A new study by GameTrack shows that the good 'ol U.S of A has maintained its title as the biggest consumer of video games, no doubr re-affirming stereotypes abroad. Following in the charts at a close second are our biscuit and baked bean eating forefathers across the pond in the UK.
According to gamesindustry, the study, run by Ipsos nMediaCT, shows that almost half of American audiences, at 48 percent, play games online, compared to 42% who play "packaged" games, meaning "boxed," or "traditional" games purchased at old fashioned brick and mortar stores meant for the PC or console market.
However, gamesindustry defines the "online market" as going beyond said games, listing browser games, as well as smartphone and tablet apps, meaning "gaming" is rapidly becoming more accesible as social networking continues to grow, even if that means staving off boredom as part of the daily commute on the way in to the office.
Whether you identify yourslef as a gamer or not, if you so much as drag your finger across your smartphone on the subway for the purpose of mere entertainment, you're officially a "gamer" according to gamesindustry. For good or bad, "casual" games like Angry Birds have clearly helped lift the definition of "gamer" above the stereotype of a friendless virgin stuck in their parent's basement.
Despite that my bread and butter comes from reporting on the gaming industy, I'm still not proud that my country maintains such a title, considering our nation's students are well behind the rest of the world in terms of education.
The UK follows our record, seeming to "favour" packaged games, which factor in as that audience's largest chunk of gaming time, followed by online gaming and apps. In terms of online gaming, UK gamers play an equal amount of social games, digital downloads, MMOs and multiplayer titles.
Game on if you will my fellow countrymen, I'm going for a walk outside...