1/3 of gamers prefer "retro" consoles

[toxic]

As I get older, I play less and less of the new games ... and play more and more of the older games (either straight ports, re-envisioned updates or the actual game itself).

I was surprised that 1/3 of gamers prefer older systems. Is it teenage nostalgia, lack of funds for new hardware, or great game design? It's probably all three of these. I am more curious to see if the "retro" gamers become the majority, since gamers are getting older all the time .. and alot of us are tired of "keeping up" with the hardware wars.

According to the most recent wave of Phoenix Marketing International's recently released market research study entitled Consumer Buying Intentions, four out five households play video games. Although the majority are playing via a home PC, PlayStation 2, Xbox or Game Boy, the original PlayStation, Nintendo 64, and Super Nintendo are cited as the systems played most often by one-third of gamers. In addition, seventeen percent of survey participants planning to purchase an electronic gaming system this holiday season will be buying older systems.

"Whether playing on a computer, console (e.g., PlayStation 2, Xbox, or GameCube), or handheld system (e.g., Game Boy, Nokia N-Gage, Tapwave Zodiac), the majority of US households are gaming" according to David Pluchino, Senior Research Manager at PMI. "Interestingly, more than a third of gamers are holding onto older systems and actively using them", added Pluchino.

A large proportion of gamers are also playing video games via a handheld device, specifically, variations of Nintendo's Game Boy system. When asked about future purchases, one out of ten households indicated they would be picking up a new handheld system this holiday season. This is not surprising stated Pluchino, "with the increase in leisure travel, parents are looking for ways to entertain their kids during long drives or airplane trips."

Phoenix Marketing International is one of the premier marketing services firms serving the technology, travel & leisure, financial services and consumer packaged goods sectors. Through a combination of custom market research products and services, syndicated research products such as the Consumer Buying Intentions Survey and sales optimization modeling, PhoenixMI partners with clients to generate sound business and marketing opportunities and produce measurable sales results and a return-on-investment on marketing development expenses.

The Phoenix Marketing International Consumer Buying Intentions Survey was fielded during the month of October 2004. The findings from this market research study are based on information from 30,169 completed interviews with 24,980 having an electronic gaming system in their household including more than half owning a PlayStation 2, Xbox, or GameCube System. This robust sample yields a 95% confidence interval with an error margin of +/- 0.54%.

For additional Information

Contact:

David Pluchino

Phoenix Marketing International

285 Davidson Avenue, Suite 202

Somerset, NJ 08873

Phone: (732) 563-8504

[Victrix]

Some games are never going to get outdated, and new = better does not apply to a creative entertainment medium. Do good books get oudated? Good music? Good movies? Games are no different.

Anyhow. *ducks out before inevitable tnl flamefest begins*

[LOL]

I prefer playing the retro games on my Xbox.

[NeoZeedeater]

A lot of people who prefer retro gaming do so because of the simplicity of it. They find the controls of modern games too complex and the 3d space overwhelming and confusing. It makes sense, especially if gaming isn't your primary hobby. Many people don't want to devote the time to deal with complexities.

[Tsubaki]

A lot of people who prefer retro gaming do so because of the simplicity of it. They find the controls of modern games too complex and the 3d space overwhelming and confusing. It makes sense, especially if gaming isn't your primary hobby. Many people don't want to devote the time to deal with complexities.

... What a baseless generalization.

[Zerodash]

The PS and N64 are hardly "retro".

[Bacon McShig]

Okay, 2D I'm down with, but that many people can't be going back to PS1 and N64-era 3D after playing the current gen. Last-gen 3D is abominable.

[Cowutopia]

I'll agree with NeoZeedeater.
The real bottom line is, a great game is a great game, and if it's actually good it'll hold up to anything and continue to be fun years from now. I happen to enjoy playing some of my older games more than a lot of my new games. Specifically Tetris Attack, which is better in its original form than all the pokemon puzzle league games.

But yeah, the last gen is pretty awful. I'd play a lot of the best games from ps1 and gc if they were remade to look a lot better. Like Res. Evil, Mario 64, MGS, tomb raider (which would need a gameplay update too..) And surprise surprise, I have just about every updated game that was made.

As for playing classic games on new systems...it's convenient, but sometimes I prefer the older controllers.

[NeoZeedeater]

... What a baseless generalization.

I said "A lot", not "Everyone". I'm basing it on what various people have told me.

[Jeremy]

I definitely dig playing "retro" games on a regular basis, and there's something lost when playing them on new systems, especially in regards to control schemes.