Video Game Adoption and Seniors

Gaming for All Ages

With the successful launches of the now dated Nintendo DS & Nintendo Wii game consoles, many people can likely share memories of family members and friends who were never quite ‘gamers’ in the past having great experiences with these consoles. Taking a deeper dive into senior engagement with video games, we will look at an article called “How pricey video games have sucked in millions of senior citizens” by Andrew Court of New York Post. The article speaks on a survey by FandomSpot that is said in the piece to show wider adoption by older adults beyond the stereotype of teenage boys.

The Survey

Offering a statement to New York Post, Alyssa Celatti of FandomSpot said, “Old people don’t just want to sit on the porch and watch leaves fall, they want to have fun” and “This study might even encourage more senior citizens to give gaming a go for some of the benefits cited by their peers.” Court shared that 1,000 gamers ages 65+ were respondents in the survey and that nearly half spent at least $500 on consoles, games, and accessories over the past year.

In addition to stating that about half of the respondents shared that gaming helped improve their mental health, Court also added, “More than three quarters of those polled said the games help them to keep “a healthy, younger mind,” while 76% said they facilitated relationships with family and friends. That finding also refutes the cliché that video games foster isolation and anti-social behaviors.”

AARP Study and Additional FandomSpot Data

A 2019 study by AARP was mentioned in the article showing great popularity of video games among Americans age 50+. It noted that from 2016 to 2019, the number of older players grew from 40.2 million to 50.6 million. Court shared that the COVID pandemic can likely take some credit for even more recent interest in gaming as he noted that seniors told FandomSpot that electrics helped ease boredom.

With some final points from the FandomSpot, Court reports that Call of Duty games were popular among seniors, 58% play games on PlayStation, and a majority also play games on smartphones. Finally, regarding ranking games for those 65+, Candy Crush came out on top followed by Wordle. That said, in conclusion, we can see more evidence that gaming is relevant for all ages. It was also likely made more relevant during the pandemic. Dollars imply action, and it’s striking that nearly half of those 65+ spent at least $500 on consoles or related products over the past year. It’s an exciting time to be a gamer, and we’re happy to see broader adoption beyond teenage gamers.

Source:

https://nypost.com/2022/04/19/how-video-games-have-sucked-in-millions-of-seniors-citizens/

FandomSpot Survey:

https://www.fandomspot.com/us-senior-gamers-study/

AARP Study:

https://www.aarp.org/home-family/personal-technology/info-2019/report-video-games.html

Photo by Enoch Ho on Unsplash