Exploring the Next Generation of Older Gamers: Middle-Aged Gamers

In recent years, much attention has been drawn to the burgeoning market of older gamers. As such, a greater base of knowledge has been amassed from studies that assess the characteristics of this active gamer population. Yet, not much is known about today’s Middle-Aged Gamers, the next generation of older gamers. Using grounded theory methodology and a life course perspective, the interview responses of 56 gamers – 30 Older Gamers (age 60 to 77) and 26 Middle-Aged Gamers (age 43 to 59) – were coded and examined with an eye for recognizing generational characteristics. This resulted in the identification of three distinct themes: game preferences, platform used, and anticipated future gameplay. The findings demonstrate that it cannot be assuming that the Middle-Aged Gamers will, in time, be like today’s Older Gamers. Rather, they exhibit qualities that will reshape scholars’ and game developers’ notions of gameplay in old age.

[1]  L. Haddon,et al.  Information and communication technologies and the young elderly , 1996 .

[2]  Bob De Schutter,et al.  Never Too Old to Play: The Appeal of Digital Games to an Older Audience , 2011, Games Cult..

[3]  A. Kramer,et al.  Can training in a real-time strategy video game attenuate cognitive decline in older adults? , 2008, Psychology and aging.

[4]  Kathrin Maria Gerling,et al.  Designing and evaluating digital games for frail elderly persons , 2011, Advances in Computer Entertainment Technology.

[5]  C. Colomer,et al.  Effectiveness of a Wii balance board-based system (eBaViR) for balance rehabilitation: a pilot randomized clinical trial in patients with acquired brain injury , 2011, Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation.

[6]  A. Strauss,et al.  Grounded theory , 2017 .

[7]  D. Kort,et al.  Senior gamers : preferences, motivations and needs , 2009 .

[8]  K. Charmaz,et al.  Constructing Grounded Theory: A practical guide through qualitative analysis Kathy Charmaz Constructing Grounded Theory: A practical guide through qualitative analysis Sage 224 £19.99 0761973532 0761973532 [Formula: see text]. , 2006, Nurse researcher.

[9]  John W. Riley,et al.  Structural lag: Past and future. , 1994 .

[10]  C. Pearce,et al.  Author's Note: Special Thanks for Their Support to Emily Morganti and Heather Logas of Telltale Games; Games and Culture Volume Xx Number X Month Xxxx Xx-xx the Truth about Baby Boomer Gamers a Study of Over-forty Computer Game Players , 2022 .

[11]  S Weisman,et al.  Computer games for the frail elderly. , 1983, The Gerontologist.

[12]  Skalsky Brown,et al.  Let’s Play: Understanding the Role and Significance of Digital Gaming in Old Age , 2014 .

[13]  G. Elder.  Time, human agency, and social change: perspectives on the life course , 1994 .

[14]  Julie A. Brown.  Let's play: understanding the role and meaning of digital games in the lives of older adults , 2012, FDG.

[15]  L. Haddon,et al.  Generational Use of New Media , 2012 .

[16]  L. L'Abate.  The Praeger Handbook of Play across the Life Cycle: Fun from Infancy to Old Age , 2009 .

[17]  A. Strauss,et al.  The discovery of grounded theory: strategies for qualitative research aldine de gruyter , 1968 .

[18]  Michael Scharkow,et al.  Beyond the "core-gamer": Genre preferences and gratifications in computer games , 2015, Comput. Hum. Behav..

[19]  T. Quandt,et al.  The Gray Haired Gaming Generation , 2008, Games Cult..