When you picture the stereotypical gamer, you probably see a pimple-faced teenager with no real friends. On the other hand, you may also see someone hovered over his computer, screaming out directions to the rest of his “guild” as they try to complete the next quest in World of Warcraft. If you’re a little more old school, you might remember busting through rolls of quarters at some shady-looking arcade.
That image has now been smashed. Video games are most definitely a part of the mainstream and are really no different than getting your entertainment through music, movies, and television. With this growing popularity, it seems that the face of the gaming demographic has changed substantially as well. They’re not kids and teens anymore. They’re your moms, your working professionals, and even dear old grandpa and grandma. Nothing seems to suit the perfect family better than the perfect video game.
The Emergence of Gaming Family Night
A survey was recently commissioned by the Entertainment Software Association of Canada (ESAC) and conducted by Ipsos Reid. What they found is that “video game night” is quickly emerging as a new pastime for many Canadian families.
According to the study, 69% of adults believe that there is “a good selection of options available that are well-suited to playing video games as a family.” As you can imagine, these games would include offerings like Wii Sports and Wii Fit. Given the intuitive nature of the control scheme, it wouldn’t take much to get the family involved in a rousing session of Mario Kart Wii or Super Smash Bros. Brawl either. Depending on their interests, family gaming night could also involve games like Madden NFL, Cooking Mama, and Rayman Raving Rabbids.
Non-Traditional Video Games
There are two keys to having a successful family video game night. First, the controls must be simple enough that everyone involved can understand and enjoy the game. It may not exactly be appropriate for grandma to figure out the intricacies to Gears of War or Heavenly Sword. By contrast, it doesn’t take much to teach even the most technophobic parent how to get involved in a session of Wii Sports: Bowling. Look at granny above. She gets it.
The second key to a successful family video game night is the appropriateness of the material. Even though the recent focus is on more adult-oriented titles like Call of Duty 4 and Soul Calibur IV, the vast majority of games are perfectly fine for children. According to the ESRB, 59% of games launched in North America in 2007 are rated E for everyone. An additional 10% are rated E10+ for everyone 10 years and older.
Families may find the most enjoyment and “quality time” with non-traditional video games. They may have steeper learning curves, but the whole family can get involved with Guitar Hero and Rock Band too. Young kids can be introduced to the songs of their parents’ generation. If it wasn’t for these rhythm games, children would not be as familiar with The Who, Aerosmith, and Metallica as they are today.
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Violence, Video Games, and ADD
Of course, there is always the flip side to this argument. While a growing number of families are starting to enjoy video games together, there are still many parents who are concerned about the excessive violence found in certain titles. Leading the charge against the damaging effects of gaming is the infamous Jack Thompson.
You’ve surely heard about the studies that link the playing of violent video games with antisocial (and violent) behavior. I need not remind you of Columbine and other such tragedies that have made suggestions towards this link. There are also studies that link excessive video game playing with learning disorders and attention-deficit disorder. Not all gaming is good for you, of course, so as with everything else, balance (and education) is the key.
Yeah, Ninja Gaiden is pretty bloody. It might not be the best choice for family night, just as you wouldn’t choose an excessively violent and abrasive movie for family night.
All the Way to the Bank
Years ago, the demographic for video game players was pretty narrow. Young children had their simple games and teenagers had their slightly more complex games. By and large, gamers were male too. That has now changed. Girls are enjoying titles like Nintendogs and Animal Crossing. Moms are getting involved with Wii Fit. Dads get in the action with sports titles. It doesn’t matter anymore if you are eight or eighty; there’s a game for you.
And video game developers are laughing all the way to bank. Look at Shiggy. He loves that he’s got everyone from Nicole Kidman to Carrie Underwood advertising for him. The business of video games is definitely a license to print money as well.
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