Who Plays Video Games?

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IBIS World Inc. did a bunch of fascinating  research on the video game field.   Here is the current market segment numbers for gamers:

“While it is male gamers – predominantly younger – that have been the lifeblood of the industry for decades, ageing gamers and women are where companies are beginning to look for fresh markets to exploit.

Growth in the women’s market segment stalled for a period during the late 1990s and early 21st century, as the number of women happy to play games designed primarily for men reached a critical mass. However, recent developments in game design and marketing is opening up female gamers as perhaps THE potential growth market in the industry.

Only as Old as you Feel?

As the young male (i.e. under 40) demographic is comprehensively catered for by existing game titles, and the female market is currently the focal point, one of the remaining demographic groups that remains readily available to the industry is older gamers.

Until recently, those who were the teenaged pioneers of video games 25 years ago were under 40 years old. However, today, those gamers are approaching their mid- to late-forties, with fifty around the corner. In order to retain those original fans, games designed specifically to appeal to older players are most likely the next (and perhaps final) frontier for developers and publishers to cross.

This has already begun, with Nintendo’s DS ‘Brain Age’ testing games, and is expected to go on as the industry faces a diminishing number of potential new customers in the future.

Women are also being courted like never before. They represent 40% of game players and 48% of game buyers, yet are a market segment that this industry was long renowned for ignoring. Historical efforts to attract female gamers were often considered half-hearted

They’re Not Going Anywhere

Despite all of the attention currently being lavished on female customers, however, it is prudent to remember that the vast bulk of gamers – 55% – are male and aged under 45. Irrespective of moves made by the industry’s largest companies to capture new markets, it is these male customers that are the lifeblood of industry revenue and will remain so indefinitely.

Many of the biggest selling games in the world at the moment include Halo 3, Grand Theft: Auto IV, Grand Turismo 5 and Metal Gear: Solid 4, all of which are distinctly masculine in their outlook. Make no mistake, video gaming is an industry dominated by the demands of young men.”

If you are interested in seeing more of their research, check IBIS out HERE.  This site would be especially interesting to you if you work in a company that needs research on any and all kinds of industries, including gaming.  There are hundreds of reports, however there is a fee to access them.

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