Gaming is enjoying a revolution. Not just in the fact that it is a growing business in itself, but also that it is rapidly becoming a leading means for communication and social interaction among people from all over the world.
Young adults are at the forefront of the future for gaming - recent research shows that the role of gaming in young adults’ lives is evolving rapidly. The methods via which games are played and how young adults actually play them are changing, along with traditional gamer gender stereotypes and the perception of gaming as an individual activity.
One of the biggest shifts is the method of how games are played. The once-mighty individual games console has been replaced by the internet as the most popular gaming platform. According to new findings from Synovate’s Young Adults Revealed study, developed in association with Microsoft, almost half (44 per cent) of those questioned had played games online and a further 33 per cent had played on a console.
Games systems such as the Xbox360 remain important, but are increasingly being used to access multiplayer gaming experiences online. In a reflection of gaming’s move to the web, it now represents a sizable chunk of young adults’ online activity. An impressive 60 per cent had played games online in the last month, with a third (33 per cent) playing massively multi-player online role-playing games.
Virtual interaction is not the only form of human contact shaping young adults’ gaming experience. Analysis of the research data on ownership of games consoles suggests that playing is increasingly a shared activity. 50 per cent of those living with a partner are significantly more likely to own a console, as opposed to those living with friends (27 per cent) or in the family home (33 per cent). Ownership also spikes amongst people with children, with one likely explanation being an inclination on the part of young families to play games together.
Gaming’s reputation as a male-dominated activity may soon be called into question as well. Although ownership of consoles remains higher amongst men, the gap is narrower than is often assumed: 42 per cent of males own a console, compared to 28 per cent of females. Young men also have a narrow lead when it comes to portable gaming devices; one in four (25 per cent) of those polled owned one, compared to almost one in five (19 per cent) for females.
The role of gaming in young people’s lives also differs considerably by location. In contrast to relatively consistent attitudes to technology in general, their approach to gaming continues to vary wildly from country to country. In the US and Canada, 60 per cent of young adults own games consoles, in contrast to 6 per cent in Romania and 9 per cent in Russia. Portable gaming devices are owned by 38 per cent of young adults in Japan, Spain (37 per cent), Egypt and Morocco (both 31 per cent) but are less popular elsewhere.
That said, there are indications that gaming devices are becoming more attractive across the different markets. There is far greater consistency when young adults are asked whether they would like to own one: consoles received a 27 per cent rating as desirable items from 18-24-year-olds worldwide, highlighting the potential for brands across the globe.
Altogether it seems likely that gaming will continue to enjoy the attentions of this youth audience as they develop their experiences to suit their needs and wants. The growth of online gaming and multi-player role playing games is already driving a forum of highly engaged and entertained consumers and is indicative of how gaming will further evolve to establish itself in the young adult mainstream over the next few years. For advertisers, this highlights a unique and exciting opportunity to interact with a captive young adult audience, traditionally the holy grail of brands.
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