Gamers are richer and have better lives than you

by Jason Sanders | October 30, 2008 at 10:39 am

938 views | 10 Recommendations | 27 comments

2008 is a great time to be a member of the technology elite: they're smarter, richer, and fitter than the average citiz3n. In addition to the digg-bait studies that explain why computers, video games, and weed make everything better, the Entertainment Software Association of Canada examined Canadian gamers' lifestyles.

The findings of the studies, one emanating from Canada and one from America, fly in the face of typical stereotypes portraying gamers as overweight teenage couch potatoes leading a largely sedentary lifestyle while wholly devoted to their console of choice.

With the advent of family games like Rock Band, Guitar Hero, and Dance Dance Revolution, families are creeping into the gaming segment, skewing results from stereotype mentioned above to more successful individuals.

And, when separated from the game pad and/or keyboard, the American study found that young and single gamers are considerably more socially active than those who do not game. Specifically, unattached gamers players are twice as likely to be dating, are almost 10 percent more likely to be spending time with their friends, and 11 percent more inclined to partake in sporting activities.

From a professional standpoint, the study also revealed that the average income of a U.S. household closely associated with videogame entertainment is around $79,000 USD, while households without videogame access make approximately $55,000 USD.

Of course, when you're a Halo god with all the money, smarts, and muscles in the world, you still have to deal with this.

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b.k. Watkins

at 12:03 on October 30th, 2008

This cabinet came about because my son wanted a stand-up arcade-style video game system and i was willing to have one as long as it didn't look like one. It need to fit in with our home's style. After a year of brainstorming this is what we came up with.

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manischewitzbacon

at 13:34 on October 30th, 2008

As a nerd with a good job, a hand built arcade machine that plays every videogame ever, and a habit of making geeky jewelry and art for others like me, i must say that this is no surprise.

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Leigh Barlow

at 14:10 on October 30th, 2008

No idea if I'm smarter or fitter (I only hope), but the cash gets spent on getting the stuff I want like new phones, building this arcade machine or getting a new computer or laptop.

Love being a geek. I get to have music in every room in my house and my friends don't. :)

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Roger the Rager

at 14:13 on October 30th, 2008

When I was in High School, my best friend had an Atari System. He wouldn't let me play it, so I broke his face. Moral of the story - even gamers' faces break.

rayobeso

at 05:07 on October 31st, 2008

being a guitar builder i need the computers for the memory/information/photos of guitars for reforence i did try Hp-IBM but Alienware is superiour for gaming and for eveyday use geeforce is totally on ! with klipsch 200 watt sound look out.
useing old hiwatt,marshall ,fender tube amps for my guitars got to have good tone/like the guiterist from,megadeth or tool,mahavisna cordless mouse is a must alienware rules..
used an Olympus 550 ultime zoom 7.1 megapixcal just as good as my canon/nikon any gamer will say alienware rules just as guitar player photographer say's gibson,fender,marshall,bogner,nikon,canon kick.alienware m5555 is fast but have to maintain it but is still the best for gaming and everyday use & killer,killer looks got to have another one thank you ! cuz i could not or not want to be without a good computer .

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yul3452

at 08:05 on November 1st, 2008

Hi Jason, Good Stuff..

I was just wondering if there is a study on the other side of the coin meaning the game gurus, programmers and whatnots...game project managers ( with time to market scowls tattoed on their forehead etc.)

and the general kind of sorry life they lead!! Imagine spending all your waking hours figuring out an algorithm for x, y and z or the binary eq of 63...(if ya know what I mean!!)

red.stapler

at 20:19 on November 1st, 2008

I received this image via Photoswap. It appears to be some sort of a development / debug version of the Nintendo Wii. I couldn't find a whole lot of information about it, but from what I understand, it has an internal hard disk, and no optical drive (note the missing slot).

In the background, it looks like there's an XBox 360 premium, and also a UPS (complete with UK-style power outlet).

This came from a fellow Photoswapper in the UK -- I don't know much about him or what he's working on, but it looks like a lot of fun!

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JeffHuang

at 11:08 on October 30th, 2008

Very interesting... gaming is cool!

SpartanLoneWolf

at 11:36 on October 30th, 2008

At this year's Wizard World Chicago, Alienware set up quite a booth showcasing their high-end (and very expensive) PCs and Notebooks running some of the latest games like Crysis.

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Loving Earth

at 12:25 on October 30th, 2008

Gamers are a huge and diverse group - people of all ages and from all walks of life play computer games, nowadays, male and female alike. Old stereotypes and generalisations don't really apply.

Having said that... most of the gamers I know are still geeky boys, no doubt (sorry guys!!), albeit with vibrant social lives, girlfriends and a healthy interest in sport and outdoor activities. :)

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Erik Larson

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 12:32 on October 30th, 2008

Jason Sanders, I like this story. It's good stuff. Wow, had no idea. Thanks for putting this together.

Jarrett Martineau

at 12:44 on October 30th, 2008

$79,000 on average? Wow.

alexliu

at 12:51 on October 30th, 2008

As gaming appeals to more and more people, it's only natural that the demographic will shift. Kids these days grow up with video games as a part of mainstream life.. games are no longer the niche market they used to be in the 80's.

Video games, like any other pasttime, is just one of many. People tend to forget that games are simply a hobby, and not a way of life. Being a video gamer doesn't preclude from participating in all the other interesting things in life. :)

daisy floral

at 12:56 on October 30th, 2008

i love my pic

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Paul The Wine Guy

at 13:13 on October 30th, 2008

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Paul Glover

at 13:50 on October 30th, 2008

Gaming has definitely come a long way into the mainstream since the days when I'd sit for 5 minutes waiting for a game to load from audio tape (with associated screeching-beepy noises) and the idea of even having a computer in the home was still outlandish to just about everyone.

I suspect many people who consider the stereotypical gamer of today forget that quite a few stereotypical gamers of my era are still into playing games, even if we now have jobs and families and homes to tend to first.

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