The Different Personas of Gamers

Gaming is a universal hobby that has taken many forms over the years. From video games and tabletop role-playing to virtual reality and skill-based card games, there are now over 1.7 billion gamers worldwide. And while it is true that there are still stereotypes of gamers, like the young male nerds living in their parents’ basements playing their old Commodore 64 games, there is also plenty of evidence that the gaming community is much more diverse than ever before.

A study commissioned by gaming streaming site Twitch and conducted by Neil Howe (the man who coined the term millenial) found that gamers are actually more successful, socially engaged and educated than the non-gaming population. In addition, frequent gamers perform better on tests of memory and impulse control than non-gamers.

These results are sure to change the way that many people look at gamers. After all, for far too long, it has been difficult to shake the idea that gamers are a certain type of person. In fact, even today, there are a lot of people who would never dream of calling themselves gamers because of the negative stigma that surrounds the stereotype.

According to the study, the first persona is the Ultimate Gamer. These are the gamers who love everything about gaming, and play games on multiple systems and genres. They are a minority of gamers at just 4%, but they are the most devoted and passionate players around. They usually work full-time and spend a good amount of their free time on the hobby. They also have the disposable income to invest in Day 1 releases and hardware. They are also very active in the community, watching streamers and following esports.

While the Ultimate Gamer is a small segment of gamers, they are highly influential. The Enthusiasts follow closely in the footsteps of the Ultimate Gamer. They love a wide range of genres and system, but they are more focused on gameplay and strategy than on the latest graphics. This persona is the only one where Battle Royale falls out of the top spot, with more casual Arcade games taking the lead. Their top reasons for playing include overcoming challenges with strategic thinking and high-score chasing.

This group is smaller than the Ultimate Gamer, but it has more women than men and the largest age group once again is the 10-15 year-olds. This is the only persona where RPGs appear in the top five, showing this group’s appreciation of detailed worlds and story. They are also more interested in the challenge of playing a game well than in the feeling of adrenaline and excitement that is sometimes associated with this hobby.