E3 2013: Gamers Spending Less Time with TV and Movies

According to an annual study by the Entertainment Software Association, video games are beginning to have a larger impact on other media. The study found that active gamers are more inclined to give up time spent with television and movies while pursuing interactive entertainment. However, the ESA also notes that 42 percent of the console owners they surveyed indicate that their game systems are used to watch movies and play games.

“Demographically, little has changed in the $21 billion games biz,” reports Variety. “The average gamer is 30 years old — the same age as last year. And the gender gap has essentially been erased. Women make up 45 percent of all game players last year (down slightly from 47 percent the previous year).”

The ESA study indicates that 58 percent of Americans play video games, while the average gamer has been playing for 13 years.

“And the average U.S. home owns at least one console, PC or smartphone,” notes the article. “That’s not a particularly surprising figure, given the critical nature of technology in our day to day lives, but it is noteworthy that of the homes having a dedicated game system, 51 percent own a second as well.”

Game sales declined in 2012, hitting a four-year low, and analysts do not anticipate a rebound until 2014, possibly spurred by the launch of Microsoft’s Xbox One and Sony’s PlayStation 4 later this year.

Despite slow sales for the industry overall, Activision’s “Call of Duty: Black Ops II” set a new record for the franchise when it grossed more than $500 million in 24 hours and topped $1 billion within 15 days.

Related News:
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