A Quarter of Video-Game Players Are Over 50

ABC News
By Ned Potter
Jan. 14, 2008

The stereotype of the modern gamer has been of the glassy-eyed teenager, remote in hand, sitting in front of the screen for hours on end.

The stereotype was never completely accurate, and now, according to the Entertainment Software Association, it's completely changed. The fastest-growing audience for video games is casual players -- many of them over age 50.

Back in 1999, the industry said fewer than 10 percent of America's video-game players were over 50. But since then, the percentage has more than doubled. Today more than one in four players are that age -- a quarter of a $30 billion market.

[urban bohemian]

Yeah right one in four gamers is over 50.

Maybe they have played video games once but that doesn't make them gamers.

[Adamalicious]

I agree. What's the threshold? It ought to be like once a week or something, but I'm sure it's much lower.

[eagle21]

lol

[kspraydad]

sites like POGO or Yahoo Games.

Online solitare (??) and checkers ftw.

[Amnesiac]

I thought I was sick at COD4 until I ran into my Grandma online last night and got totally owned

[YoMeViet]

lol bubbles for you

[YoMeViet]

Well I could imagine the Wii in many nursing homes so that could be true to an extent. Maybe 15% perhaps

[Maddens Raiders]

will NEVER be on my friends list, or should I say mii list.

[ban fans]

this report is very accurate. I know many older gamers (uncles, friends, ect) who have just recently jumped into the market, thanks mostly to the Wii. This is due mostly to games that don't require all the complex button use like Guitar Hero, Rock Band, and most Wii games. All the power to them! It helps to break that bad stereotype that gamers have.
And no, they don't include computer games like solitare. This is pure console gaming. And the shame of getting beat on Guitar Hero III by your 55 year old mom.....

[LanRanger]

People have a ridiculously narrow definition of what constitutes a "gamer". Just because Grandpa isn't beating up hookers with a bat in GTA doesn't mean he's not a gamer.

My parents are well past 50 and they own a Wii they play regularly, especially when they have a party with other adult friends. My grandmas love Wii bowling, Bejeweled, Sudoku, and online Bingo. Laugh if you want, but last I checked all those are still games.

Two Brain Age's and Big Brain Academy have sold 25 million copies combined on the Nintendo DS. People who played Pong, Space Invaders, and Defender in the arcades as teenagers are starting to turn 50. I have no doubt this article is correct.

[jorellpogi]

Interesting article. Most of these oldies just play arcade games.