The Demographics of Online Gamers

The enduring stereotype of a gamer is, well, not a very flattering one. Chunky, badly dressed, a bit hairy and in possession of approximately zero social skills, it’s no wonder that the rest of us don’t consider ourselves to be "gamers." But thanks to better technology, more options and the advent of social gaming, it looks like most of us actually are. A recent survey by the Entertainment Software Association found that 40 per cent of those who play games are women, and 67 per cent of American households have a PC or console for gaming. So, why are games so popular all of a sudden?

One of the main reasons is the increase in choice. On your phone, online, on a console or PC, these choices mean that there’s a little something for everyone, and most of us don’t even realise that we are, technically, gamers. What, me playing Tetris on my phone on the bus?? No, I’m no computer nerd! Pick on someone less cool!

The social aspect of gaming has also helped. Nowadays, many games online allow players to interact with friends and fellow gamers whilst playing, and to even play with and against them. Some can even be played through social networking (Farmville, Scrabble, etc.), helping to make gaming feel like a communal activity, an online get-together almost.

But with these shifting demographics how can we conclusively say who a gamer is and what they’re likely to be doing? The short answer is that we can’t, especially with the range of consoles and platforms around that are all designed to appeal to a different section of the market; we are all now gamers and as a result a single demographic can’t be picked. We can, however, enjoy the increased choice and quality as the gaming industry tries to please everyone at the same time… cloud, silver lining, really.