Gaming and Gamers: All Grown Up

Players Only explores the changing face of gamers, and how the industry is changing as a result.

The stereotype of a gamer as a pimply, antisocial kid playing on a PC in his parents’ basement is well established. But as the industry has matured, so have the players, and that ancient image has never been less accurate. This week’s episode of Players Only examines the shifting demographics and politics of the industry.

“It’s weird that the group on EA Online spend more hours per week than World of Warcraft players, and they’re women 35 to 50,” says Mike Capps, president of Epic Games. “My mom’s not playing, but everybody else is.”

What explains the shift? According to Steve Meretzky, VP of game design at Playdom, the rise of the PC in everyday life has made geekiness more prevalent. “Back in the day when two percent of people were computer users, is pretty different from a world where 90 percent of people are computers,” he says. “It’s not so much that geeks are more in favor, so much as they’re less out of favor.”

The Politics of Gaming also covers how the industry is changing to accommodate the influx of new recruits, and how gamers have organized to protect their right to play.

Digital Trends’ video series Players Only debuted last year, earning critical acclaim by offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the video games industry, through the eyes of the people running it. The new season runs August 17 through September 28, with new episodes debuting ever Monday. Episode four is available immediately.