The number of hardcore gamers is on the rise, for sure, and with the introduction of the Wii, we may be seeing more enter the ranks. The Wii is kind of like a gateway drug: once people that usually wouldn’t play a game console see some of their friends acting goofy and slinging a controller around, they may give it a shot and find that they like it. At least, that’s what JupiterKagan, a merger between JupiterResearch and Kagan Research, is counting on.
JupiterResearch, a research firm that specializes in the impact of the Internet and consumer technologies on business, has just released a new study that classifies 22% of all console gamers as “ultra gamers.” These “ultra gamers” are defined by the fact that they spend five or more hours a week playing console games and they spent over $50 in the last six months on their consoles. Though that’s a fairly large percentage, more than double that spend less than five hours and $50 dollars in the same time period. The study finds that “ultra gamers” spend 20-100% more than those who play less. David Schatsky, President of JupiterKagan, had this advice to offer retailers:
Suppliers should use connected consoles to influence gamer consumption patterns. Because of the tracking capabilities, this conduit is perfect for testing initiatives designed to drive participation as well as to identify which segments to target.
So, thanks to Nintendo and the availability of in-store demo consoles, gaming is now like an eighties anti-drug commercial. The first one’s free.
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