The Mature Gamer on Xboxby Shooshy Public perception would have you believe the average video gamer to be a prepubescent nerd bordering on obesity and graced with the social skills of a peanut. Sure, the 80’s and all things retro are the new black so it’s acceptable to wear an old school Atari t-shirt, but it’s still generally uncool to be a gamer isn’t it? The reality is 70% of gamers are over 18, though many are still closet gamers in denial, but this proud 28 year old manchild is part of the Pac-Man generation that refuses to stop playing. And just as games have evolved, so has the gamer. The mature gamer not only has a license, but is most likely paying off a mortgage and possibly married with kids (or smart enough to know better). Going out with the boys is now a strategic game of compromise and negotiation: “If I stay home and cook Friday, can I go over to George’s for a poker night Saturday?” That’s where Xbox Live and the Xbox 360 enter the picture. Hooking up with your mates for a quick game of poker is now as simple as firing up the 360 and jumping into a game of Texas Hold ‘Em. The experience is soon to be complemented by the Xbox Live Vision camera, bringing your friends even closer.
Xbox Live not only evolves the way we play games but brings our friends closer, eradicating the need to apply for a credit card every time you want to spend time with the fellas. Xbox Live Arcade helps add a splash of nostalgia with classics such as Frogger, Pac-Man, Galaga and Street Fighter 2 bringing that famous cry of “HADOOOOOKEN!” back into present day vocabulary. Best of all, these gems are all easily downloadable and available to play within minutes. Outside of Live Arcade, the hard working mature gamer can relieve tension with the newly released, Live enabled Saints Row, right the wrongs of the world cup with 2006 FIFA World Cup or take on the greatest in Fight Night Round 3. Developers continue to recognise the growing age of the average gamer with sophisticated titles such as Forza Motorsport 2 (nicely coupled with the Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel) waiting just around the corner (and past a chicane). Unfortunately, “The Guide” used by the OFLC doesn’t recognise the modern gamer with the continued absence of an R18+ Rating. Reservoir Dogs (the game) being the latest victim of its archaic censorship.
Online ‘mature gamer’ communities are sprouting all over the web further reflecting the growing age of today’s gamer. Over at XboxZone, the very popular “under 80’s” thread is restricted to gamers born under 1980. The Band of Whippets is an 18+ Gaming Community “promoting social good times, fair play and most of all light-hearted banter.” The Lobby is a “chillout zone for mature gamers” over 25 and Mojo is the “home of the elderly player”. All of these communities are Australian, predominately Xbox focussed and promote the social aspect of gaming above all else. But the mature gamer phenomenon doesn’t stop online. Game On Interactive (Xbox Gaming Lounge) has recently launched an over 25’s night further dispelling the myth that gamers are young and antisocial. |
