Study finds that gamers are watching less and less TV
by Conrad Quilty-Harper 
{ Aug 22nd 2005 at 2:45PM }
A new study into the habits of gamers has
found that a quarter of gamers watched less television less year and 18% say they will watch less this year. The study
has found links between gamers wanting to play more games and therefore having or wanting to watch less TV in order to
make room in the day. As well as these figures, the study shows an 11% increase in console sales over last year, likely
attributed to the release of Nintendo DS and Sony PSP consoles. Look to see a massive boost of these figures next year,
as Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo bring out their next-gen consoles.
Back to the topic at hand; Gaming taking over TV. My personal experience is at the extreme end of the gaming spectrum.
I rarely find the time to watch TV, with my LCD TV (capable of 1280x1024) being used primarily for my PC, Mac and Xbox
rather than as it was intended, as a TV. The main reasons for this are; a) I write about games and need to spend more
time playing/reading/writing about them, b) I find having to wait for the programmes I want annoying. Until TV is truly
available on demand or via the net, I have little reason to watch TV. My news and entertainment needs are met by the
internet and DVD rentals or purchases. In my opinion it's time for TV networks to wise up and embrace web publishing.
We're already seeing the seeds of this in the UK, with the BBC and Channel 4 planning on releasing programmes for
online download by the end of this year.
Here at Joystiq we're all about audience participation so make sure to hit the comments thread and discuss how your TV
and gaming times relate.
[Thanks, mike street]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
omg wtfg @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM
The reason I watch less T.V. is because for some reason I only get basic cable now and there isn't enough good programming that I like on the weekdays. And the good programming that there is, I keep forgetting to watch, because i'm always on the computer.
retro @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM
Well, I stopped watching TV about a year ago, but that's because I got more into gaming and computers. I just don't feel that it's integral tomy life any more. I'd much rather beat down some heartless in KH.
swoosh bnd @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM
I'd have to completely agree with that, why watch tv when you could do something interactive?
mike street @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM
yeah TV totally sucks. I find myself only watching maybe 2-3 hours per day or less.
ymmv @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM
I hardly watch tv anymore. I'm still interested in some of the programming but I prefer to download the stuff (if possible) so I can watch when it suits me. I decide when I watch the new episode of The L Word, Desperate Housewives or whatever, not some network executive.
RageOverdose @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM
I used to watch a whole bunch of T.V. Now I just watch the occasional G4TV and Adult Swim. Not much on T.V. that interests gamers anymore.
phantomprophet @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM
I just use PIP (picture in picture) and play vids in one and watch tv in the other.
It keeps my wife quiet too cause she can watch tv and still be in the same room.
robotplague @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM
It really isn't the games that are keeping me from TV it's the internet. I run a couple of sites that need to continually be updated, I get my news online, if theres a show I want to watch I'll bit torrent it (and really theres only a few shows that come on that I would go out of my way to watch), I enjoy listening to podcasts, I rent movies online. When it comes down to it, I'd rather be online knowing I could read about something interesting rather then flipping through some channels hoping I'll find something interesting. And yes, whenever theres a chance I'm bored I would much rather immerse myself in a game then seeing whats on TV.
KD @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM
I completely agree. I haven't been watching much TV since this December when a bought my Gamecube. Compared to playing video games there's not much there for me to enjoy. When I do watch an accessional show I start thinking I'm wasting my time sitting here because I could be killing aliens, flying an X-wing or driving a Jaguar at 200mph. Why am I watching this!
It's funny you mention the BBC I download the show Top Gear every week to watch it on my iMac and I'm in Canada.
BenC @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM
I reason I watch less TV is they Killed Tech TV and replaced it with stupid G4! Bring back Leo, Patrick, and the gang!!
Ryuukuro @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM
I don't know if that last one is why I don't watch so much TV but yeah! Bring back TechTV. G4 is for babies. TechTV was for adults.
Honestly, unless it's something really I good I don't have the patience for TV anymore. Sitcoms and cartoons are good because they're short but I rarely watch them. But I can still find books that hold my interest (especially non-fiction) and comic books are good too. Going to the movies is different for me. I don't know why but I pay more attention to movies there than at home. And of course there are those video game things that are popular...
Ryan @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM
We don't watch tv at all anymore. We don't get cable or satellite and our reception for local channels is terrible. We do play a lot of games and watch a lot of movies on our widescreen HD set, but that's all we use it for. Most tv shows seriously bore me now, and the few that don't aren't worth the arm and leg that Comcast is charging.
Eric @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM
This will sound out of key with the rest of people here.....but I don't watch TV at all. I used to watch the news until I realized they are a bunch of liars.
I don't like being spoon-fed human waste in the form of The OC and I really hate getting pummeled to death with advertisements.
I don't want to turn into whatever the TV wants me to be anymore, I want to make my own decisions and punish the entire media system for abusing the medium and turning it into a mind-control mechanism for giant corporations so we will buy more of their crap. How do you change things? Don't watch TV
And thats what I shall continue to do until TV turns into a community of citizens, not a community of CEO's.
chill @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM
Shit, I multi task, two Tv's running one with games [NFL2K5] the other Directv...while im on the computer.
Occasus Pars Clamo @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM
I haven't watched TV (except maybe to catch the weather) for 6 months now. One reason is I built my own computer and signed up for dsl - so I'm online all the time. The other is my 3 month old son. (Amazing how much time kids take!) I don't miss TV at all.
Mark B @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM
Outside of G4, I don't watch much television anymore. Not just because of playing videogames, but also because of all the "reality" shows that have turned watching TV into a boring experience. It's easy to watch less TV when it's mostly shit!
Sean O. @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM
I actually recently started watching more TV since I recently got G4... even though sometimes it's a little too hip for me. I've never watched much TV as I got my Sega Genesis for my 6th Birthday/Christmas. Even most of the cartoons I watched after that were videogames related... Sonic, Earthworm Jim...
TV is generally lame and I usually make fun of it when I watch it.
Sean @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM
Yeah, ever since Halo 2 came out I hardly ever watch TV. The intercation is so much better than just watching stuff.
julie @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM
question for kd in canada i noticed you said you downloaded topgear do you know what jeremy clarkson was driving when he used the phrase -its like a mobile version of eurodisney-your help would be greatly appreciated i dont know which series it was in but it was shown either last year or before thanks a lot julie
ben davies @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM
The folloeing question was posted Did anyone have the answer.???19. Posted Oct 13, 2005, 1:34 PM ET by julie
question for kd in canada i noticed you said you downloaded topgear do you know what jeremy clarkson was driving when he used the phrase -its like a mobile version of eurodisney-your help would be greatly appreciated i dont know which series it was in but it was shown either last year or before thanks a lot julie