Demographic Factors and Playing Variables in Online Computer Gaming

TLDR

Online gaming has surged, yet no primary survey of its players has been conducted. An online questionnaire surveyed Everquest players on demographics (gender, age, marital status, nationality, education, occupation) and playing variables (frequency, history, social aspects, character gender swapping, favorite/least favorite aspects, sacrifices). The survey found 81 % male players, a mean age of 27.9 years, that social aspects were most important, and that a small minority played over 80 h week and sacrificed sleep, family time, work, or schooling.

Abstract

Despite the growing popularity of online game playing, there has been no primary survey of its players. Therefore, an online questionnaire survey was used to examine basic demographic factors of online computer game players who played the popular online game Everquest (i.e., gender, age, marital status, nationality, education level, occupation). The survey also examined playing frequency (i.e., amount of time spent playing the game a week), playing history (i.e., how long they had been playing the game, who they played the game with, whether they had ever gender swapped their game character), the favorite and least favorite aspects of playing the game, and what they sacrifice (if anything) to play the game. Results showed that 81% of online game players were male, and that the mean age of players was 27.9 years of age. For many players, the social aspects of the game were the most important factor in playing. A small minority of players appear to play excessively (over 80 h a week), and results suggest that a small minority sacrifice important activities in order to play (e.g., sleep, time with family and/or partner, work, or schooling).