News.com.au story

http://www.ieaa.com.au/ <-- Interesting site, talks about all kinds of policy and government issues that are faced in the gaming industry. Although the site still has last year's data on it :/

It found the average age of Australian gamers is now 30 – up from the previous study's 28 – challenging the stereotype of video games as a kid's medium.

This finding could have repercussions for Australia's classifications system, which does not have an adult rating for games, as the highest possible classification is MA15+.

Wonder if this will mean anything to the old farts running the country.

no s*** i'm 31 and i pwn kids at cod4

QGL explained..

no s*** i'm 31 and i pwn kids at cod4

Yeah, but I pwn them with a big stick!

Oh wait, we're talking about games...

The system can only change with the full consent of each state and territory attorney-general, but South Australian Attorney-General Michael Atkinson has repeatedly refused to allow a change to game ratings.

Just highlights how ridiculous this process is.. gg state governments.

mantra's workin hard to push that avg up
teehee

I seriously don't get what kind of quality game could be made with an R rating. I just played the new Brothers in Arms and everytime you get a headshot it slows down, zooms in and shows the nazi's head explode. Now that is MA.

WTF would you want R for?

WTF would you want R for?

drug references :>

With the average age increasing like that, I'm curious as to whether or not there's any indication of a relative drop off in younger age game players.
Are they doing crazy irl stuff for entertainment?

Or is it just a case that the market for games is expanding upwards (age wise) while also retaining customers that age?

Kids these days: "You have to use your hands?? It's like a BABIES game!"

Suppose it would be hard for kids to get into something like an FPS without getting pwned straight for 2 years by people from the quake days.

mantra's workin hard to push that avg up

I lied when they asked me how old I was and told them I was 92. I completely skewed the average cause I'm only 86!! :)

Actually, I'd be interested to know how they came up with the average gamer age. Are they asking the people buying the games? Do they ring people up and ask them? Go to lan cafes and ask them?

How do they go about finding this magical Average Age?

I'm suss on the age being that high, as much as I'd like it to be. I would think it would be lower.

I seriously don't get what kind of quality game could be made with an R rating.

drug references, adult comedy, sex scenes (bonking polygons is always hilarious), more adult language?

there's heaps of stuff that could be done with an R rating that doesn't just have to be gratuitous.

i reckon it would be much lower if they simply surveyed the halo/cs payers

I wonder whether they surveyed paying customers, or polled players in general. If you want to know who your customers are, then there will be hardly any children.

WTF would you want R for?

silent hill

or polled players in general.

That's what Jims for, he likes polling playaz...

WTF would you want R for?

Drugs and sex. The two ingredients most lacking in current game content.

Actually an X Rating wouldn't go too bad either.

games are for blowing s*** up. get some real pussy and drugs you lame nerd.

last edited by infi at 16:57:59 27/Oct/08

Need R rating for more gore

I've had more drugs and pussy than the rolling stones man.

It would just be easier to sit on the couch with a controller in my hand.


last edited by mission at 16:55:18 27/Oct/08

That is a lame cop-out and you know it. Don't try and sound cool.

Please waste your 10,000 post on paying me out, please.

(BTW I am cool)

NO I AM COOL FOR REACHING 10,000 POSTS! BAM

Congrats.

I think the point is, a lot of what is currently slipped in under MA15+ should probably be rated R, and if we had an R18+ things could get classified properly.

How do they go about finding this magical Average Age?

I'm suss on the age being that high, as much as I'd like it to be. I would think it would be lower.

Couldn't agree more, its bulls***. From the 2007 survey:

The study is based on a national random sample of 1,606 Australian households who responded to more than 75 questions and over 300 data points in a 15-minute online survey run by ACNielsen Surveys Australia in late September 2006. Two units of analysis are explored in the study: the household and the player individual (n = 3,386) within the household.

Online ... "households who responded" ...

Right.

The survey they did in 2004 (which was a phone survey) said 24 was the average age. I don't think the demographics have changed that much since and that survey didn't mention how they declare someone as a gamer. If its "have you played a game in the last 12 months" then thats going to a vastly different number to "have you played a game in the last week" or 24 hours.

I think the point is, a lot of what is currently slipped in under MA15+ should probably be rated R, and if we had an R18+ things could get classified properly.

Damn straight.. GTA is not MA.

Also, although it pains me to say it, I agree with neff.

That's not to say that there aren't a high percentage of gamers over 18, but we have no way of knowing how they've defined a "gamer".

I see A LOT of younger kids around 18-20ish playing games on the train, mostly male. However during the weekends or school holidays the amount of kids under 18ish with a PSP/DS or whatever is higher and there are more chicks.

That really small sample size gives me the impression that there are more girls playing games no-a-days then a few years ago. However the age of these girls is certainly under 30. I wonder if that would tip the balance at all.

post the qgl 100% noobs excel graph infi

well. Im 19 and I play games pretty reguarly. It's good for relaxtion when you come home from work..

http://img107.imageshack.us/img107/3953/qglnoobagecountqr7.png

were was that taken from?
how did you get those figures??

just curious...

from a survey of qgl members.

oh I see...

Didn't ausgamers have a survey a little while ago?? I remember there was a competition attached to it or something... Anyone able shed some light on what the ausgamers demographic is?? or was it all for the advertisers?

yeah nF, that does sound like a self selected sample. Rules out a lot of younger gamers who are too busy playing games to go looking around on some boring arse survey...

Didn't ausgamers have a survey a little while ago?? I remember there was a competition attached to it or something... Anyone able shed some light on what the ausgamers demographic is?? or was it all for the advertisers?

We sure did!

http://trog.qgl.org/up/ausgamers-ages.jpg

Kids these days: "You have to use your hands?? It's like a BABIES game!"

I figured I've mastered this this for FPS... that said I'm 30 something. mouse/keyboard or Nerual Interface Device... my reflexes aren't what they once were :/

it'd be nice to see more NIA's or similar come along in the future.

O sweet, they are selling in Aus now?

You have one Koopz? Any good?

I can easily believe these figures, most of the people in my wow guild are 25+ and I know many more outside of my guild.

Just think of all the Battlefield and COD4 old guys as well.

wouldnt that neural impulse actuator be considered cheating?

No. It is simply another method of controlling the game.

It basically replaces keyboard commands. You still need a mouse.

So, the Ausgamers survey would indicate an average age of ~ 25-28?

I guess majority of the respondents would be QGL'ers who we know are an older group...

It turns out that it our brains and nervous system reach their peak speed around age 39.

So most of us are still getting quicker.

In a Research Article: Lifespan trajectory of myelin integrity and maximum motor speed. Found in the Journal Neurobiology of Aging.

It was found that the peak age of motor neuron speed in healthy males was 39.



last edited by Tollaz0r! at 09:52:42 28/Oct/08