All grown up and still gaming sub: 30-something gamers defying stereotypes
November 15, 2006
Jerry Langton
SPECIAL TO THE STAR
Joey Drasner was shocked when she found her boyfriend cheating. Not only did she catch him kissing another woman — right in front of her! — but she also found out that they had been carrying on an affair behind her back for quite some time.
She didn't do anything right away, but Joey won out in the end. The boyfriend died (after weeks of apologizing profusely) and the "other woman" went crazy.
Normally, that'd be a sad story, but this one happened online and nobody really got hurt. Drasner (a real person) was playing an Internet-based version of Sims 2, a game in which people create virtual characters and guide them as best they can through their imaginary lives. In real life, Drasner forgave her boyfriend and he later asked her to marry him.
That's the difference between Drasner and what most people perceive as a gamer — she has a real life.
The stereotypical image of the hardcore gamer is a friendless, pimple-faced teenage boy who never leaves in his parents' basement, is often inaccurate. Drasner is in her 30s, has a stable relationship, and balances a career as a sign language interpreter with grad studies.
But she may actually be more indicative of who's playing video games than the stereotype. According to data gathered by comScore Media Metrix, an analysis firm specializing in Web-based cultural trends, the average casual gamer is 41 years old, and at least half of the people who play are women.
Of course, those stats are skewed by people like Barbara St. Hillare. She's the 69-year-old grandmother who was recently profiled in the Washington Post as an avid gamer. She owns a PlayStation 2, a GameCube and an Xbox (all connected to a 35-inch plasma TV), and subscribes to Electronic Gaming Monthly, Computer Gaming World and Game Informer.
Although the media tend to concentrate on the more sensational titles like Grand Theft Auto or Need for Speed, there are video games out there for everyone.
For example, look to the best-selling games on Amazon.ca. The top two spots are held by versions of the thoughtful, not-all-that-violent Final Fantasy series, No. 5 is Microsoft's Flight Simulator, next is Lego Star Wars, and No. 8 is Cooking Mama, a kitchen simulator so cute it'd make Hello Kitty wince.
What is violent on the list generally relates to World War II, not the gang battles of South-central Los Angeles. Many of these games also generate a lot of traffic on the forums at theoldergamers.com and similar sites.
The misconception seems to be that video games are a relatively new phenomenon. Although it may seem like yesterday to some, Pong (the first truly popular video game) emerged in 1972. If you were 12 then, you're 46 now.
That's very old-school for Drasner. She's part of the post-Pac-Man generation. Her story is a lot like other adults who find themselves addicted to gaming.
"I started out with a full-blown addiction to Infocom games when they were popular. I played Zork when it came out and have played every single game they released at least once," she says. "And we had the requisite Atari 2600. I didn't get re-addicted to games until Myst came out when I was an undergrad, and it definitely consumed me."
"This all speaks to the evolution of where new media is now," says Heather Dougherty, a senior analyst with Nielsen NetRatings. "A 40-year-old probably has more in common with a younger person these days than may have been the case a while ago. They're adapting to the new media a lot quicker than other generations did."
These days, there are video games for everyone, and everyone seems to enjoy them.
"It's not about age or gender," says Erin Hunter, executive vice-president of comScore's media and entertainment group. "It's about how fast your broadband connection is."
A faster connection allows gamers to play better online, an increasingly attractive option for those who'd like to interact with people with similar interests.
Drasner had been streaking through the levels of popular online games like World of Warcraft, Everquest 2 and City of Heroes. But, as her career heats up and her relationship continues to develop, she doesn't have as much free time.
"I would say I play maybe 20 hours a week," she says. "That would be a couple of hours during weekdays (usually an hour or two on the DS before bed) and more on the weekend. I also have a flexible schedule, so I have more opportunity to play during weekdays."
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