Gamers more social than we thought

They care about family, social issues

This article was published on 06.12.14

A recent study fights the stereotype that video-gamers sit in their parents’ basements for dozens of hours on end, shunning parties, friends and the rest of the outside world. In fact, it shows that they are more social—and socially conscious—than the people who make fun of them. The study, commissioned by video platform and online gamer community Twitch, offers these key findings about gamers (defined as anyone who has played a digital video game in the past 60 days):

• They are more likely to live with other people than nongamers.

• They have better relationships with their parents than nongamers.

• 82 percent say spending time with their families is a top priority (versus 68 percent of nongamers).

• 43 percent have a college degree or higher, versus 36 percent of nongamers.

• They feel more optimistic about their careers (67 percent are “very positive” versus 42 percent of nongamers who feel the same way).

• They are more concerned about having a positive impact on society (76 percent versus 55 percent of nongamers).