New research shows that the number of older games, those between the ages of 55 and 64, has grown by 32% since 2018, though it's unclear why this percentage has risen so rapidly in more recent years.
For a long time, the stigma around those who play video games as a hobby has been mostly negative. There are many confounding reasons for this, but oftentimes, it circles back to the idea that many gamers are younger folk, especially teenagers. Though it's changed quite a bit in the last decade, with those who grew up on the classics such as SNES and Nintendo 64 titles now in at least their 20s and 30s, and many kids are now growing up with gaming as a mainstream medium of entertainment. But because folks in their 50s and up weren't exposed to gaming, it's less common to see older generations partake in them.
But new research from the Global Web Index and reported by GamesIndustry.biz shows that the demographic of older gamers has expanded in more recent years. Since 2018, the number of elderly gamers has risen by 32%. The study used a sample size of about 19,500 people between the ages of 55 and 64 from various parts of the world for data collection.
Additionally, GWI also shares that a whopping 86% of internet users participate in gaming, which can include multiplayer FPS shooters like Call of Duty: Warzone as well as indie games like Stardew Valley. Also, 24% of grandparents and parents consider gaming together a form of quality time with the family, which is thanks to the many couch co-op games out there like Overcooked and Untitled Goose Game.
But there is a growing number of elderly gamers diving into the girth of what's considered mainstream. The Skyrim grandma, a woman in her 80s by the name of Shirley Currey who spends her hours travelling the province in Tamriel, is one of the most notable elderly gamers. For a long while, she streamed her passion for Skyrim until she decided to take a step back due to trolls and rude people in her chat.
There's also the content creator Food4Dogs, another elderly woman, but this time, her passion lies with the Xenoblade Chronicles series. With an impressively thorough knowledge of the series, she's purchased consoles just to play the newest installments.
As gaming becomes more accessible, with the wide range of controllers and the ability to adjust button configurations, more elderly folks are able to participate in games due to some conditions that often come with age. The above figure also likely increases due to the number of families adding gaming to their households.
Source: GamesIndustry.biz