Complaining about Xbox 360 on MTV

[Boltman]

Re: Complaining about Xbox 360 on MTV

Oh suuurrre, I can see a tech dad bringing up the point now in a argument that a HDTV is valuble to the family because it'll give their kid a better gaming experience. Right. I wish my moms or pops did look out for me like that.

I am a dad (I'll be 35 in Nov), my son (who plays games way more than
I do) will benefit from that logic, because I do feel that way about it.


So my 12 year old has a dad that does look out for his son like that!

[ODogg]

Re: Complaining about Xbox 360 on MTV

I am a dad (I'll be 35 in Nov), my son (who plays games way more than
I do) will benefit from that logic, because I do feel that way about it.


So my 12 year old has a dad that does look out for his son like that!

Further lending credence to the study that the average age of a gamer is in his 30's, not in the teens.

I think what confuses most people into believing the average gamer is in the teens is because of several reasons.

1. First of all when video games first came out that is who played them, kids. Well guess, what, now all those guys who owned Atari 2600's and Nintendos are in their late 20's and 30's. This is probably a big part of where the perception that gamers are "kids" comes from.

2. Second of all even though the average gamer is in their late 20's or early 30's the gaming companies do not chase them as much as the teens because teens are much easier to convince to make impulse purchases.

3. Third, alot of us older gamers are more set in our ways in what we buy. You aren't going to spend alot of money on a demographic that has proven time and time again to purchase certain products and not open to as much change. Lets face it, as we get older we get more set in our ways and the companies know that just as we do..

4. And fourth, "gimmick" items, fad items, or just plain sensationalized trype etc are not worthwhile to be marketed to older gamers because we are better at knowing what to buy and what to know about it before we blow our cash on it since in most case all of us older folk earn our money as opposed to having mom and dad give it to us. And even for the kids/teens who do earn it, it's a little easier to spend money on frivolous items without looking into them first when all it means is you're out of spending cash for the movies or whatever your weekend plans are as opposed to us older folks who have to be more discerning in how we spend our cash with the whole rent, electric, etc bills we have to pay. If we just blow all our cash it may mean being evicted or having no lights, etc, heh..

These are the largest reasons alot of advertising is geared toward kids/teens, they are the most easily influenced group of all gamers and especially in the cases of fads or gimmicks most apt to spend impulse cash on items/games that older, more knowledgeable and more wary gamers would not...

[VanCitySportsGuy]

Re: Complaining about Xbox 360 on MTV

Further lending credence to the study that the average age of a gamer is in his 30's, not in the teens.

I think what confuses most people into believing the average gamer is in the teens is because of several reasons.

1. First of all when video games first came out that is who played them, kids. Well guess, what, now all those guys who owned Atari 2600's and Nintendos are in their late 20's and 30's. This is probably a big part of where the perception that gamers are "kids" comes from.

2. Second of all even though the average gamer is in their late 20's or early 30's the gaming companies do not chase them as much as the teens because teens are much easier to convince to make impulse purchases.

3. Third, alot of us older gamers are more set in our ways in what we buy. You aren't going to spend alot of money on a demographic that has proven time and time again to purchase certain products and not open to as much change. Lets face it, as we get older we get more set in our ways and the companies know that just as we do..

4. And fourth, "gimmick" items, fad items, or just plain sensationalized trype etc are not worthwhile to be marketed to older gamers because we are better at knowing what to buy and what to know about it before we blow our cash on it since in most case all of us older folk earn our money as opposed to having mom and dad give it to us. And even for the kids/teens who do earn it, it's a little easier to spend money on frivolous items without looking into them first when all it means is you're out of spending cash for the movies or whatever your weekend plans are as opposed to us older folks who have to be more discerning in how we spend our cash with the whole rent, electric, etc bills we have to pay. If we just blow all our cash it may mean being evicted or having no lights, etc, heh..

These are the largest reasons alot of advertising is geared toward kids/teens, they are the most easily influenced group of all gamers and especially in the cases of fads or gimmicks most apt to spend impulse cash on items/games that older, more knowledgeable and more wary gamers would not...

You bring up a lot of great points although it doesn't change my opinion.

I base my opinion on what I see. I've been to EB numerous times, and there's no way I would say the average age of the customers is in their late 20's/early 30's.

It's been mentioned here before how older games perhaps buy a lot of titles online, but I don't think that makes up a large percentage of videogame sales. I still believe the majority make their purchase in store.

I know most game companies put out surveys that ask for your age and I would be interested in the results as long as their is a substantial sample size.

I don't dispute the fact there are thousands of late 20/early 30+ gamers out there but to say it's the average age is a stretch imo.

I wonder what the average age is on OS?

But in general it's pretty hard to get a big enough sample size/proper method that isn't biased towards one group to determine the true average age.

[bryan_05]

Re: Complaining about Xbox 360 on MTV

2. Second of all even though the average gamer is in their late 20's or early 30's the gaming companies do not chase them as much as the teens because teens are much easier to convince to make impulse purchases.
.

I don't think a 30 minute special is an impulse buy, nor is a $50 game. Checked who is on the boards reading reviews? Teens and Adults. And teens are not as big of a market as 20's becuase they do not have as much disposable income.

[sdrotar]

Re: Complaining about Xbox 360 on MTV

You bring up a lot of great points although it doesn't change my opinion.

I base my opinion on what I see. I've been to EB numerous times, and there's no way I would say the average age of the customers is in their late 20's/early 30's.

It's been mentioned here before how older games perhaps buy a lot of titles online, but I don't think that makes up a large percentage of videogame sales. I still believe the majority make their purchase in store.

I know most game companies put out surveys that ask for your age and I would be interested in the results as long as their is a substantial sample size.

I don't dispute the fact there are thousands of late 20/early 30+ gamers out there but to say it's the average age is a stretch imo.

Dear Lord, man - we get it already...

Believe me, companies like Sony, Microsoft and EA do a lot of market research, and as such, they know exactly who their target audiences are - whether you choose to believe them or not.

Can we move on, please?

[mgoblue]

Re: Complaining about Xbox 360 on MTV

You bring up a lot of great points although it doesn't change my opinion.

I base my opinion on what I see. I've been to EB numerous times, and there's no way I would say the average age of the customers is in their late 20's/early 30's.


I know most game companies put out surveys that ask for your age and I would be interested in the results as long as their is a substantial sample size.

and what you see is a substancial sample size? when do you go to EB? Time of day is a big part of it...also how many adults buy stuff online and have it sent there, often not an avenue available to younger gamers...

gamers really are getting older

[VanCitySportsGuy]

Re: Complaining about Xbox 360 on MTV

and what you see is a substancial sample size? when do you go to EB? Time of day is a big part of it...also how many adults buy stuff online and have it sent there, often not an avenue available to younger gamers...

gamers really are getting older

A substancial sample size for me would be a couple hundred thousand people. I usually go to EB around lunchtime.

I just spent 10 mins looking around the net for studies related to the topic and I couldn't find any available.

[CMH]

Re: Complaining about Xbox 360 on MTV

Asianflow, studies have already shown that older buyers (not just video games) tend to buy most of their electronics online.

I'd also be willing to bet that since so few people know that the average gamer is 29 that most people that age would be shy to walk into an EB Games and purchase a video game. Video gamers already get a bad rep for being lazy, do-nothings. I would imagine that if you fear that lable than you'd be more likely to order the product online and let FedEx or UPS handle your shipping.

[Lintyfresh85]

Re: Complaining about Xbox 360 on MTV

asianflow, I've read that stat in mags all over the place, all these people saying its true is a pretty good indicator that it is true, just because the EB you go to doesn't support that doesn't mean it can't be true, matter of fact it is more than likely a 95% true statement that the average gamer is 29 years old. You do know that when they say gamer that includes those that play spades on their desktop right? On G4 they had a show about this one time and that counts for age of gamer, so if you even play spades or whatever other card game on your cpu you are considered a gamer, therefore the average age of a person owning a cpu is much older that is where you get 29 from. It's a proven fact with studies done to support this.

[VanCitySportsGuy]

Re: Complaining about Xbox 360 on MTV

asianflow, I've read that stat in mags all over the place, all these people saying its true is a pretty good indicator that it is true, just because the EB you go to doesn't support that doesn't mean it can't be true, matter of fact it is more than likely a 95% true statement that the average gamer is 29 years old. You do know that when they say gamer that includes those that play spades on their desktop right? On G4 they had a show about this one time and that counts for age of gamer, so if you even play spades or whatever other card game on your cpu you are considered a gamer, therefore the average age of a person owning a cpu is much older that is where you get 29 from. It's a proven fact with studies done to support this.

If people consider other people playing card games on the PC to be a videogame player than I believe the average gamer is in their late 20's/early 30's.

[Erv]

Re: Complaining about Xbox 360 on MTV

No way gamers are that old...I'm sure for one it doesn't even count people like 8 and under who don't respond to surveys, and that some of the older gamers actually just buy the games for their kids.

[Pared]

Re: Complaining about Xbox 360 on MTV

Dear Lord, man - we get it already...

Believe me, companies like Sony, Microsoft and EA do a lot of market research, and as such, they know exactly who their target audiences are - whether you choose to believe them or not.

Can we move on, please?

[Pared]

Re: Complaining about Xbox 360 on MTV

No way gamers are that old...I'm sure for one it doesn't even count people like 8 and under who don't respond to surveys, and that some of the older gamers actually just buy the games for their kids.

But the numbers would take that into account. I can easily recall surveys asking me why I purchase games (including an option for my "children").

Besides... in what way do most purchases occur? Word of mouth. How often have you gone into a store and just started talking to some stranger about a game? I can't tell you how many times I've talked someone into purchasing a game very easily. If they market to the older gamer such as most of us on the boards, it trickles down. Remember, we're the ones purchasing the games, and that's all that matters.

No company cares if I purchase a title for my 3 year old nephew-in-law. All they care about is the sale, and I'm the one with the money.

Damn, Boltman. You have a 12 yr. old? You old fart.