Your Mom Plays More Than You
New study says some casual gamers are much more hardcore than we give them credit for.
When you think of casual games, you invariably think of the office worker getting in a few games of Bejewelled or the commuter whiling away the journey with a game of Sudoku. A new study says that not only is this image wrong, it also underestimates the amount of time casual gamers are spending playing games.
Games such as Diner Dash are a hit with casuals
"Our survey has determined that mainstream audiences dedicate a substantial amount of time to gameplay - not just in 15-minute increments as previously thought," said Macrovision's Loren Hillberg.
According to the study, carried out by Macrovision, some "casual" gamers play for two hours or more up to nine times a week and spend about 20 hours per week playing games.
What kind of person spends this amount of time playing games? According to Macromedia, which operates the Trymedia game download service, around three-quarters of its audience are women, and more than half the audience is aged between 35 and 60.
These middle-aged empty-nesters are racking up impressive numbers, and they're voting with their money. Macrovision says around a third of its audience has bought more than 20 games over the past year.
Not surprisingly, puzzle games dominate their tastes, but card and strategy games aren't far behind.
So next time you see you mom running upstairs to the computer, share a knowing wink with her. Or why not ask her to join you in a game of Grand Theft Auto? You may both be surprised.
Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo Games
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