Players Play for Fun...not to WIN

All fun and games: Survey finds gamers more motivated by fun than competition

Study by Sennheiser and Alegas shatters myth of the typical gamer as lonely, single men

October 2012: A new survey conducted for Sennheiser by research firm, Alegas, blows away the reputation of gamers as über-competitive, aggressive loners. Interviews with nearly 3000 gamers found that 74% described “having fun” as their main motivation for playing games. Only 25% played for the sake of competing with others.

Shattering the myth that gaming is the pursuit of young, single men with lots of time on their hands, the survey also showed that gamers are fairly evenly split between the genders and more often in permanent employment and in relationships.

54% of gamers are employed full-time or part-time and – unexpectedly – only 13% are students. 55% are married or living with their partner. The idea that video games are boy’s toys is also blown away – 53% of the gamers surveyed are female.

So, in real life it seems our gamers are out working hard, spending time with their partners or families and using games as part of a mixed and varied lifestyle. Certainly, that idea of a flexible approach to gaming is reflected in the devices people use to regularly play games on. 48% play on either a PC or laptop or a games console, and only 11% just play on a dedicated console. 5% just use a mobile device like a phone or tablet. For the majority, gaming tends to be mixed in with everyday life - played on several devices and often on devices that have more uses than just gaming.

Interestingly, the degree of public transport could play a big role in where people play. For example, in the US – the land where the car is king – only 8.9% of US gamers play games while commuting compared to a staggering 40.1% of South Koreans that game on the go!

“Our research revealed the extent to which gaming is becoming an integral part of culture around the world,” said Product Manager, Dr. Christian Ern of Sennheiser Communications. “The male youth market is important, but is now only one niche of many. More often, gamers of both sexes are working hard in all walks of life and view gaming as a rewarding, positive experience. This diversity is to be celebrated and blows away many of the prejudices of gaming and gamers.”

The research was conducted on behalf of Sennheiser, which creates high quality headphones and dedicated gaming headsets. According to the survey, a third of gamers currently use headphones or a headset and 79% of these see sound quality as being of paramount importance. Meeting this demand, Sennheiser’s gaming headsets offer gamers the ability to experience the world’s of their favorite games as never before, with immersive, realistic soundscapes, great ergonomics and the ability to chat to friends with even more clarity.

The research was conducted by leading research firm Alegas and involved interviews with 2942 people in France, Germany, South Korea, the UK and USA. 

You can find all the latest information on Sennheiser by visiting our website at www.sennheiser.com.au

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