GAMES SECOND ONLY TO TV IN POPULARITY: STUDY

DAN ALAIMO

ATLANTA -- Playing video and computer games is second only to watching television in terms of time spent by consumers on home entertainment pursuits, according to a new survey from the Interactive Digital Software Association, Washington.

The results of the study were reported during IDSA's Electronic Entertainment Expo, also known as the E3 Expo, which was held here late last month. The show drew 41,300 attendees, an 11% increase over last year, as well as 440 exhibitors occupying 534,000 square feet of space.

"IDSA's consumer research found that playing video and computer games is the second most popular home entertainment activity after watching TV, but well ahead of renting movies, going to movies or reading books," said Douglas Lowenstein, IDSA's president.

The survey sample comprised 1,500 nationally representative households identified as owning video game consoles or personal computers used for entertainment purposes, he said. Respondents spent an average of 18.1 hours a week watching TV, 8.6 hours playing electronic games, 6.4 hours reading books, 3.7 hours on the Internet and 2.9 hours watching rented movies.

"Moreover, 41% said playing video and PC games is the most fun of all home entertainment activities," he said. Only 21.6% said watching television was the most fun, while 12.3% selected reading books, 11.3% going to the movies, 8.2% surfing the Internet and 5.5% renting movies.

Respondents cited books as the highest-quality home entertainment activity, with 37.6% making that choice, followed by 22.6% for playing PC and video games, 20.3% for watching television, 8.6% for going to the movies, 6.4% for surfing the Internet and only 4.5% for renting movies.

"Video and PC games are changing the way Americans play and are firmly entrenched as the third leg of the American entertainment triad," Lowenstein said.

For the third year in a row, computers were used more for entertainment software than any other application, including word processing, on-line pursuits and business uses.

The survey also found that the demographics for electronic entertainment software are broadening. "Who's behind the booming hardware and software sales? If you think it's just a band of adolescent boys, think again," Lowenstein said. "IDSA now believes that at least one out of every two Americans has played a video or PC game. The modern-day gamers come from all walks of life. They're longtime players and they're first-time players."

Women account for 31.1% of the most frequent users of console games like Nintendo 64 and Sony PlayStation, and almost 40% of the most frequent computer game players. Console use by age is changing, too: 43.9% of console game players are under 18, but 36.4% are between the ages of 18 and 35, and 19.7% are over age 36. Meanwhile, according to IDSA, 30.4% of computer game players are under age 18, with 31% age 18 to 35, and 38.5% over age 36.

"What's going on here is nothing less than the emergence of a mass market for PC and video games," said Lowenstein. "Our industry, once the province of just kids, is now providing entertainment appealing to people of all ages and interests."

Lowenstein also criticized those who say video games are responsible for a rise in violent acts committed by teens. Ninety percent of game buyers are over the age of 18, and 70% of the 4,000 products rated by the Entertainment Software Rating Board have been found appropriate for all users, he pointed out.

"Blaming video games for these kinds of problems is as silly and pointless as blaming television for illiteracy," he said.