Research: 30% of Xbox owners don't know about XBLA
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Aug 13th 2007 at 5:20PM }
The survey of 1800 US households found that 149 owned an Xbox 360. Of the 70% who own an Xbox 360 -- and know they have XBLA -- 42% have tested product but never purchased and 28% have "bought games using XBLA." We'd say that Microsoft might want to focus on getting the 42% to purchase something, but we think it might be better to get the 30% who don't know XBLA exists to become aware. Seriously, that's like 3 million people with a box in their house and they don't even know one of its main features. Magid Associates will have a report out next year on whether the "awareness gap" has closed. What frightening report about gamers being unaware of their consoles capabilities will we see next?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Ignatius @ Aug 13th 2007 5:24PM
Because 1800 is a great sample size for 10 million people.
JayDiggler @ Aug 13th 2007 5:27PM
Yea and of those 1800 only 149 were actually polled because they owned a xbox360. 149 people is definitely a large enough sample size to determine that 30% of 10 million owners don't know what XBLA is (sarcasm).
Neebs @ Aug 13th 2007 5:28PM
Actually, it's households, not Xboxen. So even larger.
And it typically is a good sample size to use, about 2000 random houses.
Stevo @ Aug 13th 2007 5:48PM
Also, who knows how they chose those they polled. I'd like to know more about how these surveys were conducted before relying upon or humoring the information presented.
Korova @ Aug 13th 2007 6:11PM
Its a decent sample size for statistical purposes. Before these people spend 100K hiring people to call or knock on doors, they make sure their data can withstand statistical scrutiny. They do sell these surveys, they dont just do it to amuse stiq'ers.
The results arent outrageous. MS does not promote XBL like Apple promotes iTunes. Not to mention XBLA, which is just one part of XBL. If they maintreamed it Apple-style, I think Nintendo dads would take note.
MC Hampster @ Aug 13th 2007 6:27PM
You Internet Know-It-All's may want to take a statistics course before you start mouthing off about sampling size.
DeadPlasmaCell @ Aug 13th 2007 8:16PM
I'm not familiar with the science of surveys or anything, but 30% of 149 people doesn't seem like a big statistic to base such a claim, when there are about 10 million Xbox 360 owners. Wouldn't it have been more meaningful to survey 1800 actual Xbox 360 owners and then figure it out that way?
Kip Kirwan @ Aug 13th 2007 8:27PM
Ignatius-
Ignorance is not something you should flout like you're proud of it.
Take a statistics class sometime. To make such a statement, you are obviously in desperate need of education.
Ignatius @ Aug 13th 2007 10:41PM
Wait wait, so you're saying that 0.000001354% of all Xbox owners speak for the rest?
Wow. Wait a second, I thought you guys were smart... how the hell is that an intelligent guess? Oh, one out of every 50 thousand people prefers peanut butter, I guess all 50,000 prefer peanut butter!
Hahahaha. XD
Gambit @ Aug 13th 2007 5:25PM
Once again people have overestimated the intelligence of your everyday consumer.
Jouten @ Aug 13th 2007 6:08PM
That avatar looks so familiar... =P
AoE @ Aug 13th 2007 5:27PM
I'd think that the fact that EA games sell decently well was already a constant reminder of exactly how clueless the average console owner is?
JL @ Aug 13th 2007 5:31PM
Niiiiiiice!
Word of the street. @ Aug 13th 2007 5:27PM
"B**ches don't know about the XBLA"
hvnlysoldr @ Aug 13th 2007 5:28PM
Common sense isn't common.
Jouten @ Aug 13th 2007 6:09PM
Nor cheap or easy apparently...
TWiNKiE @ Aug 13th 2007 8:59PM
hvnlysoldr speaks the truth.
Zertoss @ Aug 13th 2007 5:32PM
I don't see options for "My Xbox doesn't have an internet connection" or "I've never tried or purchased any games from XBLA."
hvnlysoldr @ Aug 13th 2007 5:34PM
Click stunning revelation for the well umm stunning revelation.
bto @ Aug 13th 2007 5:34PM
Now, what exactly is this XBLA you mention? :P
hvnlysoldr @ Aug 13th 2007 5:34PM
How I mine for fish?
Word of the street. @ Aug 13th 2007 5:40PM
ALT+F4
hvnlysoldr @ Aug 13th 2007 5:44PM
Oh I've been using CTRL+W all this time!
Exo @ Aug 13th 2007 6:00PM
actually, to mine fish, you have to go to the start menu, click run. you then type in regedit. when the new windo comes up, you then have to delete all the files in it
mr nimblewick @ Aug 13th 2007 6:36PM
That's harsh.
AndrewNeo @ Aug 13th 2007 7:48PM
No, exo, you're wrong.
You delete your c:\windows\system32 folder and -everything- will be fixed!
Randy @ Aug 14th 2007 9:32AM
See
Colon
Format
Enter
phhowell @ Aug 13th 2007 5:40PM
It never ceases to amaze me how oblivious some people can be to what they are buying. This and the statistic about PS3 owners unaware of BluRay must be skewed because of the sample size or some other factor.
3cubed minus 3squared plus1 @ Aug 13th 2007 6:06PM
I know some people that don't know the PS3 has motion sensing [or what ever they call it.]
They think its the same old controller.
phhowell @ Aug 13th 2007 6:55PM
Wouldn't surprise me as not many games use the Sixaxis motion sensor to great effect right now. It's a secondary feature at the moment while the BluRay playback capability is a big selling point as is XBox Live.
MooseMuffin @ Aug 13th 2007 5:37PM
Aren't there xbox 360 owners who don't have xbox live accounts (even the free ones)? What about hd-less core system owners? Wouldn't they inflate that 30% since they fit there better than the other 2 classifications?
The fact that people even bought the core system should be plenty of evidence that some consumers had no interest in the downloading aspect of the console. If the survey was only of owners who had live accounts, the number might mean something.
cade @ Aug 13th 2007 5:39PM
Caller: Is there an xbox 360 console in your house
Mom: Yes, I bought one to my son for Christmas
Caller: Are you familiar with XBLA
Mom: No, I don't watch basketball
Word of the street. @ Aug 13th 2007 5:41PM
Is a possibility, like the lady that wanted Super Mario fro his Son Xbox.
Oneiromancer @ Aug 13th 2007 5:49PM
I think that what cade implied is definitely a real possibility...I bet most of the poll answerers were "head of household", not the actual main players. But also as others said, the results should have indicated whether or not the 360 was even online at all.
Sidepocket @ Aug 14th 2007 7:08AM
@ Word of the street.
I want a Super Mario Fro! :D
kip @ Aug 14th 2007 11:32AM
Does anyone else pronounce "XBLA" as "ex-blah"? Or is that just me?
Word of the street. @ Aug 13th 2007 5:38PM
I don't see how anyone could miss the XBLA unless they don’t have an internet connection or they haven’t purchase a Gold account.
Ligiod @ Aug 13th 2007 5:40PM
You'll notice also that more than 30% don't play any of their games online...I'm betting they make up a good part of the one who've never heard of XBLA!
Alex @ Aug 13th 2007 5:41PM
Some people are poor and badly educated.
They like to play videogames and they don't really have time for any of this "internet" nonsense.
Justin B @ Aug 13th 2007 5:55PM
Yes because 'poor' people splurge their money on video game consoles.
Vidikron @ Aug 13th 2007 6:05PM
@Justin B
Please... don't tell me you've never seen a satellite TV dish on a mobile home before? Perhaps they are poor because they don't spend wisely.
Jouten @ Aug 13th 2007 6:18PM
Hey, I've seen people buy food with foodstamps and they were wearing mad bling and driving brand new, still have sticker on the windows current year sports cars (no, not stolen either). Then pay for a brand new Sony PS3 AND XBox 360 with their welfare check. Go figure.
I guess poverty pays well and we're in the wrong line of 'work'...
Word of the street. @ Aug 13th 2007 5:42PM
I meant "For".Sorry.
Sloar @ Aug 13th 2007 5:43PM
What's even more shocking is that according to the data, 14% didn't even know that it has a power button.
horngreen @ Aug 13th 2007 5:50PM
I'm sure most of you are too stupid "poor and or uneducated" to know cell phones have not been around forever. How many of you can explain an internal combustion engine? You use one of those everyday. What kind of freon do you put in your home air conditioner? Did you know how much food we eat was from China before the big scare a month ago? I'm guessing this 30% were impulse purchases just to have one. They probably own Madden and some other EA sports game. They probably have not turned it on in months and they are not buying enough games for them to offset the loss MS took on the sale of the console. If you care SO MUCH make a sandwich board explaining XBLA and wear it around town on street corners.
Sloar @ Aug 13th 2007 5:59PM
Uh, nobody said anything about explaining XBLA. Have you heard of an internal combustion engine? Have you heard of an air conditioner? Have you heard of China? You see, this was a question of if they had HEARD OF XBLA. You didn't happen to be included in this survey, were you? You seem awful defensive.
Andy @ Aug 13th 2007 6:02PM
Well the arcade is kinda hidden.
James @ Aug 13th 2007 6:12PM
When I first sat down on a fully loaded 360 (XBLA, themes etc), it wasn't instantly obvious where I was supposed to go. The interface on the Wii is genius as everything to play is laid out on them 4 pages, then again it isn't a media centre or whatever.
WiNG @ Aug 13th 2007 6:01PM
Another statistic apparently is that 30% of 360's RROD on first use/
Word of the street. @ Aug 13th 2007 6:24PM
Silly troll trix are for kids.