Rattle were commissioned in 2007 to carry out some research into teenager's use of digital media. Although gaming wasn't core to the project, we were able to get some insight into their habits.
Gaming didn't prove to be as popular as we initially thought. Boys
typically played football with their mates in the park and where screen
gaming took place, it seemed to be in a rather informal or casual
context. For example, flash based games found on sites such as Mousebreaker, Miniclip and Dragon Gamez were mainly played (illegally) at school as a diversion from work.
Traditional first person video games like Halo 3 and Pro Evolution Soccer
were played in single-player mode. They would occasionally be played
in a group environment with friends, but very little gaming was played
with others. The number of teens playing MMOGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Games) for example, was very low. This is for several reasons.
1. Technical - Many MMOGS require high speed broadband connections. These are not always available or reliable.
2.
Competency - MMOGS contain complex narratives and strategies. These
can be quite hard to muster. Are they more appropriate for 20
somethings than teengers?
3. Time - The teenagers we spoke
to often have to share home computers which makes it difficult to get
the chance to play at length. There is also the pressure of school,
homework, exams and the ever present nagging parent :)
For girls, The Sims was one of the very popular titles. Occasionally we would see the use of dance mats and the Wii especially when friends came around. For girls, gaming seemed more of a way of socialising with their close friendship group. From our research, the main difference in game play between males and females was that for the male, the game narrative was a means to an end; that is, the game was played for a specific goal of completing a level or winning a cup. For girls, the game was an end in itself: the game was a way to tell a story.
The idea of a shared, group experience around gaming is something that really interests us. We are really keen to talk to researchers, journalists, academics, games designers, and of course gamers! If you would like to part then please do get in touch. You can call, email or IM us. Our contact details can be found here. Thanks :)
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