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State of play: National study reveals our video game habits

Announcement posted by Interactive Games & Entertainment Association 24 Jul 2017

 
Sydney, Australia – 24 July 2017 – New research by Bond University and the Interactive Games & Entertainment Association (IGEA) has found video and computer games are right up there with the kitchen sink with 97 per cent of Australian households with children stating they have video game devices, eight out of 10 owning multiple game devices.
Digital Australia 2018 studied 1,234 Australian households and 3,135 individuals, revealing it’s not only kids that appreciate game time. Almost half of parents play games online with their kids, with reasons for playing together including family enjoyment, education, and as a way to monitor what children play.
The study revealed that 67 per cent of people surveyed play video games. Older Australians continue to make up the largest group of new players over the past six years with 43 per cent of people aged 65 and over playing video games. Females account for 46 per cent of all players.
 
Dr Jeff Brand, Professor at Bond University and lead author of the report, said that the average age of players has increased by a year to 34 and that motives for playing are shifting.
 
“The fun continues through interactive games, but the research shows that games increasingly serve other uses. Australians are playing for social connectedness, whether that be with family or friends. They’re playing to reduce stress, to be challenged, to learn, to keep the mind active, or for physical and mental health benefits.”
 
“Everyone finds their own reason for playing. Our research shows that motives for playing video games differ by life stages. Young adults play to help pass time, have fun, and de-stress, whereas older Australians, while also playing for enjoyment and to pass time, report keeping the mind active as a top reason for playing.”
 
The Digital Australia study, which has been running since 2005, also highlights just how social game play has become. This year’s report found only eight per cent of Australians play alone, with the remaining 92 per cent playing with friends, partners, family and strangers online at least once in a while. Most players share their enjoyment of games with others in the community through various methods. Seven in 10 Australian players have watched videos and used walkthroughs to help their gameplay and more than a quarter have posted their own videos of gameplay. Australians also enjoy watching other people play games, particularly at a competitive level with a third watching e-sports.
 
“Games are no longer a subculture – everyone plays. We’ve moved far beyond the classic clichés that dogged video games in their early years,” said Dr Brand. “Interactive games are woven into the fabric of our culture – a culture more nuanced and capable of enjoying the benefits of the digital economy than ever before.”
 
Ron Curry, CEO of IGEA, said, “Digital Australia 2018 shows how the state of game play in Australia has progressed. Games are one of the many things shaking up traditional viewing culture, and Australians are consuming games in more ways than ever before.”
 
“We’re also playing with purpose, with more and more Australians recognising the value of games, beyond entertainment, in the family home, schools, workplaces and socially.”
 
Other key findings of the Digital Australia Report 2018 include:
  •   The average Australian consume games just like other media – 89 minutes is the average daily total of all game play.
 
  • Gaming for health – Australians value play for better health and positive ageing, whether that be to improve thinking skills (84%), improve dexterity (78%) or manage pain (59%). Ninety per cent say they play to increase mental stimulation, 80 per cent state video games help fight dementia, and 54 per cent agreed playing games can help increase mobility. 
 
  •  Gaming for education – Games are increasingly finding their way into education, learning and training settings. A third of Australians have used games at work, and one in two parents reported their children have used games at school. Parents are also speaking with their children about playing online safely (84 per cent).  
 
About Digital Australia 2018
Digital Australia 2018 is the seventh study in a series of national Australian research that began in 2005. The report, which is based on a study of 1,234 Australian households and 3,135 individuals, looks at the demographics of Australians who play games, play habits, behaviours and attitudes.
 
About IGEA
IGEA is an industry association representing the business and public policy interests of Australian and New Zealand companies in the computer and video games industry. IGEA’s members publish, develop, market and/or distribute interactive games and entertainment content and related hardware including mobile and handheld games. For more information, please visit www.igea.net
 
Media spokespeople available
  • Ron Curry, CEO of IGEA
  • Dr Jeff Brand, Professor, Bond University and lead author of the report
  • Consumer case studies and subject matter experts
 For all interview requests, please contact Amy Rathbone, Espresso Communications, on +61 2 8016 2220 or igea@espressocomms.com.au.