Thu, May 27, 2010 | 20:03 BST
NPD: Extreme gamers play 48 hours a week

NPD has issued a new report called Gamer Segmentation 2010, and according to research from the firm, the most extreme gamers play for 48.5 hours a week.
On the less extreme end of the spectrum, gamers ages 2 and older spend 13 hours per week playing games – which is up form12.3 hours in 2009.
The study found that hours spent playing both console and PC games increases over last year with console games increasing 9 percent and PC games increasing 6 percent. The number of hours gamers spent playing portable games declined 16 percent, and the average gaming age increased one percent from 31 years of age over last year to 32 years of age in this year’s study.
Avid PC gamers and offline PC gamers made up 11 percent and 8 percent of the gaming population, respectively, and were comprised of the oldest set of gamers, with the average age for both being 42 years.
“With these kinds of shifts in the composition of the gaming consumer and changes in gaming behavior, it’s clear that the need to understand gamers and their purchase patterns remains critical information to those that develop, market and sell games,” said Anita Frazier.
The study, which was conducted over a three years period polled over 18,872 respondents on: download purchases, micro-transactions, prices for digital downloads, consoles, smartphones, portable gaming platforms, portable digital music players, laptops, and personal desktops.
Based on the answers received, gamers were grouped into seven segments: Extreme Gamers, Avid PC Gamers, Heavy Portable Gamers, Console Gamers, Online PC Gamers, Offline PC Gamers, and Secondary Gamers.
So, basically, we’re all getting older and playing online more. Good to know.


17 comments
#1
Bulk Slash
27/05/10, 8:19 pm
48 hours? That’s nearly 7 hours every day. I think I’d need to quit my job and sponge off the state to get that much gaming done.
#2
desiredtime
27/05/10, 8:35 pm
that’s me getting home from work on a Friday and playing non-stop till Sunday bed time.
#3
Phoenixblight
27/05/10, 8:37 pm
I would get more hours than that and working 10-12 hours a day, all I had to do was cut the amount of sleep per day to 6 hours. This was all when I was single and had not child and it also required a great game with lots of replayability like FF10. Now I am lucky if I can get 2 hours per day *sigh*
#4
Jedi Mind Tricks
27/05/10, 8:43 pm
“MOM!! I need more hot pockets and Mt. Dew!!”
*wipes sweat from brow* Must… meet.. average.. gaming quota..
#5
Crazyreyn
27/05/10, 8:52 pm
That picture is amazing. No hands, all celebration gaming.
#6
DaMan
27/05/10, 9:02 pm
that’s ~7 hours a day, I used to play like that when I was at school.
#7
Hunam
27/05/10, 9:29 pm
Where do these lunatics find the time?
#8
Enkeixpress
27/05/10, 9:48 pm
No one is more extreme or hardcore at gaming than me.. >:D
#9
The1stMJC
27/05/10, 9:58 pm
Wow I am currently unemployed and barely can manage playing half that time. How in the world do people play that much.
#10
FlyBoogy
27/05/10, 10:23 pm
lol i play a lot more :S i must be sick… or maybe it because im a student
#11
Cee
27/05/10, 10:45 pm
Screenshot of Wolfenstein Enemy Territory….ah the memories
#12
NoxNoctisUmbra
28/05/10, 12:13 am
48 hours a week? hmm red dead redemotion so far clocks in at 58 hors, and I play it in one week. Not to mention Counter Strike source, and other PS3 titles! So am i the Extreme of the Extreme gamers? And yes I find time for work and school as well.. not to mention my GF!
#13
blackdreamhunk
28/05/10, 3:12 am
No kindling I think a lot of game devs are clueless
#14
manamana
28/05/10, 6:56 am
Ah, the gamer is using “Wave” …
#15
themadjock
28/05/10, 7:49 am
lol that gun looks like a cock and ball. but I am assuming it’s a flamethrower
#16
Blerk
28/05/10, 8:54 am
I thought I did about 12 to 15 hours a week, but my Red Dead clock says 32 hours. I can’t possibly have put in 32 hours in one week, it’s just not possible! It must be counting wrong!
/confused
#17
OlderGamer
28/05/10, 12:13 pm
If I get on a roll with a good game I can do those number(and dare I say more).