Game Do-Over

American Demographics, July 1, 2002

Byline: JOHN FETTO

Every day, scores of Americans go bleary-eyed while playing video games. But a report released in April by London-based market research firm Mintel suggests that video games may actually be good for us. According to the study, 76 percent of Americans believe that video games help develop hand-eye coordination. Although the doctor is still out on whether this is true, a sizable portion of the population nevertheless has a positive opinion about gaming. In light of this, analysts at Mintel recommend that video game manufacturers balance their ads, currently laden with images of blood and gore, with images of decent, well-educated youths playing games. The approach is likely to resonate with gift-giving grandparents. Only 54 percent of Americans age 65 and older believe that video games are a useful way to entertain children, compared with 63 percent of all adults who agree.

STOP THE CLOCK

What do you consider to be an acceptable amount of time to spend playing video games per week?*