ESA Publishes New Demographics Study for 2013

[Hotfoot]

Direct link to the study Here.

Some very interesting points in the study overall.

1. The VAST MAJORITY of parents not only understand and find the ESRB ratings useful, but actively pay attention to what their kids play. This is somewhat surprising, given the number of 12 year olds playing bloody gorefest games, but then I remember a second grader I had who watched Saw and Hostel with his Dad, and he was frankly one of the best behaved kids in the class, so...fuck man, if it works, right?

2. Console games currently are dominated by Action Games and Shooters. Fucking weird, but I see it. Computer games are dominated by Strategy and Casual. This is by units sold, mind.

3. $21.53 BILLION DOLLARS in 2013. 47% Physical, 53% Digital, between consoles and PCs.

4. Women aged 18 or older make up 36% of the total gaming population, Males aged 18 or younger (the arguably most targeted demographic) make up 17%. Men still make up 52% of all gamers, however.

I'd really like to get my hands on the ESA's raw data, but these are some interesting values currently. The reason I argue that young men are the most sought after demographic in gaming is really pretty simple, T-Rated games dominate the market much like PG-13 ratings dominate movie theaters, and most of the games produced are action/shooter games or ones otherwise targeted to young men, because classically that is who the market consisted of. Things have changed, however, and it's interesting to see which companies are running with that.

Quick Edit, another really important point: Men and Women are currently DEAD EVEN on purchasing games. It's a 50-50 split.

[Cynical Cat]

Quick Edit, another really important point: Men and Women are currently DEAD EVEN on purchasing games. It's a 50-50 split.

Which means that even if some of that is women purchasing games for their sons to a greater degree than for their daughters, market forces may help us dump stripperific female characters and give us more cool female protagonists.