Inside the lives of online gamers

Chumba Casino just released this fascinating insight into the lives of online gamers and today we’re looking into their findings. The digital gaming industry is projected to have brought $125.3 billion in revenue in 2018. Online gaming is no longer just a pastime but its own culture, and for many a way of life.

Casual gamers can choose from a variety of game types and genres to connect with like-minded individuals across the globe. Many gamers play professionally and have reached levels of stardom.

We surveyed frequent online gamers to understand their habits, likes, and dislikes, and explored their virtual lives. Check out the interesting (and surprising) insights into the online gaming community below. If you love gaming, you’ll probably want this Fierce Gaming PC.

Millennial gamers

The most common age demographic of the frequent gamers surveyed was 25-34, a.k.a. Millennials, encompassing 40 percent of the survey. While we don’t want to stereotype, comparing millennial gamers to the other age groups has rendered some surprising results. Let’s take a look at common Millennial clichés and see if the stats dispel them:

• “Millennials are always on their phone.”
  True. 94 percent of Millennials game on their phones compared to 88 percent of other age groups.
• “Millenials are poor.”
  False. If you use Fortnight expenditure as the barometer, 35 percent of millennials have spent more than $20 while playing, while only 25 percent of other age groups report spending at that level.
• “Millennials are introverted.”
  True. 39 percent have skipped out on social events to play online games, compared to 25 percent of other age groups.

Career gaming

With platforms Twitch and YouTube, international gaming superstars have evolved into next-level wealth & fame. The top ten streamers on Twitch reportedly earned over $20 million this past year. Fortnight sensation Ninja pulls in more than $560,000 per month. Armed with these figures as role models – not to mention #CareerGoals – we dove into gamers’ professional aspirations.

Those that have grown up in the digital age feel it’s more realistic to get paid to play online games. For ages 18-34, 63 percent of gamers want to turn their favorite pastime into a job. Gamers over the age of 35 seem to be slightly more realistic (or complacent with their current profession): only 44 percent wish they could pursue online gaming as their professional career.

Women also seem less inclined to pursue gaming as a way to make cash, with only 53 percent wanting to make it a job compared to 64 percent of men.

Female vs. Male Gamers

Despite the fact that video games traditionally have been seen as a male hobby, the tides have turned. There are reports females are now equal if not more prevalent in the gaming world. Our survey confirmed this with 55 percent of participants identifying as female and only 45 percent as male.

Is luck a lady? Not quite! When asked if they’ve ever won anything from gaming, it was dead even – 47 percent of both men and women report they’ve won rewards or prizes.

Lady-gamers seem to enjoy winning more than any other parts of gaming, and more so than men. When asked about their favorite aspect of online gaming, 63 percent of women said winning, while only 54 percent of men said the same.

As far as male gaming motivation, guys are more interested in making friends or having some quality bro-time. More men answered that their favorite part of gaming was either building relationships or the feeling of community.

Gaming and Productivity

Gaming has often been seen as a way to procrastinate or a distract from other activities. However, recent reports from the BBC have shown that gaming in small doses might actually make individuals more productive.

“Psychologists, along with the gamers themselves, say the benefits go beyond fun or amusement,” says Alina Dizik of BBC. “Many people use gaming to find moments of stress relief throughout the workday, to cope with a boring role or as a way to feel more in control. Unlike scrolling Facebook or browsing online, the games are fully engaging and even give us the kind of virtual confidence boost that we might not achieve in our day-to-day work.”

Our survey participants seem to believe gaming fosters productivity: 54 percent of participants have played online games at work, 15 percent have played at school, and 14 percent have played at both work & school.

Fortnighters

Fortnight is a global phenomenon, having gained 125 million players in less than a year. In our survey we explore the mindset of avid Fortnighters.

More men (41 percent) than women (30 percent) said Fortnight was their favorite game. For Fortnight enthusiasts, the game is a serious activity. More than half of Fortnight players have met a significant other or close friend while playing the game. That said, their favorite part of the game is the competition.

Fornighters are willing to spend money on the games. The most current season is reportedly earning $2.5 million per day. Our survey showed 51 percent of frequent players have paid more than $20 to enhance their player’s appearance. (Note that spending money doesn’t mean you’ll have an advantage while playing – it just levels up your aesthetics). Fortnighters are also in it to win it: 54 percent have reportedly won prizes or money from the game.

The rise of online gaming culture

With the increase in the popularity of online gaming and the interconnectivity of the community via platforms like Twitch and popular multiplayer games like Fortnight, gamers represent their own unique culture.