A staggering 81 per cent of Australians now play video games, up 14 per cent over the last two years.
If that number seems surprisingly high, it should. The research from the Interactive Games & Entertainment Association (IGEA) shows that it isn’t just spotty teenage boys gaming away in Australia.
Women make up 48 per cent of the gamer demographic — up two per cent from before — and, once people hit 55, more women than men game. What’s more, the average age of a gamer in Australia is 35, making the segment incredibly lucrative for advertisers.
“With 94 per cent of Australian households having at least one device to play video games, there is no denying the significance of video games in the lives of everyday Aussies. 91 per cent of parents are using video games to connect with their children, supporting cognitive growth and providing important family bonding time,” said Dr Jeffrey Brand, professor at Bond University and author of the report.
“Additionally, we saw more women playing games than ever before with 48 per cent of Australian gamers being female, up two per cent on the previous report, with women over 65 more likely to play video games than elderly men. Aussie gamers over 65 play to be challenged and improve their mental health, with a focus on mental stimulation and fighting dementia. Video games offer something for everyone – anyone can be a gamer, not just children and students, but parents, grandparents, your coworkers, and your boss,” Dr Brand continued.
The IAB’s recent Gaming Summit also showed that gaming is becoming an increasingly popular channel for marketers and is delivering real-world tangible results.
“It continues to be a surprise to people, the bulk of people think that the average Australian gamer is a little boy, sitting in his bedroom shooting up god knows what,” Raelene Knowles, chief operating officer at IGEA, said at the event.
Plus, a recent campaign for New Balance demonstrated tangible results for gaming as a channel, 2023 might be the year that adland really starts to play a role in gaming.
