Survey Polls Gamers, Shows Less TV, More Mobile

Media publishing group Ziff Davis has released its annual Digital Gaming in America survey, a rundown of the habits and practices of the average video game player. The poll surveyed 1,500 randomly selected participants in U.S. households. One of the main findings of the study was that 24 percent of gamers have reduced the amount of television watched since the 2004 survey; another 18 percent indicated that they plan to do so in the next year. The average amount of television consumed went down from 18 hours a week in 2004 to 16 in the 2005 survey, though the demand for High-Definition TV is on the rise: 18% of gamers reported HDTV-capable sets, compared with 7% in 2004. Also significant is the clear foothold console gaming has gained over PC gaming. The 2004 survey reported neck-and-neck user bases for both varieties, with 54.5 million reporting regular use of consoles vs. 52.3 PC players, while the 2005 respondents clocked in at 62.6 million and 56.6 million, respectively. Though console gaming has gained the advantage, both groups have still grown in the past year. Another interesting gain is the rise of mobile phone gaming, as 86% of gamers report owning a phone compared to last year's 70%, though only 48% of mobile phone owners say they play games on the devices. Their average gaming session on the phone is 19 minutes long, and the most popular genre was arcade-style games, followed by card and puzzle titles. "We're seeing a broadening of the gamer base as gaming goes more mainstream, and simultaneously a heightening of intensity among core gamers," said Ziff Davis Game Group editorial director John Davison. "Portable gaming in particular appeals to a more diverse audience, while the new high-definition capabilities promised in next-gen home consoles has raised core gamers' expectations for high quality gaming."