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The Truth About Baby Boomer Gamers

A Study of Over-Forty Computer Game Players

Georgia Institute of Technology

This article describes a study conducted in the summer of 2006 aimed at exploring the play patterns and lifestyles of gamers who fall into the loose demographic of "Baby Boomers," typically defined as people born between 1946 and 1964. This independent study, including more than 300 participants, combined quantitative and qualitative techniques to paint a multifaceted picture of the gaming lifestyles and tastes of this understudied population. The study findings show that Baby Boomers comprise a vibrant video game audience, that they are devoted players, and that they have distinct needs and interests that have gone ignored by both the mainstream game industry and the game press. They also provide some detailed data about their play styles and gaming interests, the role of gaming in their larger media mix, as well as specific case studies that paint a nuanced portrait of this understudied and underserved audience.

Key Words: baby boomer • older gamers • game studies • sociology of games

Games and Culture, Vol. 3, No. 2, 142-174 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/1555412008314132


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