Who are the gamers?

Gamers are probably not who you think they are. Stereotypically most people see them as high school aged boys, eating Cheetos with their Xbox. According to a new report released from the Pew Internet Project, those stats are changing:

Younger generations tend to dominate the gaming world; however, older respondents who do play games are more avid players. Older gamers, particularly seniors, tend to play games more
frequently.

Seems like gaming is becoming more mainstream and hitting a broader audience. What does this mean to marketers? I think the answer is still to be determined. Game development is difficult and time consuming. It takes a level of detail, planning and creative ability not found inside most marketing groups, including advertising agencies. However, the right game can have a great viral affect. There are already a lot of boutique firms that produce these games. Based on what I'm seeing, I think we'll see a whole lot more. - Paul Herring