How many minutes a day do you play games on your computer or smartphone, or watch others play? A study conducted in the United States revealed the different types of gamers and how they differ from one another.
Games are one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the world. According to Reuters news agency, the gaming industry generated more revenue last year than television, movies, and music. While other forms of entertainment have seen a decline (for example, TV is down 8%), sales in the gaming sector grew by 10.7%. The highest growth is observed in the Chinese market, where game sales increased by 14%. The dominance of games is reflected in the changing relationships between game developers, Hollywood, and publishers. Previously, games were created based on popular books and films. Now, it often happens the other way around. For example, Angry Birds and Assassin’s Creed were turned into movies years after the release of these legendary games.
Video games have ceased to be a "home" pastime, transforming into a spectacular sport. Overwatch, StarCraft II, and CS:GO have made esports a global phenomenon (yes, we remember Quake, Lineage, Warcraft, and Dota). Players can earn more than $1 million in prize money at competitions!
The future of gaming looks bright, and opportunities in augmented and virtual reality will grow thanks to reviews and feedback from early user-testers. So we can expect a consistently high demand for high-performance graphics and microprocessors soon.
And what about the gamers?
Changes in the gaming industry have also affected gamers. Newzoo, a company that analyzes the gaming and esports market, researched people who can be called gamers for an entire year. They identified 8 main types of video game enthusiasts.
It should be understood that the data presented below is primarily relevant to the American market. The figures will differ in Russia, and the gender distribution will be different as well. Moreover, in other countries, women sometimes play more often than men. So, what are the types of gamers, and how do they differ from one another? Let's explore.
Fanatic (13% — share of the segment from the total number of gamers) men.
What are the characteristics of different types of gamers? We'll tell you.
Literally lives and breathes games: watches let's plays, plays himself. Strives to stay updated on all events in the gaming world and esports, buys new releases. Has enough resources to spend on his favorite hobby. Actively invests in computer hardware and peripherals. Nobody would be surprised if he named his pet after a legendary orc or another game character.
- Average age: 28 years
- Hobbies in order of importance: games, electronics, films
- Gender: 65% male, 35% female
- Family: married or single, has children
Active gamer (9%)
A dedicated gamer who spends many hours a week gaming. He is not as obsessed with it as a fanatic, but gaming is an important part of his life. Usually works full-time, so purchasing the latest games and hardware is very doable for him. Enjoys gaming on good equipment, watching interesting streams, and other video content. Balances his spending and time on games well.
- Average age: 28 years
- Hobbies in order of importance: games, films, music
- Gender: 65% male, 35% female
- Family: married or single, has children
Traditional gamer (4%)
Played actively about 10 years ago, when esports and video content weren’t prevalent. Therefore, he doesn’t enjoy watching others play; he prefers to play himself. Fortunately, he has plenty of favorite games. Gets pleasure from keeping up with the latest news in the gaming industry and trying out interesting new releases. Nothing can stop him from indulging his little whims, so purchasing new tech and peripherals is an integral part of his leisure time.
- Average age: 32 years
- Hobbies in order of importance: games, films, music
- Gender: 62% male, 38% female
- Family: married or single, has children
Hardware enthusiast (9%)
Takes a calm approach to gaming and may only play a couple of times a week. However, he closely follows news from the world of computer hardware. It’s important for him to get the maximum enjoyment from gaming. Everything must ‘fly,’ so the hardware enthusiast spares no expense on the latest gaming gadgets, peripherals, and hardware. A computer for $5000? No problem! His love for computers, electronics, and gadgets typically extends far beyond just gaming.
- Average age: 31 years
- Hobbies in order of importance: films, music, travel, and entertainment
- Gender: 60% male, 40% female
- Family: married or single, has children
Viewer-player (13%)
May not spend much time playing games, but enjoys watching streams, let's plays, and other gaming video content alone or with friends. The act of playing games itself is not of much interest; he derives pleasure from watching videos instead. Spends a lot of time in front of the TV, on YouTube, Twitch, and other popular platforms for gamers.
- Average age: 31 years
- Hobbies in order of importance: music, films, travel, and entertainment
- Gender: 54% male, 46% female
- Family: married or single, has children/lives with parents
Observer (6%)
Often watches video content or streams of gaming competitions on YouTube or Twitch, but hardly plays games. Typically, this is a former gamer who once loved playing but has since abandoned it due to work or family circumstances. He doesn't have the right equipment or simply lacks time for gaming. There are also those who just enjoy watching the play of professionals, much like football fans watch matches of their favorite teams.
- Average age: 33 years
- Hobbies in order of importance: music, films, sports
- Gender: 57% male, 43% female
- Family: married or single, has children
Time killer (27%)
Esports and gaming video content interest him weakly. Such a gamer rarely spends more than three to four hours a week playing, so he does not consider games an important part of his life. They are merely a way to pass the time for him. Hence, he is interested in simple and quick games: Candy Crush, Clash of Clans, etc. Computer games do not appeal to him at all, nor does 'hardware.'
- Average age: 37 years
- Hobbies in order of importance: films, music, travel, and entertainment
- Gender: 39% male, 61% female
- Family: married or single, has children
Cloud gamer (19%)
Loves video games but is indifferent to the power of his 'hardware.' Rarely spends money on this, preferring to make do with what he has. He may use for gaming. Buys tech only when absolutely necessary or receives computer/console devices as gifts.
- Average age: 30 years
- Hobbies in order of importance: games, music, films
- Gender: 59% male, 41% female
- Family: married or single, has children
To find out what type of gamer you are, on the Newzoo website. You can also check out the of the research.
What does all this mean?
This study shows how significant the segregation among gaming enthusiasts has become in recent years. New directions have emerged, and gamers can now enjoy new games even on old devices. Esports are gaining more popularity, and many people are eager to donate for engaging video content from popular streamers.
It's worth noting that this segmentation doesn't quite fit domestic gamers. Our habits and interests differ. However, identifying the psychotypes of gamers in Russia is challenging. There haven't been serious studies in this area. An interesting example is the Russian gaming market survey by Mail.ru, but it was conducted in 2012, which feels like ages ago (in the gaming world). It would be fascinating to see what has changed by 2019. The Russian gaming market analysis from Mail.ru, but it was conducted in 2012, which feels like ages ago (in gaming terms). It would be intriguing to observe what has changed by 2019.
Source: habr.com
