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Demographics of a Modern Gamer

Gaming has significantly changed its pattern in the past few years.

Thanks to the explosion of new content and, more importantly, new services and platforms, players can be more interactive among themselves, with each of them expressing their individuality and character.

Under the Spotlight

Numerous stereotypes are attached to the concept of playing videogames. A decade ago, the usual gamer was described as an unemployed male that still lives with his parents, and to this day – those stereotypes persevere.

But that is not the case. Studies have shown that the word gamer today encompasses a completely different set of characteristics on an individual level, so being defined as one certainly involves more things than simply playing games at home all day long. Right?

How Did We Get Here?

Gaming is one of the most versatile categories of entertainment that exist right now. Its history is, in fact, very long and very rich. Its humble beginnings can be traced back to the 1800s, but the society started recording it from 1970s when gaming started to transcend the typical conventions and attracting a larger base of audience.

When it entered mainstream culture (a term that will become mainstream much later), it was mostly tied to computers. As tech companies introduced consoles, a new era of gaming commenced as players turned to both group activities and smaller devices. This, as you can guess, would serve as the catalyst for another era of gaming that we will discuss shortly.

Namely, as the internet coupled with platforms and smaller devices started gaining momentum, the average gamer was able to connect with peers that enjoyed similar (or the same) activities within the same game. So, games that featured live challenges and rounds where teams could connect and communicate as if they were in the same room became an instant hit.

But society and lifestyle dictated the path once again: as our needs picked up speed, so did the apps and tools that we used to get by. Nowadays, phones are an inseparable part of our daily routine, with more than 80% of our activities being governed by our mobile devices – both directly and indirectly. Be it moving around or staying at home, chances are you will be spending that time on your precious portable device, and what better way to use that than engaging in some kind of game round?

With mobile gaming, accessing your favourite content is possible no matter where you are. You can find virtually any genre in the app stores, including casinos – another area that is gaining momentum with top-quality mobile venues which can nowadays be found at websites such as Casino Bloke, a ‘gaming pal you can bank on’ when it comes to finding the best casino games and best places to play them online.

But the scorching question remained: how to connect people even more?

The answer is streaming. As streaming services entered the scene, gamers were able to connect to an even bigger audience in real-time. They could even make money, and professional gaming was born.

Today, numerous gamers are primarily classified as streamers as they earn money through subscriptions and views of their videos. The best example is Ninja, an American player that is currently the most highly paid gamer in the world. He started his gaming career on Twitch – a popular gaming streaming service – where he amassed an audience of four million subscribers, with around 50,000 viewers per week, and has recently moved onto Mixer for quite a sum.

A Modern Gamer

Every change that occurred influenced the way we perceive gaming and, ultimately, play the games. From services and platforms to devices and equipment, it has been proven that this industry is very profitable.

What was once perceived mainly as a hobby and served for only recreational purposes, today is seen as a prolific career choice for many young people that do not want to conform to the regular rules of the society.

Furthermore, several studies were performed on the topic of gaming. It was discovered that playing video games has many positive impacts on both mental, emotional, and intellectual development of the individual, which is in direct contrast to what was thought previously.

In fact, most myths and theories surrounding this subject have been thoroughly disproved and debunked.

Perhaps the biggest misconceptions that are present today is the one we mentioned at the beginning – the persona that plays the games. Statistical data suggest that 1 in 3 players are female, more than 35% of the gaming population earns more than $75,000, while 42% of all gamers today are married and have kids.

And they probably do not live with their parents anymore.