Cheats for Marketers: Fresh Demographics on Teen and Adult Game Play

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Cheats for MarketersFresh Demographics on Teen
and Adult Game Play How Games Can Teach Kids to
Be Good CitizensAmanda LenhartGame Developers
ConferenceMarch 2009San Francisco, CA
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Road Map

• Teen game market
• Adult game market
• Genres
• Parents
• Gaming as a social experience, in-game and
  outside of the game
• How games may teach teens to be good citizens
• Takeaways

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Methods

• RDD national telephone survey
• 1,102 youth ages 12-17 and a parent in their home
• Margin of error /- 3 percentage points
• Survey conducted November 1, 2007 February 5,
  2008
• Research partnership with Mills College and the
  MacArthur Foundation

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Your Teen Market is Huge.

• 97 of teens say they have played video games

• 50 played a game yesterday.
• 86 play on consoles.
• 73 play on computers.
• 60 play on portable devices.
• 48 play on a cell phone.

Creative Commons License, Flickr user
fille_de_photo
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The Youth Market

• 99 of boys, 94 of girls
• Boys play more often and for longer duration
• 39 of boys play daily 22 of girls do
• 34 of boys play 2 hours a day 18 of girls do
• Younger teens play more frequently than older
• 54 of 12-14 year-olds play on any given day
• 46 of 15-17 year-olds
• Teen broadband users play more frequently
• 28 of bbd users played yesterday
• 20 of dial up users did so

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And what about adults?

• 53 of adults play video games
• 81 of 18-29 year olds play video games
• 60 of 30 to 49 year olds play
• 40 of 50 to 64 year olds play games
• 23 of those 65 and older play video games
• Overall, computers are the most popular form of
  gaming hardware among adults
• However, like teens, 18 to 29 year olds are more
  likely to game on consoles.

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Hardware Adults vs. Teens
Adults Play Games On Many Devices Adults Play Games On Many Devices Adults Play Games On Many Devices Adults Play Games On Many Devices
Do you ever use any of the following to play games whether or not you personally have one? Do you useto play games? Do you ever use any of the following to play games whether or not you personally have one? Do you useto play games? Do you ever use any of the following to play games whether or not you personally have one? Do you useto play games? Do you ever use any of the following to play games whether or not you personally have one? Do you useto play games?
of all adults of adult gamers of teen gamers
Desktop or laptop computer 38 73 76
Game console (Xbox, PlayStation, Wii, etc) 28 53 89
Cell phone, Blackberry, or other handheld organizer 18 35 50
Portable gaming device like PSP, DS, or Gameboy 13 25 62
Source Adult data based on Pew Internet American Life Project Survey, October-December 2007. N 2,054 total adults, margin of error is 2. N1,063 total game players, margin of error is 3. Teen data based on Pew Internet Project survey, November 2007-February 2008. N1,064 teen gamers, margin of error is 3. Source Adult data based on Pew Internet American Life Project Survey, October-December 2007. N 2,054 total adults, margin of error is 2. N1,063 total game players, margin of error is 3. Teen data based on Pew Internet Project survey, November 2007-February 2008. N1,064 teen gamers, margin of error is 3. Source Adult data based on Pew Internet American Life Project Survey, October-December 2007. N 2,054 total adults, margin of error is 2. N1,063 total game players, margin of error is 3. Teen data based on Pew Internet Project survey, November 2007-February 2008. N1,064 teen gamers, margin of error is 3. Source Adult data based on Pew Internet American Life Project Survey, October-December 2007. N 2,054 total adults, margin of error is 2. N1,063 total game players, margin of error is 3. Teen data based on Pew Internet Project survey, November 2007-February 2008. N1,064 teen gamers, margin of error is 3.
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Your Best Customer? The Daily Gamer

• 31 of teens play daily
• More boys than girls (65 boys 35 girls)
• More younger teens (57 12-14 43 15-17)
• More likely to use portable gaming devices
• But just as likely as everyone else to use
  computer, console or cell phone
• Daily gamers more likely to play with others
  online (20 vs. 12)
• Daily gamers are more likely to play games as a
  part of a guild or group (50 vs. 38)
• Just as likely to spend time f2f and
  communicating with friends

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How Often Do Adults Play Games?
Frequency of Game Play Frequency of Game Play Frequency of Game Play Frequency of Game Play Frequency of Game Play
How often do you play games, whether on a computer, or online, or on a game console, or on some other device? Do you do this? How often do you play games, whether on a computer, or online, or on a game console, or on some other device? Do you do this? How often do you play games, whether on a computer, or online, or on a game console, or on some other device? Do you do this? How often do you play games, whether on a computer, or online, or on a game console, or on some other device? Do you do this? How often do you play games, whether on a computer, or online, or on a game console, or on some other device? Do you do this?
Everyday or almost everyday A few times a week A few times a month Less Often
Total gamers 21 28 27 20
Gamers ages 18-29 20 30 30 16
Gamers ages 30-49 20 26 25 24
Gamers ages 50-64 19 30 25 21
Gamers age 65 36 28 17 14
Source  Pew Internet American Life Project Survey, October-December 2007. N1,063 total game players, margin of error is 3.  Source  Pew Internet American Life Project Survey, October-December 2007. N1,063 total game players, margin of error is 3.  Source  Pew Internet American Life Project Survey, October-December 2007. N1,063 total game players, margin of error is 3.  Source  Pew Internet American Life Project Survey, October-December 2007. N1,063 total game players, margin of error is 3.  Source  Pew Internet American Life Project Survey, October-December 2007. N1,063 total game players, margin of error is 3. 

•    

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Teens play a wide variety of games

• 80 of teens play five or more different game
  genres, and 40 play eight or more types of
  games.
• Girls play an average of 6 different game genres
  boys average 8 different types.

Used under creative commons via flickr. Photo
taken by cdammen.
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Game Genres

• We asked about 14 different game genres
• 74 play racing games (NASCAR, Mario Kart)
• 72 play puzzle games (Tetris, Solitaire,
  Bejeweled)
• 68 play sports games (Madden, FiFA, Tony Hawk)
• 67 play action games (GTA, Devil May Cry,
  Ratchet Clank)
• 66 play adventure games (Legend of Zelda, Tomb
  Raider)
• 61 play rhythm games (Guitar Hero, DDR)
• 59 play strategy games (Civilization, StarCraft)
• 49 play simulations (The Sims, Rollercoaster
  Tycoon)
• More.

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Game Genres (2)

• 49 play fighting games (Super Smash Bros,
  Tekken, Mortal Kombat)
• 47 play first person shooters (Halo,
  Counter-Strike, Half-Life)
• 36 play role playing games (Final Fantasy,
  Knights of the Old Republic)
• 32 play survival horror games (Resident Evil,
  Silent Hill)
• 21 play MMOGs
• 10 use virtual worlds

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MMOGs and Virtual Worlds

• 20 of teens use MMOGs
• 30 of boys have played them 11 of girls
• 10 of teens use virtual worlds
• Boys just as likely as girls
• Younger teens more likely than older teens 13
  of 12-14 year olds 8 of 15-17 year olds.
• Daily gamers more likely to play MMOGs and in
  Virtual worlds

Image courtesy of rosefirerising via flickr under
creative commons
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Games, Genre Gender

• Boys play a greater number of genres of games
• Boys average 8 genres, girls 6 genres
• Girls top 5 genres Puzzle, Racing, Rhythm,
  Adventure, Sports/Strategy
• Boys top 5 genres Action, Sports, Racing,
  Adventure, FPS
• Genres with equal levels of popularity between
  boys and girls Racing games, Rhythm games,
  Simulations and Virtual worlds.
• Daily gamers play a similar range of genres as
  boys.

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Cheats, Hacks and Mods

• 37 of teen gamers use cheats or game hacks
  sometimes or often when playing
• 50 of gaming boys use cheats
• 23 of gaming girls use cheats
• Console gamers, daily gamers more likely to use
  cheats or hacks.
• 28 of teen gamers say they have used mods to
  change a game they are playing

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Parents Gatekeepers

• What are parents policy people worried about?
• Is it harmful?
• Is it helpful?
• Am I doing the right thing for my kid/kids in
  general?
• On one hand, they care enough about these issues
  to tell us that they monitor and are involved in
  their childs game play
• But on the other hand, they dont think gaming
  has much of an effect on their children.

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Parental monitoring of game play varies.

• 55 of parents say they always check a games
  rating before letting their kids play it.
• Parents are more likely to monitor game play for
  boys and younger children.
• Parental monitoring does not reduce M/AO rated
  game play or witnessing of anti-social behavior
  in games.

Creative Commons License, Flickr user Reggie fun.
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Parental monitoring of game playing varies (2)

• 90 of parents say they always or sometimes know
  what games their children play.
• 72 say they always or sometimes check the
  ratings before their children are allowed to play
  a game.
• 46 of parents say they always or sometimes stop
  their kids from playing a game.
• 31 of parents say they always or sometimes play
  games with their children.

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The industry rating system doesnt always work

• 32 of gaming teens report that at least one of
  their three favorite games is rated Mature or
  Adults Only.
• 79 of M- and AO-rated game players are boys, and
  21 are girls.
• 12- to 14-year-olds are equally as likely to play
  M- or AO-rated games as their 15- to 17-year-old
  counterparts.

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Parental views on the impact of games

• 62 of parents of gamers say video games have no
  effect on their child one way or the other.
• 19 of parents of gamers say video games have a
  positive influence on their child.
• 13 of parents of gamers say video games have a
  negative influence on their child.
• 5 of parents of gamers say gaming has some
  negative influence/some positive influence, but
  it depends on the game.

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Majority of most popular games are not violent
10 Most Frequently Played Games
Guitar Hero
Halo 3
Madden NFL
Solitaire
Dance Dance Revolution
Madden NFL 08
Tetris
Grand Theft Auto
Halo
The Sims
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Teens encounter both pro-social and anti-social
behavior while gaming

• 78 of teens who play games report they
  frequently or sometimes see other players being
  kind and helpful to those who are gaming
• 63 report seeing or hearing people being mean
  and overly aggressive while playing
• 49 report seeing or hearing people being
  hateful, racist, or sexist while playing
• ------------
• Three quarters of teens who see uncivil behavior
  regularly see others respond.

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Teen gaming is social.

• 76 play games with others at least some of the
  time.

• 65 play with other people in the room with
  them.
• 27 play with others through the Internet.
• 82 play games alone.

Creative Commons License, Flickr user tracer.ca
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Games are social (2)

• 59 of games play in multiple ways
• 42 most often play with friends in person
• 15 most often play with friends online
• 42 most often play alone
• Dial up users less likely to play with friends
  online (6 vs. 19 of bbd users)

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Games are social (3)

• 47 of online gamers play mostly with people they
  know from their community offline friends
• 27 of online gamers only play with people they
  met online
• 23 of online gamers play with a mix of people
  they met online and people they met offline
• Online gamers are more likely to play in groups
  43 game in a group or guild
• Girls are more likely to play exclusively with
  people they know from their offline lives.
• MMOG players much more likely to play with others
  they met online, and play in groups.

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Play Around the Game

• 36 of teen gamers read game-related sites,
  reviews and discussion boards
• 12 of teens gamers contribute to game related
  sites with reviews, walk-throughs, comments.
• Boys and younger teens more likely to visit
  game-related sites
• Online gamers and MMOG players more likely to
  visit game-related sites.

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How Games Might Make Kids Better Citizens (or,
another potential selling point for skeptical
parents and policy makers)
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Civics What is it Why is it Important?

• The qualifications of self-governance are not
  innate. They are the result of habit and long
  training.
• -- Thomas Jefferson

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Civics Why is this important?

• Many students lack basic civic knowledge
• 50 could not identify the correct function of
  the Supreme Court
• 33 could not identify either of Californias
  U.S. Senators from among a list of options (Kahne
  et al)
• And among adults
• 38 of adults could name the three branches of
  government
• 59 could name the three Stooges

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What works?

• Instruction in Government, History, Econ
• Discussions of Current Events
• Service Learning
• Extracurricular Activities
• Student Voice in Schools and Classrooms
• Simulations
• 36 reported never participating in a role-play
  or simulation while in high school

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Civic Gaming Experiences

• Playing games where you
• Help or guide other players
• Think about moral ethical issues
• Learn about a problem in society
• Learn about social issues
• Help make decisions about how a community, city
  or nation should be run
• Organize or manage game groups or guilds

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Democracy
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Civilization IV
Image courtesy of graye via flickr under creative
commons
34
Civic gaming experiences do relate to civic
engagement

• The overall frequency of game play is not related
  to civic and social isolation.
• But having frequent civic gaming experiences is
  related to greater levels of civic engagement.

Photo by Thomas Hawk, via flickr, used under
creative commons
35
More civic gaming experiences more civic
engagement.
Gaming and Civic/Political Life
if teens with few civic gaming experiences of teens with average civic gaming experiences of teens with frequent civic gaming experiences
Go online to get information about politics/current events. 55 64 70
Give or raise money for charity. 51 61 70
Stay informed about political issues/current events. 49 59 60
Persuade others how to vote in an election. 17 23 34
Participate in a protest march/demonstration. 6 7 15
Volunteer 53 54 55
Indicates statistically significant difference
when compared with the percent of teens with the
fewest civic gaming experiences.
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Social game play correlates with civic
engagement.

• Teens who play games with others in the room
  exhibit more civic participation. They are more
  likely to
• Go online to get information about politics
• Raise money for charity
• Be committed to civic participation
• Try to persuade others how to vote in an
  election

Creative Commons License, Flickr user sean
dreillinger
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Social interaction related to games increases
engagement.
Game players who post to gaming websites or
discussion boards are more likely to report they

• Are committed to civic participation
• Go online to get information about politics
  or current events
• Have raised money for charity
• Stay informed about current events
• Are interested in politics
• Have tried to persuade others how to vote in
  an election
• Have attended a march or protest.

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Civic Gaming Experiences More Equitably
Distributed

• Unlike civic experiences in classrooms, which are
  more likely to be experienced by white, affluent
  teens
• civic gaming experiences are equally distributed
  among different groups race/ethnicity, SES,
  location
• Except gender girls are less likely to have
  civic gaming experiences than boys, even
  controlling for their lower frequency of game
  play.
• 34 of teens have played a video/computer/console
  game for school or a classroom assignment

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Ideas for Marketers

• Your market is huge both girls and boys play
  games
• But you have to get through parents to reach many
  teens
• Parents
• Worry about games, but dont do much about it
• Play games themselves, and sometimes play with
  their children
• Pay lip service to ratings but dont necessarily
  restrict game play based on ratings (and some
  times they cant)
• Plenty of games have civic or pro-social
  opportunities embedded in the game play (worth
  emphasizing)
• Games are social experiences for teens - not
  isolating
• Games as engines of creativity - machinima,
  modding

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Full Report _at_ http//www.pewinternet.org
Civics White Paper _at_ http//www.civicsurvey.org/

• Amanda Lenhart
• Pew Internet American Life Project
• alenhart_at_pewinternet.org
• http//www.pewinternet.org