Pwn naysayers with facts from the ESA

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) is one of those bodies you either love, or love to hate. While they are a pretty potent force in informing the public and getting statistics on who plays what and how many games are bought each year, they’re also the people that changed the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) from its current incarnation as a yearly gamer droolfest into an invitation-only event.

They do manage to do something good for us gamers, though. If you’ve ever had to argue about the legitimacy of gaming as a potent medium for expression or that gaming isn’t just “kids’ stuff”, then the ESA has a ton of information for you to use in your defense. Perhaps not enough to convince one rather irate Florida lawyer from getting angry over a game called Bully, but maybe just enough to pwn him in a debate if ever you had to.

For instance, whenever someone says that games are just kids’ stuff, don’t hesitate to tell them that according to the ESA, the average game player age is 33 and that the most frequent game buyers are 40 years old. If you’ve got to defend your right to game, tell naysayers that you’re one of the 87% of gamers under 18 who ask for permission to buy a game!

Even more important, at least for our personal well-being, is this little tidbit: according to the ESA’s top ten facts about the game industry, 35% of American parents say they play computer and video games. Some 80% of those gaming parents say they play video games with their kids, and 66% of those who play with their kids feel that playing games has brought their families closer together. That’s a lot of love in the room, even while you’re planning to kill each other in a game. So go ahead, and don’t be afraid to say “I’m a gamer, and proud of it.”

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) is one of those bodies you either love, or love to hate. While they are a pretty potent force in informing the public and getting statistics on who plays what and how many games are bought each year, they’re also the people that changed the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) from its current incarnation as a yearly gamer droolfest into an invitation-only event.

They do manage to do something good for us gamers, though. If you’ve ever had to argue about the legitimacy of gaming as a potent medium for expression or that gaming isn’t just “kids’ stuff”, then the ESA has a ton of information for you to use in your defense. Perhaps not enough to convince one rather irate Florida lawyer from getting angry over a game called Bully, but maybe just enough to pwn him in a debate if ever you had to.

For instance, whenever someone says that games are just kids’ stuff, don’t hesitate to tell them that according to the ESA, the average game player age is 33 and that the most frequent game buyers are 40 years old. If you’ve got to defend your right to game, tell naysayers that you’re one of the 87% of gamers under 18 who ask for permission to buy a game!

Even more important, at least for our personal well-being, is this little tidbit: according to the ESA’s top ten facts about the game industry, 35% of American parents say they play computer and video games. Some 80% of those gaming parents say they play video games with their kids, and 66% of those who play with their kids feel that playing games has brought their families closer together. That’s a lot of love in the room, even while you’re planning to kill each other in a game. So go ahead, and don’t be afraid to say “I’m a gamer, and proud of it.”