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New data show the world of video and computer gaming is changing. A recent study by the Entertainment Software Association shows that the average age of those who play video and computer games is now 37. Additionally, the report found that 29 percent of all gamers were over the age of 50, a significant increase from previous years. With these changes, it would not be surprising to find that the best-selling games for both video-system and computer users would reflect a shift in type.
Using information from the ESA report, a compilation has been made to show the top video game genres, the percentage of games purchased in each rating level and the best-selling offerings overall. These numbers are based on the company sales reports from the video game industry. Because of their smaller numbers, data for computer gaming are not included at this time.
Video game genres and their percentage of sales
1. Action, 21.7 percent — Generally defined as games that require collecting items, battling opponents and moving up levels, this is the No. 1 category for all video game sales. The popular “LEGO Batman” is from this group.
2. Sports, 16.3 percent — Easily recognized as games that simulate playing sports like “Madden NFL” or “NBA 2K11.” Most known sports have been used as a platform — football, baseball, tennis, Olympics and even snowboarding and skiing. 3. Shooter, 15.9 percent — Though these also fall into the action category, because of their proliferation, the industry has created a separate area for reporting. The No. 1 game of 2010, "Call of Duty: Black Ops,” is a representative of this area. 4. Family entertainment, 9.1 percent — The Mario brand on the Wii platform represents well this type of game. They are generally considered family friendly and participatory in nature. 5. Role playing, 7.7 percent — Really another subcategory of the action genre, these games follow the fashion of the old “Dungeon and Dragons” in that you become a character on a quest for some goal. The games of the “Fable” and “Final Fantasy” series are examples of role playing. 6. Adventure, 7.5 percent — Originally these games were text only, but with the sophistication of the industry, graphics have become a very detailed part of the games. The object is to follow clues and participate in adventures that lead to the solution of a problem. The “Zelda” series of games is in this genre. 7. Racing, 5.8 percent — Generally most of these games involve automobiles, but there are numerous examples of other vehicles and modes being used. Sometimes there is also a mix of adventure or action as in the “Gran Turismo” and “Grand Theft Auto.”8. Casual, 5.2 percent — These games require very little in skill or time and are mostly used for passing time with friends and entertaining. “Mario Party” and the “Just Dance” games represent this type.
9. Strategy, 3.8 percent — Most strategy games require deep thinking and plotting to be successful. The “Civilization” and “Sim” games, with their building of worlds, civilizations, families, etc., are popular in this category. 10. Fighting, 3 percent — Just what they sound like — games where the players fight one another or some computer-controlled opponent. One of the all-time best examples is “Street Fighter.” There are only four ratings categories in the video game industry, and each has its limits on violence, appropriate behavior and sexual activity/nudity. Numbers from sales figures show which ratings groups sell the most games:1. Everyone (E) — Forty-four percent of all video games are sold in this category. It is the most restrictive and the most family friendly as a general rule.
2. Mature (M) — Nearly a quarter (24 percent) of the industry’s products sold to consumers have this rating. These games are the most permissive and have the most violence, sexual activity and bad behavior. Presumably (but not necessarily) the users of these games are the gamers on the upper end of the age scale. 3. Teen (T) — Only 19.5 percent of the games sold for video systems receive the Teen rating. Again, these have more violence and bloodshed and often push the envelope on the sexual antics. 4. Everyone 10+ (E10+) — Very similar to the (E) rating, E10+ accounts for 12.3 percent of all games sold. These are usually kid-friendly games but are sometimes a bit more violent in nature. The last area of consideration is the actual games and their popularity. In its survey/report, ESA found that the top 10 best-selling games for 2010 were evenly split between Mature (M) and Everyone (E) or Everyone 10+ (E10+). There were no Teen (T) games in the top 10, and only one in the top 20. This may reflect the aging of those who play the games and the trend may show further change in the future.Top 10 selling video games (2010)
- Call of Duty: Black Ops (M)
- Madden NFL (E)
- Halo: Reach (M)
- New Super Mario Bros. Wii (E)
- Red Redemption (M)
- Wii Fit Plus (E)
- Just Dance 2 (E10+)
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (M)
- Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood (M)
- NBA 2K11 (E) As the video gaming industry moves forward, there will be further changes in its offerings to consumers. The growth of digital formatting for games (playing online/virtual) will have a deep impact on how parents and children will be affected by the video phenomenon. It will become increasingly important for parents to monitor and teach children how to respond to the things that will be presented to them for consumption.
