IGN survey reveals gamers' habits
by Jennie Lees 
{ May 19th 2006 at 6:00PM }
Do you listen to Gorillaz? Are you looking forward to X-Men: The Last Stand? Do you watch Family Guy and The Simpsons? And do you have a positive opinion of Google and Apple?According to a recent survey conducted through IGN.com by IGN's GamerMetrics, the answer to the above is "yes" for a large number of gamers. Describing IGN as having "one of the largest concentrated audiences of young males on the Internet", the survey's results show a fascinating slice of modern interests.
Given that one of the arguments for in-game ads includes the fact that younger demographics don't watch much television, the number of gamers following Family Guy (68%) and The Simpsons (64%) may seem surprising. On the other hand, it would be interesting to see these results for different countries; the brand voting and TV choices show the American skew of the survey respondents.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Paul P. @ May 19th 2006 6:07PM
I'm just going to warn you this thread will quickly devolve into how Simpsons has sucked since season X, and how Family Guy is either the best thing ever or if it sucks hard, and why it sucks hard or why NO, YOU SUCK HARD. And also people will say they hate American Dad(I like it personally).
Heh, 24% watch 24.
ogvor @ May 19th 2006 6:14PM
What, no gamers interested in Battlestar Galactica?
That's fracked up...
Robert @ May 19th 2006 6:19PM
Positive interest in Apple? Not really. Futurama? Where are the new episodes, damn it?
The ZeroCorpse @ May 19th 2006 6:21PM
Don't forget that this survey was open to anyone who logged on to IGN. That means that it's polling a lot of pre-teens and teens, who will skew the results.
Case in point: I'd wager most adult geeks watch "The Daily Show" (at least, the liberal ones do) and "South Park" (regardless of political ideology). But the poll shows more viewers for "Family Guy" and "The Simpsons" which would indicate that the teens and pre-teens are the majority there. Most don't have the patience or sophistication required to find "The Daily Show" interesting, and only get the surface jokes (the crass humor) on "South Park" IF they're allowed to watch it at all.
Highly unscientific poll. It only reflects what the kids who hang out at IGN might enjoy, but it doesn't reach all of us adult gamers. Frankly, I've avoided IGN for a couple years now because it devolved into snotty, uninformed teenager central.
Thomas Werewolf @ May 19th 2006 6:26PM
"98% of gamers' favorite food is 'the Cheetos that turns your mouth green'"
Ken @ May 19th 2006 6:32PM
ZeroCorpse, you are correct that this poll is highly unscientific, however, that does not negate the value of the survey... for IGN.
The audience for this survey is not meant to be the general public but media buyers. IGN releases this type of information so that buyers looking to reach their target (who happen to like watching Family Guy while drinking their Coke, bought fresh from Target) feel comfortable that they can, in fact, reached their target. It's nothing more than a dog and pony show that sites do for the ad world.
Johnny @ May 19th 2006 6:57PM
We Gamers have poor Taste in TV....
Crosswayboy @ May 19th 2006 7:04PM
What upsets me the most about the results of this poll aren't just the source from which they came (IGN readers) but with what corporations or game developers will THINK that it means but actually doesn't, which is that gamers would eat up videogames based on The Simpsons or Family Guy, which they could easily pay some developer to half-ass onto store shelves to cash in on the IPs success. The problems with this line of thought are twinfold: #1 The game will be an abomination to everything that a good videogame is made of due to its rushed, soulless production and #2 will probably end up making money for those involved, thus perpetuating the creation of shitty games based on beloved IPs.
Bottom Line: Fuck Corporate Execs.
elflaco @ May 19th 2006 7:14PM
This numbers do not mean people watch a lot of TV because there are many that download their shows, like me. Torrents rock.
Ron Amadeo @ May 19th 2006 7:30PM
This just in! Gamers are male age 18-30!
Gamers like funny television and blockbuster movies! We also like to breath air and eat food!
Really.. is this "revealing" to anyone?
Zelda Master @ May 19th 2006 7:36PM
People don't watch House over at IGN? One of the best television has to offer.
Momus @ May 19th 2006 7:53PM
Pshh, I watch Slings & Arrows.
Andir @ May 19th 2006 7:58PM
Family Guy FTW!
hohoho @ May 19th 2006 8:38PM
no west wing??
hehe...
Dan @ May 19th 2006 8:41PM
Gamers really do have a terrible taste in tv shows.
Family Guy and Simpsons really suck ass now.
insertnamehere @ May 19th 2006 9:19PM
Did anyone find it interesting that the top two shows and the top movie are produced by FOX, who happen to own IGN? I am curious to see how the questions were phrased and what options in what order where given. The tail may be trying to wag the dog (other gamers watch our shows/movies, so should you).
Clay @ May 19th 2006 9:59PM
Lost should be number one. I don't even have cable, nor a TV. But Lost, I watch every episode in HD.
The ZeroCorpse @ May 19th 2006 10:10PM
Gamers are NOT male aged 18-30.
Do some quick math. If the Atari 2600 started some of us on the path to being gamers, then HOW OLD are we some 28-30 years later?
Answer: Older than 30, unless we were two years old playing the 2600.
I think the right demographic would be more like aged 8-45.
And that last number will just keep getting bigger...
DevilMachine @ May 20th 2006 12:12AM
TV shows aside, I'm more concerned at the poor taste in music. I thought gamers had more taste than the mainstream artists that are listed in the poll.
Wouldn't mind seeing Joystiq do a similar poll, and then see how it differs from the IGN crowd.
Big Ed @ May 20th 2006 1:14AM
Hey you guys, keep it down! I'm trying to watch Martha.
Paul @ May 20th 2006 5:38AM
The Simpsons have been excruciatingly mediocre for more then five years now and Family Guy is on a sliding slope as well since it got renewed.
The only cartoons that still have some punch in them are American Dad and Robot Chicken.
x23 @ May 20th 2006 6:51AM
" Music
-- 46% of gamers enjoy listening to Gorillaz
-- 39% enjoy Eminem
-- 33% enjoy U2
-- 32% enjoy Kanye West
-- 30% enjoy Coldplay"
how about none of the above? i guessing that would be like at least 70%.
because i can't seriously be the only "gamer" that doesn't actually listen to much Top 40... er... right?
BlackYoshi @ May 20th 2006 7:15AM
Wow, ZeroCorpse, you aren't too high up on your sophisitication high horse there, are you? "RAR RAR RAR WE ARE SO ABOVE YOU BECAUSE I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THE DAILY SHOW (clearly you are James Carville.) AND YOU DON'T BECAUSE I'M OLDER RAR RAR RAR." Get a life.
I have to say though that the Simpsons is terrible now and Family Guy still has yet to hit its stride since being renewed. Also, nothing wrong with Eminem. He's a fresh direction with a lot of unique talent, and usually hes pretty funny.
Ace_ofspade @ May 20th 2006 9:38AM
24% watch 24? Wieeeeeeeeeeeerd
D2unk M0nk @ May 20th 2006 1:49PM
@ x23
I don't listen to the top 40 either, "Gamers" aka IGN readers have terrible taste in Music, TV and same Movies. Family guy is okay but I would prefer Lost over it any day, how did the simpsons get number 2?
Ran @ May 20th 2006 2:25PM
I think more interesting is the fact that TV watching drops more than half after the 3 cartoon satires.
Derek @ May 20th 2006 3:43PM
You know what I'm sick of? Fucking Mafia shows and movies. Italian people are in the Mafia......so fucking what. Quit glorifying these piece of shit bastards and start showing what Mafia people are: pieces of scum that should be run over.
Raikage @ May 20th 2006 6:30PM
Is it just me or do these staticstics seem a little out of place. Apparently G4 isn't doing very well because Gamers would rather "Game" than watch T.V., Am I right? A music statistic makes more sense because it dosen't involve the T.V. which would be eclipsed by video games rather than T.V. viewing, Movies, etc. I know the biggest reason I don't regularly watch T.V. is exactly that, 'I HAVE to regularly watch'. I'm a very random person so I like games because I can play them any time I want, and with portibles anywhere. I just don't see IGN readers watching enough T.V. to be able to make reasonable statistics (or statiscti? LOL). I'm probably wrong with some people but I think it's true with a majority of gamers.
P.S. Where is Law and Order at? Thats like the only show I watch, and the Sci-Fi shows are missing...yes...quite puzzling...and the anime...and the Skinamax...LOL
The Raikage
Lionel @ May 20th 2006 8:49PM
I'd be interested to see the Japanese gamer demographic.
MonsieurEvil @ May 21st 2006 3:14PM
@ 29. "I'd be interested to see the Japanese gamer demographic."
99% like watching giant-eyeballed double-d blond japanese schoolgirl heroines with comically oversized swords fight robotic wallabees.
Oh, and baseball games. Them japanese are crazy for baseball games.
Dane @ May 21st 2006 11:12PM
Mmmm...market research. The one think that really strikes me as odd is Coca-Cola being one of the consumer brands with the most positive impact.