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73% of Brits are gamers

11:20 AM on 09.30.2009   |   Jim Sterling

73% of Brits are gamers photo

Big numbers have come from a 2009 National Gamers Survey that show just how popular videogames have become in Blighty. The study reveals that 73% of the British public regularly game, with the medium now considered as popular as the Internet and television. Good stuff.

Console gaming was said to be the most popular form of interactive entertainment, followed by PC gaming. Mobile games and social networks are not yet quite as widespread, but the study believes that such outlets are "the game platforms of the future." 

"Gaming has rapidly expanded in popularity and now appeals to as wide an audience as TV and the Internet," says Stephen Palmer,  group director at TNS Technology. "In several cases, young and old are even moving away from traditional media and spend their free time playing games instead.

"The variety of games on offer has drawn in segments of the population that would not ordinarily be associated with gaming, which has turned the traditional view of the ‘gamer’ on its head. With the pressure put on media through advertising cuts, gaming is emerging as the forum through which to target consumers of the future."

Videogames. People like them.








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Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize. Likes PS2, iPod Touch, Silent Hill 2, Metal Gear Solid, Dynasty Warriors 3 Meet the rest of the team



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31 comments | showing # 1 to 31
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Crimsondramon's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/30/2009 11:21
Crimsondramon
How many of them are Wii owners?
Your Moms Hot Lover's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/30/2009 11:23
Your Moms Hot Lover
I'm calling shennanigans on that number because about 80% of the 73% mean crappy games on facebook or whatever.

Which really shouldn't count.
IV Backstab MC's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/30/2009 11:24
IV Backstab MC
I'm american but its neat that people finally realize how big gaming is I just hope all this crazy censorship in germany and australia change soon and I hope people start looking at gaming fairly and with respect cuz when I tell people I'm goin to college to work in videogames they don't look down on it
Your Moms Hot Lover's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/30/2009 11:25
Your Moms Hot Lover
Oh ok I just saw the actual chart and they do say consoles. That's just flat out wrong. Their methodology is probably screwed up to give them a high figure.
Drunken Haze's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/30/2009 11:25
Drunken Haze
40% of statistics are bollocks
IV Backstab MC's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/30/2009 11:26
IV Backstab MC
Also that's the biggest comment I've ever written hooray for me someone say congrats lol cept I'm in the middle of class doin this lol
IV Backstab MC's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/30/2009 11:27
IV Backstab MC
And everyone who's sayin bullshit sshhhhh it nakes us look bigger than we actaully are
Ultramonkey's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/30/2009 11:28
Ultramonkey
93% of statistics are exaggerated.
CRAZYAPE69's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/30/2009 11:33
CRAZYAPE69
most xbox live users here are from up north, everyone takes the piss of my and my mates' southern accent
DarkMagic56's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/30/2009 11:38
DarkMagic56
Well its good to know that the Brits play video games but I bet a huge percentage play COD4.
Boatz's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/30/2009 11:46
Boatz
Define 'video gamer'. My nan played Wii Tennis once, is she a video gamer?
Jon B's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/30/2009 11:47
Jon B
I'm a hardcore gamer because I'm level 22 on Farmsville. Fuck yes.
Tomsta666's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/30/2009 11:55
Tomsta666
This honestly doesn't surprise me. I'm British and I've been gaming since was able to hold a controller. All of my friends are gamers be it hardcore or casual all have consoles. Even my Gran has a DS.

@CRAZYAPE69
Funny that. As a Northerner I've found the opposite to be true. But as a Teessider I wish you Southern woofters would stop thinking i'm a geordie.
Your Moms Hot Lover's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/30/2009 12:07
Your Moms Hot Lover
Ok so now I actually read the report summary. http://corporate.newzoo.com/press/TodaysGamers_SummaryReport_UK.pdf

So 73% does include PCs, consoles, MMOs, game portals, cellphones basically everything.

The number for console gamers is 57% of males, 53% of females.

BUT the UK numbers are based only on 2,236 respondents. Now that's just rubbish. There should be rules about this kind of thing, don't make claims about an entire populace based on only 2,236 respondents. There are 60,943,912 people in Britain. Those respondents all were probably found on links from game sites or something, making this report bullshit in both a quantative and qualative way.
Freefall's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/30/2009 12:10
Freefall
50% of numbers are odd.
Excel-2011's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/30/2009 12:35
Excel-2011
4 out of 5 doctors agree that the fifth one should get with the times.
Grandmas Boy's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/30/2009 12:48
Grandmas Boy
60% of the time it works everytime.
runtheplacered's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/30/2009 13:00
runtheplacered
64% of all statistics are made up on the spot.
Ganjookie's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/30/2009 13:07
Ganjookie
12% of all statistics are made up on the spot.
GoldenGamerXero's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/30/2009 13:27
GoldenGamerXero
-24% of all statistics are made up on the spot.
matrixdude171's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/30/2009 13:31
matrixdude171
Holy shit, even if it's a half statistic, it is quite the high percentage of gamers.
Excel-2011's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/30/2009 14:38
Excel-2011
Speaking of statistics, I want to open a website for the National Administrative Office of Polls and Surveys (NAOPAS), a collection of official-looking statistics and tables you can use to power your irrational arguments and beliefs. Does anyone know any good web designers who specialize in that kind of official feel?
Erik Knox's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/30/2009 15:01
Erik Knox
100% of brits are faggots
the guy with the hat's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/30/2009 15:20
the guy with the hat
100% of trolls have no life
yggogre's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/30/2009 15:21
yggogre
As a British student - there is no way that gaming is bigger than Social Networking.
VWGTI's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/30/2009 15:22
VWGTI
@ Erik Knox

lol wat
Emrah's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/30/2009 17:56
Emrah
Bad part of the story is, there should at least, if not less than, a chance of 73% that a murderer is playing games, which I am sure the media and the parliament should gladfully pick on.. (I am guessing a uniform percentage, but the percantage could indeed be different among criminals)
Kaden101's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/30/2009 23:41
Kaden101
73% of people would still look at me like I'm a freak if they caught me browsing a video game website or reading a playstation mag.

This figure is complete bollocks as I can never find any real people to talk to about gaming. All my invisible friends here on t'interweb don't really exist. They can't do cos my mummy says you're all in my head, & I've got to grow up.

Apparently Santi Claus ain't really either. Can I cry now?
tagslebgade12's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/14/2011 17:43
tagslebgade12
described; there was something in it peculiar, and, in its way, buy atrovent
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