A new study has revealed the nature of gamers, their individual personality and their choices of games and gaming platforms.
The leading video platform and community for gamers, Twitch, announced the results of a study by LifeCourse Associates, and delivers a series of demographics that will undoubtedly be useful for companies aiming to reach a larger audience.
Despite public perceptions that gamers are isolated and withdrawn from society, the new study shows almost the exact opposite, with many gamers being family oriented, well educated, socially aware and politically savvy as compared with their nongamer compatriots.
According to Twitch, the study was done to see how socially engaged online gaming communities have become when compared with the stereotypes currently on the prowl.
Twitch hired Neil Howe and LifeCourse Associates to deliver the in-depth study that helps develop a better understanding of the gaming community. The idea was to get a larger view of the gaming community and the how people interact through gaming.
Howe is credited with coining the term "Millenials."
"We know gamers and have witnessed the incredible level of social engagement and excitement that happens on our platform, but there is still this pervasive misperception that gamers are basement-dwelling loners and misfits," said Jonathan Simpson-Bint, CRO, Twitch.
"In order to once and for all eradicate this maligned view of our community, it would require a scientifically verifiable and statistically defensible study from a reputable and experienced research firm. This is what Neil Howe and his team at LifeCourse Associates delivered. The study confirmed what we already expected based on our passionate and positive community which is gamers are social, video is their language and Twitch is their platform."
Howe added that the concept of the introverted geek is a thing of the past. He says that in the present world, "gamers today are more educated, optimistic, socially conscious and connected to friends and family than nongamers."
That should be good news and a source of backing for gamers who often feel the pinch from others over their gaming habits.
One of the surprising facts the study revealed was that gamers are less likely than nongamers to watch television alone and prefer a social setting to play games and watch films and television. This is also supported by the idea that gamers are more likely to put their friends first in their lives as compared with nongamers.
Geeks no more.
