Gaming is Becoming a Big Part of Family Life

As video game technology continues to evolve, so does its influence in the lives of American families. Once perceived by some to be a hobby for the young and the isolated, the video game is now an undeniably mainstream medium and often a catalyst for social activity involving people of all ages.

And just as video games once conjured images of violence and cruelty in the minds of many, the term “video game” is now regularly accompanied by the term “family entertainment.” Video game producers continue to release ultra-violent and mature-content titles, but increasingly, the big industry players are targeting parents and families as an important market for their products and services. Despite the controversial M-rated games (for Mature) still receiving much of the hype and the headlines, the vast majority of game titles have family-friendly ratings. The industry emphasis on educational and family-friendly games has been accompanied by tie-ins with other family entertainment brands, such as Dora the Explorer. Content-neutral titles such as Rock Band and Guitar Hero continue to be family favorites. The past year has also seen a growing rise in games explicitly marketed to girls and women. With the Consumer Electronics Association claiming that 65 percent of 25-34 year old women are playing electronic games, the attention paid to female gamers is only going to continue to increase.

This effort by the industry to shed its previous reputation and expand its base of customers seems to be paying off as video game consoles are becoming common components of many family home entertainment centers. Increasingly, the big three console makers, to varying degrees, are portraying their machines as “entertainment hubs,” to use Microsoft’s term. Americans can increasingly rely on them as catch-all devices serving the same functions previously only obtainable with the use of multiple components. All three of the major consoles offer users access to the Internet for online play as well as general browsing, and both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 include a high definition DVD player. The Nintendo Wii’s unique requirements for active game play (a subject discussed in more depth below) have meant the Wii is directly marketed as a family video game device. The campaign, and the functionality of the device itself, has made Wii the biggest seller among the three consoles. The three home consoles also now come equipped with parental control technology (as do some of the major handheld devices), making these entertainment systems as family-friendly as TVs with V-Chips. At the same time, the video game industry has stepped up its efforts to offer information and resources to help parents protect their kids (also discussed below). Thus, it seems, video game consoles have become both more useful and more palatable for American families than ever before.

As discussed in years past, the increasing prevalence of video games in family life is probably also largely a matter of demographic change. Many people who played video games as children are now parents themselves and it seems that many of them continue to play games. Research shows that parents often play video games with their children. According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project, 97 percent of all teens—both boys and girls—play video games regularly, and most parents pay attention to what their kids are playing. The same study emphasizes the social aspect of gaming for most teens. The majority of teens play games while other people are in the room, even if they also play them alone. According to the IGN Entertainment and Ipsos Media CT study, “Are You Game?,” 75 percent of video gamers play with other people, either online or in person, and 47 percent of people living in gaming households say that video games are a fun way to interact with other family members. Industry marketing campaigns seem to reflect this aspect of gaming behavior, often portraying families enjoying the games together. And most parents think of video games as having a positive impact on their children’s lives, according to more than one study.