
BTW, both the 360 AND the PS3 can output a 1080p signal. Just thought you would like to know.
Being able to modify PC games, that I will definately agree with you on...Oblivion is the perfect example of that, and Team Fortress 2/Portal will both be fantastic examples of it as well, once the community spends some more time with them.
Still, don't entirely write off consoles....you are really limiting yourself from playing some fantastic games.
Living With a Nerd
The biggest problem with playing games at 1600x1200 or above is the hardware costs to get a good framerate out of said games. I could probabaly buy all three consoles for the cost of the upgrades to play such games on my PC. Playing at 720p/1080p is good enough for me.
Ont he mod side, that is indeed what kept me playing pc games for so long. I was thrilled when sony allowed mods on the ps3, and UT3 made use of them. Its as simple as downloading the mod to a usb stick and importing it on your ps3. Really hoping they find a way to do it without a PC though. They also let you use a mouse and keyboard, which is awesome. Saved me a ton of PC upgrade money.
How many of THEM?
And who ARE they?
And how come they never invites us over to their place for some games and fried carbohydrates?
Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens
That's frickin insightful, IMHO, mod accordingly.
"If you have friends over, how many keyboards and how many mice can you connect to your PC and let them use?"
:O
You can usually hook up several keyboards, mice may vary. Of course you may only have one game on one screen so several people playing at the same time gets rough on said keyboards trying to out control the others......just don't expect to set many high scores
Actually that was more fun once to try than some games....
Game crusaders are on the wrong path any ways. I mean, seriously, what is more likely to invoke a murderous rampage? Orange-box, or Super Mario Galaxy? In my opinion, the latter.
BAN ALL PLATFORMERS. THEY INCREASE VIOLENCE, OH NOES.
I for one consider Tetris more hardcore than Crysis.
Crysis is for casual gamers that like nothing but good graphics, Tetris is for people that like a challenge.
Of course if you are playing easy mode almost no game is hardcore, except Contra or Mushihimesama.
...as far as I know, there's roughly a 50/50 split between males & females, in terms of U.S. population. Now I'm pretty sure that this doesn't mean that the entire male population plays video games, though by all accounts, males DO make up the majority. Even so, if an estimated 2/3 of video game players are males, that leaves an AMAZING amount of girl gamers!
I don't believe, though, that most people in that study were gamers in the typical sense... those who play console or PC games. I believe a large number of those people would fall into the casual gamer category, mostly because of games that happen to be accesable on their Portable Electronic Device of Choice(TM). Without those "just-happen-to-be-there" diversions, I don't think they'd be counted as gamers.
Considering a mup.sys error in Windows (Google for it) is keeping me from playing. I just may go on a killing rage.
Keep in mind even though consoles says they do 1080i/p, doesn't mean it actually does. Call of Duty 4, etc, only display like 1080x600 or something like that, even though it says 1080i on the box. Only a rare few games actually display the full 1920x1080 or whatever the resolution is.
you're misunderstanding his point, or you don't want to quit because he sounds "elitist" to you. but he's merely trying to say that, given the limited time he has to play video games (or wants to), that he chooses to use it on computers because that's what's easiest and that's what he enjoys most. he's not staying away from consoles purposely...
FYI: I don't know what you guys are talking about half the time.
That's what I was going to say; but now I'm redundant... better say more...
Tetris is just pure. Kind of like how a long-distance runner is more a pure athlete than a football player. Nothing but you, the game, and hand-eye coordination.
Just not in a funny - haha - sense of the word. Maybe more of a "what smells?" kind.
Just because you can, does not mean you should.
Oh, I know! Honestly, I can't put up with playing games on less than a 30" widescreen, with AT LEAST twelve speakers in a surround setup. My mouse has to have ten buttons and two scroll wheels or I can't maximize my playing potential. Actually, I even found 104 keys to be too restrictive, so I hacked together a new keyboard that fills in all the empty space with more buttons.
I mean, if a man can't have a decent setup like the one I just described, what's the point? I might as well go outside or something.
Skype is too convoluted... Now I'm reverse-engineering the Kyoto Protocol.
Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
DVD FLLC earns a cut for each DVD-Video disc pressed through licensed manufacturers of pressed and recordable discs, but that doesn't mean DVD FLLC has to reject titles.
Bottom line: If I have developed a Windows-based working prototype of a video game that's more easily appreciated on a sofa + 27" monitor than on a desk + 17" monitor, how should I market it?
"The survey included over 5,000 online participants." ...Okay... doesn't that mean that certain huge demographics have been completely ignored? Like, the people out there who don't have internet access? Or don't have access to a computer at all?
I think this skews the stats a little...?
I wonder if the writers' strike, resulting in numerous TV reruns(& reality shows) would give a boost in video gaming. No new episodes of your favorite shows? Fire up the console then.
He made that point in a reply to a reply to his original post. I admit, he seemed less elitist in his reply. But his original post was a little flamebait-ish.
"No sitting on the living room floor playing with a controller for me. 8 buttons ain't enough. I need all 104. And I can't STAND trying to sniper with a joy nub!"
I play consoles. I don't sit on the floor. And "joy nub" sounds condescending.
Tetris is considered a casual game, which does not mean that it can't be taken to the hardcore levels (want proof? look up Tetris on youtube). What makes Tetris a casual game is that it's far more accessible than games labeled "hardcore". Truthfully, I don't really like the concept of Hardcore/Casual but as long as it's around, I think it's important to recognize that a casual game can appeal to a hardcore player and there's no shame in that. Still, calling Tetris a hardcore game is a bit of a stretch.
Notice the pattern? Here's an idea. If you have a point, make your point. Don't disguise your points as questions. It's a cheap argumentative strategy and all it does is cloud the conversation. Thank you.
OK, so you are a self-described "hardcore" gamer...well, I have some sad news for you bucko. As soon as you say you refuse to play a game because either A. it is on a console or B. it is on a game system made by a specific company, you are basically revealing to the world that you are a moron. A complete and total moron.
Um, I strongly disagree with you. Why? I currently only support 3 game platforms: PC, PS2, and N64. I'm cheap. Although I'd like a Wii, I'm not going out to spend the money on another console. Why? I just made a list of $400 of PS2 games that I'd like for Christmas. O.k. I might get $80 of them from my wife and mom, but I've got kids and family's Christmas to think of as well. I support the RPG market on the PS2. I don't care about the PS3, Xwhatever, or the Wii game market. I'm not a moron cause I don't have an infinite amount of money to spend on games.
Your "B", there are many, many valid reasons to boycott game makers that you don't like. If you hate Rockstar games, don't freaking buy Rock Star games. The same can be said of FF and Dragon Quest, if you think FF and DQ are bad games don't buy games from Square-Enix. Here's a hint most of us buy only the games that we like, or the moral platform that we find least offensive. If the only gaming platform that I can find that is least offensive is a pack of cards, then that's what'd I'd support.
Will I miss out on some games? Sure. But my not purchasing games that I don't like, and advising friends and family to avoid certain games will make a difference with those that trust my gaming habits. I'm generally viewed as the adult gamer that'll play nearly anything. If I tell my wife's church friends not buy their kids Rock Star games or just some gory survival horror games, they'll listen and not make purchases of those games.
They'll still buy games though. Usually something like Zelda or Pokemon, but that's votes for those "family friendly games." Heck, I even try to keep them on Nintendo platforms mainly just to avoid the possibility of playing something that they'll object to. I can't do anything about crazies that picket games, but I can do my part to advising folks on purchases that won't offend their morals. Heck, I have my set of morals, and I've thought about never buying FF games just because of their anti-tech/eco-Gaia view point that they push. I don't believe in the morals pushed behind most of the FF games, but I still end up buying and playing them.
I think you were missing the point that I was responding to in regards to the OP...he said certain games weren't worth playing because they were played with a controller instead of a keyboard and mouse. Not because he couldn't afford to, not because he didn't agree with them morally, he said they were literally worthless because they were console games that used controllers and not PC games that used a keyboard/mouse combo.
If you don't want to buy a system or a game because you can't afford to or because you oppose of it morally, that's fine...I have no problem with that, there is nothing wrong with that. But refusing to play a game ONLY because it isn't a PC game is needlesly limiting yourself...if money isn't a factor, and morality isn't a factor, and the only thing preventing you from playing them is an elitest sense of view that console games are somehow inferior...I'm sorry, from the standpoint of someone who loves videogames, that is one of the stupidest things I have ever heard of.
Again. If you can't afford it or just simply don't morally agree with the message a game puts out, that's fine...but refusing to play the vast majority of games that are released simply because they are on a console is really only hurting one person: the elitest bastard who refuses to (or maybe just can't?) adapt to a different control scheme.
Living With a Nerd