Poll: How old is the average gamer?

[Crash486]

So as many of you know, we've reached the age where a full generation of people have grown up in an era of video games. Do people ever really grow out of playing video games? What age does it become socially unacceptable to still be gaming?

More importantly, if you have grown up with video games, have you ever had one of those moments when you thought yourself to be too old to be playing the game you were playing? Have you ever had the moment when you realized your age on the server made you the odd one out? Have you ever been playing on a server against a horde of angry 14 year olds and realized your reflexes just weren't what they used to be? If so, post about it here.

Though this poll really only pertains to the escapist community, I'm curious to see what age group most of the community here falls into.

 

[WARLORD337]

When people realize that the average age of a gamer is not 8, then maybe they'll stop using the argument that violent games are bad for kids, when the makers do not intend for the games to be played by kids.

 

[Grayjack]

Crap. I thought you meant What do you think the average age is? I accidentally clicked on 22-25. I'm in the 15-17 group.

 

[black lincon]

There are actually studies done on this, I believe the number one audience of videogames is 18-35 and the number two by a slim margin is 13-17, I'm relatively sure that's correct but I could be wrong.

 

[maffro]

I was playing Halo 3 with a bunch of Americans I tended to custom up with on there. You can never tell how old anyone is from their voices. You don't realise how odd it is to know how old some of your friends are on there until you ask. I'd placed everyone between 16-24, mentally. Turned out to be along the lines of 42, 35, 18, 16, 8. Apart from the 8 year old no-one could tell.

I think it's good meeting people without age as a prejudice. I remember getting into a GoW co-op campaign with a really cool american once. A few hours later it turned out he was mid-thirties and playing through so he could finally beat his 9 year old son. Fun times.

 

[TitaniumBlue]

I've grown out of some games, namely those that are same candy in different wrapping, but the old classics keep me playing. I think that as people get older their taste gets more refined. Counter-Strike server I play in has players well in their 30's and I'm in the middle group (22). I haven't been conscience-stricken over gaming, as it certainly beats hanging out on bars.

 

[Nexus424]

Nah I like to keep my "kid at heart" demeanor as long as I can as I would come to hate myself if i ever turned into what I label as "Da Man".

We all must fight the power.

 

[Da_Schwartz]

Last i checked the Official world wide poll of the average gamer was ::drumroll: 30 yrs old.

 

[BloodyOne]

When people realize that the average age of a gamer is not 8, then maybe they'll stop using the argument that violent games are bad for kids, when the makers do not intend for the games to be played by kids.

However, you must submit to the plethora of 8 year old ADHD annoyances that plague the modern games. Even one mic spammer can ruin a perfectly good game of HL2M or TF2. I do not play HALO, so I will leave that up to others.

 

[Matronadena]

the average, is actually much broader when you look at it as a whole, but target demographic is geared more for the 16-30 range

 

[the protaginist]

I'm 14, which is hilarious becuase i'm constantly being mistaken for an Adult on LIVE.

 

[Logan Westbrook]

Actually, studies have shown that the average gamer is in their early thirties, as number of people have already mentioned.

 

[Sneaky Paladin]

you gotta take into account that a lot of 14 yr olds and ages around that dont really vote on those polls so people cant tell exactly

 

[Shapsters]

Crap. I thought you meant What do you think the average age is? I accidentally clicked on 22-25. I'm in the 15-17 group.

Damn me too! I'm 15 as well.

 

[frank220]

Well it boils down to your definition of "gamer." If you mean Wii owner, 7-12. If you mean hardcore gamer, maybe 15-20.

 

[Calobi]

I love bell curves.

 

[cthulhu257]

So as many of you know, we've reached the age where a full generation of people have grown up in an era of video games.

Makes me think of this: