Gamer Age Survey: The Scottish Games Network is calling on the community to help support a vital new academic study from the University of Stirling exploring the experiences of video game players aged 65 and over.
This is a valuable and often-overlooked area of research that lacks detailed academic work. The study, run by PhD student Eve Maynard. aims to fill that gap by understanding what motivates older adults to play, what barriers they might face, and what impact gaming has on their lives.
This work is crucial for challenging the outdated stereotypes of who a ‘gamer’ is. It directly supports the More Than Games philosophy, helping to build a deeper understanding of play as a lifelong activity that can have significant benefits for social connection, cognitive engagement, and overall well-being.
The data gathered could also provide invaluable insights for developers and platform holders, helping them to create more accessible and inclusive games for a large and growing demographic.
Eve told the Scottish Games Network why she’s undertaking the gamer age survey:
I am investigating the potential use of video games to improve well-being amongst people over 65. This is an important new area to research as in 2024, the digital/video games industry represents one of the largest global markets, with a rising player base. Despite these increases in the popularity of digital/video gaming, those aged 65 or older make up just 6% of the US player population. I want to investigate why more people over 65 do not widely play digital/video games, and whether gaming could represent a positive well-being tool, e.g. improving happiness, enjoyment, and socialising, amongst this age group. I would like to invite you to take part in this survey, and share your own valuable experiences and opinions, helping me to better understand gaming habits amongst adults aged 65+.
How You Can Help The Gamer Age Survey
The research team needs participants, and the SGN community is in a perfect position to help. There are two simple ways to get involved:
- If you are aged 65 or over and play video games (on any device, from a PC or console to a smartphone or tablet), please consider taking part in the online survey. It takes approximately 20-30 minutes to complete.
- If you are not in this group, please share the survey with friends, family members, or community groups who might be eligible and interested.
This is a fantastic opportunity for the Scottish games community to contribute directly to important, Scotland-based research that benefits the entire industry.
To participate or share the study, please visit the official gamer age survey page:
https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/stirling/experiences-of-gamers-aged-65-live