The young are getting older: Video game generation ages 26 to 34

Posted by Erina Lin on June 27, 2008 at 11:51 PM

The so-called video game generation is made up mostly by people in the 26- to 34-year-old range, according to an M:Metrics survey.

In Germany, more than 35 percent of people ages 26 to 34 play video games, followed by those ages between 18 to 24, and ages 35 to 44. Less than five percent of Germans over age 45 plays video games, according to the study, conducted in September 2007.

In Spain, about 35 percent of people between 25 to 34 play video games, and more than 20 percent of people ages 35 to 44 play video games. There are still nearly 20 percent of Spaniards between 18 to 24, and 10 percent of those between 13 to 17 and 45 to 54 who so, according to M:Metrics.

The situation is similar in the United Kingdom. More than 25 percent of Britons between 18 to 34 play video games, and about 20 percent between ages 35 and 44 play the games, but less than 10 percent of other age groups do so.

In France, the video game generation is relatively younger. More than 35 percent of French people between ages 18 to 24 play video games, while more than 25 percent of those ages 25 to 34 and more than 15 percent of those between 13 to 17 said they play video games. People over age 35 are less likely to play, according to M:Metrics.

However, in Italy, the situation is totally different. Among people age under age 44, video game penetration is no more than 25 percent. However, older Italian generations, those over age 55, stand out with video game adoption at more than 15 percent, much higher than other countries surveyed, according to the M:Metrics survey.