Playing high-octane action titles and massively multiplayer online games is most often associated with teenagers and young adults. According to a UK survey handled by the statistics company Statista, 88% of adult respondents between the 18-24 age bracket play video games. Surprisingly enough, however, their grandparents are also leaning into gaming. Whether for family time or cognitive stimulation, more and more older adults are embracing the gaming medium wholeheartedly.
The unstoppable rise of the old-age gamer
Playing video games is no longer the preserve of young males in their twenties and thirties. With over 3 billion gamers globally, the Tenth Art has established itself as an unabated cultural powerhouse. Hence, the industry has diversified to appeal to larger demographics with each passing year. And older audiences have heard the message loud and clear.
Since the 2010s, the interest in video games has spiked among older age groups. In the US, a 2023 research study conducted by the AARP non-profit found that almost half of all 50-plus are gamers, 45% of whom spend time gaming on the daily. On average, American silver gamers allocate about 12 hours of their week to video games. And their motivations are as diverse as those of their younger counterparts.
What attracts older audiences to video games?
Several studies have proven video games to be an effective way to boost brainpower and help battle dementia. Thus, adults experiencing cognitive decline may benefit from the novel stimuli that come with the three-dimensional environments of challenging platformers and role-playing games. The results of a recent Samsung UK survey interrogating over 1,000 adults aged 65 and above drove the point home, as a quarter of all respondents said they played to keep their brains engaged.
On a related note, over a fifth declared that video games lifted their mood. 23% even found that turning on a console allowed them to take their minds off the disheartening things of the world, explaining why a fifth of all adults surveyed got involved in gaming during the pandemic as a means of tending to their mental health.
According to the same research, older gamers have also picked up the hobby to bond with fellow players. While solo play remains most popular with 51% of respondents, over 40% enjoy a multiplayer session with their children and grandchildren to better understand their passion or simply share some quality time. Other common gaming companions include partners, friends, siblings, and random people online. Those who live alone with no children or relatives to visit them may also play video games to enjoy some comforting company.
What genres do older gamers like to play?
The gaming industry accounts for a myriad of genres to explore. Older adults looking to stay sharp often turn to puzzlers and brain-training video games. Matching games and number placement logic games are in vogue among the senior crowd. Brain teaser games are just as popular on the Nintendo Switch, whereas PC enthusiasts can revisit tabletop classics like Scrabble, Mahjong, and chess.
Casino games also gain traction among older audiences unable or unwilling to leave their house to join poker night or spin the wheel. Online platforms like Vegasslotsonline UK give players access to engaging machine slots and card games from the comfort of their homes. Thousands of free pokies await, whether loading instantly on a user’s browser or conveniently adapting to a mobile screen for a quick session on the go. As for card games like poker, blackjack, or baccarat, top casinos feature live dealer options with strong social components. Plus, newcomers may test out a platform’s library by grabbing bonuses like free spins and welcome deals.
Aside from brain-teasers and games of chance, a handful of senior gamers give a go at first-person shooters, retro arcade titles, and strategy games. Wholesome casual games such as laid-back farming simulations and relaxing life sims are finding their senior audiences, too. An 89-year-old grandma even made news worldwide in 2019 by logging a whopping 3,500 hours into Animal Crossing, leading the game’s developers to name a villager after her.
Final thoughts
Senior citizens have been increasingly embracing the digital world to care for their mental wellbeing or connect with family and friends. Some older gamers have even taken to social networks like TikTok and YouTube to share their passion with the world, amassing millions of viewers. And the fun factor that gaming entails should prove an even more powerful draw in years to come.
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