TNS Technology study suggests that social gaming is encouraging children to do more exercise and to bond with their friends
London, 24 April 2008 - According to a new study by TNS Technology, parents in the UK believe that social gaming platforms (such as the Nintendo Wii) are having a positive influence in their home, as well as encouraging children to do more exercise.
More than half of all users (52%) think social gaming encourages children to bond with their friends, rising to 64% among parents with 16 to 17-year-olds, who played games in the past six months. Concerns about children locking themselves away in their rooms to play computer games, seem to have subsided, as 60% of all parents who have played games in the last six months say their family now like to play social games like the Wii together - rising to 68% for parents with 10 to 15-year-olds.
It looks like social gaming is not just for couch potatoes either, with 69% of all Wii users surveyed claiming that playing with their Wii rather than with more traditional games makes them feel more active. Likewise, 66% of parents with children aged 10 – 15 believe the Wii actually encourages children to exercise. A fifth of 16 to 24-year-olds would even consider giving up their gym membership if they played the Wii regularly.
“Concerns about obesity and the health of our children are never out of the headlines, and neither is the debate about how to inject more exercise into their daily lives. Whether or not playing games like the Wii is an acceptable alternative to running around the great outdoors is still up to the individual – although looking at the results, parents are particularly excited about the positive impact it is having on their children, and that’s even before Nintendo launch the Wii Fit”,says Amy Cashman, Head of TNS Technology in the UK.
TNS conducted this study to find out why social gaming appeals to such a broad audience and what effects it has on people’s life. As we all know, the Wii has opened the door to gaming for a whole range of new consumers such as women and the elderly. Nearly as many women as men (29% vs. 32%) have played the Wii at least once in the past six months. In comparison, traditional gaming consoles such as PS3 or the Xbox 360 are played two to three times more by men than women. A significant 15% of Wii users are aged between 45 and 64 and nearly one in three users over 55 (31%) say they find the Wii so much fun, “it is addictive”!
The research also shows that social gaming is more than just a fad: 23% of respondents say that it has become part of their repertoire of social activities like dinner parties and going to a bar with friends.
"The breadth of age groups that the Wii appeals to is revolutionising the industry and the take up of gaming with older generations and female gamers shows us that there is still plenty of opportunity for this market to grow. Gaming console manufacturers need to keep up this momentum and find fresh ways to appeal to this new audience – bearing in mind what they want is ‘interaction’ not a sole user experience”, adds Cashman.
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Note to editor
TNS surveyed a sample of 1,000 people, representative of the British population, in April 2008.
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