Gaming matters to Britons. To understand how games fit into people’s everyday lives, the BBC carried out extensive research commissioned by BBC Audience Research, New Media, as part of a wider Creative Research & Development study.



It reveals some very interesting facts. Let’s see what it says:



Who plays the games? - A gamer is defined as someone who has played video games in the last six months on any platform - Console, PC/Internet, Handheld/mobile phones and interactive TV (iTV). A couple of facts about these gamers are:



i. A remarkable 59 percent of the population falling between 6 years to 65 years is gamers!

ii. Of those, 48% are women and 100% of 6 to 10-year-olds play games.



Age of gamers - This also is some sort of revelation. Check the reasons below.



i. The average age of the UK gamer is 28 that might seem to be much higher than expectation.

ii. Those born in the 90s do not know life without games (as expected).

iii. Perhaps more unexpectedly, 51% of the population from 36 to 50s play games, and the figures are still rising. Also as expected different age groups make different choices about how, where, and what they play.



Male and female gamers -



i. The gaming habits of male and female gamers are not very distinct. In fact quite similar between the two genders.

ii. Gaming is enjoyed by both from all age groups and from all walks of life.

iii. Across all age groups, 48% of gamers are female!

iv. The biggest gender gap is in the 36 to 50 age group, but the gap is only 10%.



Preferred gaming device -



i. Most of the UK’s gamers - especially those under 35 - play on consoles, such as the Xbox, PS2 or GameCube. Console gamers: 21.4 million

ii. PCs dominates for the over-35s. Web-based games are popular, with both males and females across the ages. PC gamers: 19.9 million

iii. Mobiles and handhelds very popular with younger groups. Handheld/mobile gamers: 14.8 million

iv. A substantial of the gamers use iTV as preferred gaming device. iTV gamers : 8.1 million



Who plays the most? -



i. Across age groups the intensity of game-playing differs.

ii. Most of the gamers, both males and females, said they were ‘heavy’ players.

iii. Heavy gamers tend to play more than one device.

iv. Among 25 to 35s, 77% play at least once a week. Under-10s usually play everyday.

v. Heavy gamers - 81% (Men 45.3%, Women 36.2%).

vi. Medium gamers - 11.3% (Men 5.3%, Women 6%)

vii. Light gamers - 7.2% (Men 2.6%, Women 4.5%)



Popular game types -



i. Puzzles/quizzes : 63%

ii. Action/adventure : 43%

iii. Racing : 40%

iv. Simulations : 39%

v. Classic : 37%

vi. Strategy : 32%

vii. Sports : 30%

viii. 1st Person Shooters : 29%

ix. Roleplay : 26%

x. Music : 13%

xi. Children’s : 11%

xii. Multiplayer Online : 8%



Where to play? -



i. 6-10 and 25-65 year old gamers play games in the lounge.

ii. 11-24 year old gamers prefer to play in their bedrooms.



Evolving Picture -



i. The findings are dynamic, they are still changing

ii. It is clear however, that gaming is an important part of many people’s social and entertainment life.

iii. It is changing media habits too.Gamers are more likely to have digital TV, broadband and other technologies in the home; 37% of 16 to 24-year-old gamers download TV and films from the net already.



Source: BBCNews Thanks!