More and more older adults are taking up gaming, according to new research from statistics portal Statista and broadband provider TalkTalk.
Earlier this year, Statista reported that 41% of people aged 55-64 are gamers. This marks a 64% increase over the last 10 years.
With this in mind, TalkTalk surveyed 1,000 gamers from this age group to find out how and why they game, and how it shapes their everyday lives. Below, we look at some of the findings and offer tips for embracing gaming in later life.
Why are more older adults embracing gaming?
There are various reasons why more older adults are turning to gaming. For example…
Gaming can help keep us mentally sharp
Over half (59%) of respondents to TalkTalk’s survey said they play games to stay mentally sharp. And while more research is needed to determine exactly how video games affect our brains, some studies have suggested that they can boost cognitive function.
For example, this study from the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry and Western University in Canada found that gamers performed better in memory, attention, and reasoning skills tests compared to non-gamers. Those taking part in the study said they played games like FIFA, Roblox, Rocket League, and Mario Kart.
Interestingly, none of the games mentioned above are brain-training-specific games. In fact, there’s very little evidence that brain-training games are beneficial for cognitive function. So, if you play games to stay mentally sharp, it’s probably not worth prioritising these over traditional commercial titles.
To find out more about how video games affect the brain, check out this article from Medical News Today.
Gaming can help us stay connected
Gaming online with others is a great way to stay connected and even forge new connections. Over a quarter of older adults surveyed by TalkTalk said that gaming helps them feel less isolated, 18% said they’ve made new friends through gaming, and 17% said they play regularly with friends online.
Video games can offer a chance for intergenerational family connection, too. Fourteen per cent of respondents said they play with their grandchildren, and 11% said they enjoy games with younger relatives.
What’s more, connections made via gaming platforms don’t necessarily have to stay in the virtual realm, as 7% of respondents said they’ve met up with gaming friends in person.
Gaming can be relaxing
In TalkTalk’s survey, 65% of respondents found that gaming helps them relax – and this claim is backed up by scientific research.
For example, one study found that playing both competitive and cooperative games led to reduced stress, with cooperative games offering a slightly more positive effect.
Competitive games are those in which you compete against others (either as a team or individual), while cooperative games are where all players work together towards a goal.
What’s more, a different study found that playing a simple, casual video game had a similar de-stressing effect to taking part in a mindfulness meditation session.
Check out this article from Verywell Mind to learn more about the de-stressing effects of video games.
Gaming can lead to personal growth
Just under half of the respondents to TalkTalk’s survey said that they play games to challenge themselves and foster personal growth.
Whether it’s working hard to beat a difficult level or learning the ropes of a new game, video games can offer us chances to step outside of our comfort zones, the benefits of which can be huge. For example, it can make us more resilient, teach us about who we are, and give us the confidence to tackle new things.
To find out more about comfort zones, including other ways to step outside of yours, check out our article on the subject.
Gaming can be fun
As expected, most gamers (63%) surveyed by TalkTalk cited fun as a reason for gaming. After all, entertainment is the goal of most games.
Gaming doesn’t have to break the bank
Gaming can be an expensive hobby. Some games can fetch up to £99 each, and consoles many hundreds more. That’s not including other equipment (such as headphones and gaming chairs) and in-game purchases.
However, there are loads of ways to enjoy gaming without breaking the bank. In fact, according to TalkTalk’s survey, most older adults who game only spend around £4 a month on their hobby.
Below, we’ve collected some tips for embracing gaming in later life – including tricks for keeping costs down.
7 tips for embracing gaming in later life
1. Start with free or cheap games on devices you already own
If you’d like to dip your toes in the gaming world, the odds are you don’t want to shell out hundreds of pounds for a state-of-the-art gaming system only to decide that it’s not for you.
Instead, why not try downloading a few free or cheap games on a device you already own – such as a tablet or smartphone? In fact, TalkTalk’s survey tells us that these are the two most popular devices for gamers between 55-64.
There are hundreds of thousands of games available for download on the Android and iOS stores. These round-ups from PC World will give you an idea of some of the best for iPhones, iPads, and Android devices. If you have an account, you can even access games through the Netflix app.
You can also download free and cheap games on other gaming system types – such as PCs or traditional consoles (for example, an Xbox or PlayStation) – if you already have one of those. This article from Tom’s Guide will help you get started with these.
2. Try a range of different games
As with books, films, TV shows, etc., everyone has different tastes when it comes to games.
There are all kinds of games out there, from simple puzzle games (like Wordle and Tetris) to big-budget shooter series (such as Halo and Call of Duty), so it’s worth trying a range of different genres and game types before deciding whether gaming is for you.
For inspiration, check out this list of 15 essential games to start your gaming journey from GQ Australia.
3. Take a gamer motivations survey
With so many different kinds of games out there, deciding on a few to start with can be daunting – especially if you don’t have much gaming experience. To narrow down your options, why not take this five-minute gamer motivations survey from Quantic Foundry?
The survey helps gamers identify what motivates them to continue playing a game – and therefore, in many ways, what they want in a game. For example, some gamers are motivated by compelling storylines while others are motivated by action or competing against others.
Once you’ve finished the survey, you’ll get a full breakdown of your gamer motivations, including some vocabulary that can be helpful when searching for new games. However, it’s best to take these findings with a pinch of salt – just because a game doesn’t fit your motivations profile, it doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy it.
4. Consider a gaming subscription
If you’re still searching for the kinds of games that you like and don’t want to pay for titles you might not enjoy, you could consider investing in a gaming subscription.
Gaming subscriptions – such as Apple Arcade and Xbox Game Pass – work similarly to streaming services like Spotify and Netflix. You pay a flat, monthly rate and, in return, you can access a wide library of games. The kinds of gaming subscriptions you can access will depend on what gaming device you have – i.e. Apple Arcade is only available on Apple devices like iPads and iPhones.
However, gaming subscriptions come with drawbacks. For example, they mean you don’t own any of the games – i.e. can’t play them if your subscription lapses or the service decides to remove them from their library.
So, while gaming subscriptions can be useful while you’re finding your feet as a gamer, you may prefer to start purchasing games individually once you find your niche.
To learn more about gaming subscriptions, check out this guide from WIRED.
5. Join forums, groups, and/or message boards
Joining gaming forums, message boards, or groups on websites like Reddit and Facebook can be a great idea for new gamers.
Not only are these good spaces to engage with the gaming community, and perhaps to find others to play with, but you can also ask questions and get tips from other gamers.
To help you connect with the right people, it’s a good idea to look for forums or groups that are as specific as possible – for example, ones that focus on certain games or devices.
If you can’t find the help you’re looking for on forums, simply type your query into Google. There are endless tutorials and guides on the web to help gamers with everything from navigating a console to beating a particularly stubborn boss.
6. Learn some basic gaming terminology
One of the most daunting aspects of getting into gaming is understanding all of the jargon. You’ll notice that in the previous section I used the word ‘boss’, which refers to a powerful or challenging computer-controlled character that players must defeat, often to progress to the next level of a game.
While speaking to other players online, reading forums, or watching tutorials, you might come across all sorts of words and phrases you’ve never heard before – from XP (short for ‘experience points’) to MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game).
To help decode some of this language, it can help to familiarise yourself with some of the most common words and phrases ahead of time. To get started, check out this glossary of gaming terms on the PlayStation website.
7. Game in moderation and take regular breaks
The immersive and absorbing experience of playing a great game is exciting, but it also means that you can sometimes find yourself playing for hours on end – and too much gaming can pose risks to our physical and mental health.
For example, research from the University of Queensland in Australia found that people who played video games continuously for three or more hours were more likely to develop eye fatigue and pain in the wrist, hand, back, and neck, compared to those who played fewer than three hours.
With this in mind, it’s important to game in moderation and take regular breaks. To help protect your eyes, try using the 20-20-20 rule. This means looking at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds every 20 minutes.
To find out more about the possible health risks of excessive gaming, take a look at this article from Harvard Health.
Final thoughts…
Whether you’d like a new hobby to help you de-stress after work or something fun to connect with your grandchildren over, there are lots of reasons why older adults are embracing gaming.
And while we couldn’t possibly talk about everything you need to know about the gaming world here, we hope this article shows that anyone can give gaming a go. Plus, TalkTalk’s survey tells us that many older adults have stuck with gaming for years, so it could be your next lifelong pastime.
For more inspiration, check out this article by novelist Richard Sparks, who found gaming in later life. He says, “Where I’d thought that I’d be stepping out of my comfort zone to start gaming, I found to my delight that it was the complete opposite: I was diving right into it.”
Or, why not read our article, 11 free online puzzles and games to tease your brain, for some inspiration?
Would you like to see more Rest Less articles about gaming? If so, please let us know in the comments below.
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