Types of Gamers
The world has a lot of preconceived notions about gamers. These stereotypes often paint a picture of lonely, anti-social young men spending their lives in somebody’s basement. Unfortunately, these stereotypes have contributed to the stigma surrounding gaming. However, the truth is that there are many types of gamers with diverse backgrounds and motivations.
These people play a wide variety of games across multiple systems. They are the most likely to be early adopters and will line up at midnight for new console releases. They are also more likely to be full-time workers, meaning they have the time and money to invest in Day 1 titles. This group also plays a lot of multiplayer games and enjoys engaging with other gamers online. They are also more likely to watch gaming content and keep up with the industry as a part of their enjoyment of the hobby.
This persona is similar to the Ultimate Gamer but is more focused on consuming content and interacting with the community. They don’t play as much as the first two personas but they still consume a significant amount of gaming content. They tend to be former gamers who have stopped playing for various reasons but they want to continue to consume content related to the hobby. This group is more likely to be female than any other persona and they are a bit older than the other groups with an average age of 29 years old.
Achievers play a wide range of games but prefer action and role-playing games. They are driven by a desire to achieve in-game goals and feel a sense of accomplishment. This persona is a mix of the Escaper and the Achiever but is more motivated by a desire to escape from real-world difficulties than to rise through the ranks in their gaming community. They also tend to be more impulsive and have high self-esteem which can impact their decision making.
Escapers play as a form of self-therapy. They use immersive gameplay to manage negative emotions or feelings and are usually trying to deal with a mental health condition or traumatic life event. These gamers are a mix of the Escaper and the Achievement Seeker but are more driven by a desire to escape from real-world troubles than to rise through the ranks in their gaming communities. They also tend to be more impulsive than the other personas.
Gamers can vary by gender and age but some of the common trends are that women play more than men, younger gamers prefer mobile games while older ones like desktop games. It’s important for people to understand the different motivations of gamers in order to better relate to them. Whether you are a gamer yourself or you know a gamer, this information will help you understand them and hopefully make them more approachable. It will also help to dispel some of the myths that have surrounded gaming over the years.