New study compares 360, PS3 consumers

by Scott Jon Siegel on Jun 23rd 2008 7:45PM

A new study released by the Experian Group compares the consumers of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The findings cover age breakdowns, leisurely activities, and personal philosophies about recycling (seriously).

Most interesting amongst the somewhat sparse research points was the age breakdown of console owners. Experian pegs Xbox 360 owners at being within the average age range of 35-44, while placing PS3 users as being over 44 on average. Other than age, the report shows that both 360 and PS3 owners share similar interests (board games, go-carting), and both reportedly watch less television than non-gamers polled (um, probably because they're playing games instead).

Dramantic findings, indeed! The full report is available for viewing online.

Source

Tags: demographics, experian, PS3, Xbox-360

Reader Comments (49)

One reason for the older age of users on the PS3 and even the Xbox360 could be that parents are the ones that register these devices because of the higher price points vs. the Wii most childern and young adults might not have the disposible cash needed to purchase these more expensive devices. Also you might want to look at the majority of the games available for each platform. Most games for the Xbox 360 where geared to the male 18-25 and 26-34 group where PS3 games in this age group werent available until recently. Plus lets not forget the golden rule of statistics. You can make them answer anything you want. Its all in how you word and display that data. Like the Direct TV comerical where the guy says that 90% of statistics can say anything 50% of the time.

Statistics can be made to say anything true; but the age groups being shown in the above graph also represent age groups that have purchasing power. I for one fall into the first group even though I am on the higher age on that group have purchased both ps3 and xbox360 with my own money and never relied on my parents or others for the income to purchase these platforms. So I would think this would be fairly accurate and of course we will see the Wii higher than most because the sales figures show this too. It is always interesting to see these numbers, though I hate how it fuels the console wars.

Ummm, PS3 was geared at the Xbox 360 market day 1. Many think this is still why PS3 has such a hard road getting mass adoption in Japan.

Toastix, it's shown as percentages so total number sold is irrevelant.

Fid, I thought it was the 360 that was really struggling in Japan?

Does the report mention which console owner is most likely to purchase Call Of Duty 5?

Did the report mention which console owner is most likely to purchase Call Of Duty 5?

Gah! ¬_¬

And, surprisingly, the Wii sells the most in the 18-24 category. This pretty much debunks the "wii is for soccer moms and grandparents" argument...

I'm surprised as well that Joystiq didn't mention that the Wii is selling to the same market pretty much as the Xbox360 and to a certain extent as the PS3. So much for Nintendo even saying that it wasn't competing, nice bluffing.

50% of that demographic are female (and it only rises as the ages go up).

Just because it's selling to the same age group doesn't mean it's selling to the same people or for the same reason.

Wii is the "make my girlfriend happy" purchase for many people.

Two words: Early pregnancy. (In other words, they could still be soccer moms =O )

Huh? ...so relevance-wise...?

Shame they didn't poll K - 12. I suspect things would be more interesting if they did.

Wii demographic

I don't know have you played on xbox live?

One of the things I see at the retail level is that middle aged consumers - of which I effectively now am one, at 46 - have the money for the fun toys.

We're the guys that grew up playing table war games, played StarFleet Battles and Babylon 5 Wars, and also the early computer games. At the same time, a lot of us have been at least studying computers for a long time - at the retail store I work part time at, I've been studying computers longer than anyone I work with has been alive.

Which also means that when they're all excited because there's an in store game night so they can play games on a 42" or bigger TV, I'm going yeah, so what? I've been playing on my 56" big screen for years. It's just not that big of a thrill to me.

Anyway, the Wii has at retail, for better or worse, the reputation of being a kids or party game system, while the PS3 and 360 are for serious games. (I'm NOT saying thats true - that's just the reputation it has.) So the older gamers that want to sit on the couch and GAME - that's what we're buying.

always thought it was a bit silly that people berate you for playing video games or spending too much time on the computer when all most people do is sit and stare at the tv set for entertainment. how is that better?

and i don't have time to play games because i'm busy go-carting.

Is it just me or does that chart not show that the average age for all consoles should be 18-24?

Only if you assume that each age cohort has the same number of people in it. But there are many more baby boomers than millenials. Since percentages of each cohort are shown, the average age will skew higher than the share peak.

No that's not how that graph works. The percentage is the ratio of owners in that age group, putting the average for all consoles at 18-24. I just downloaded the powerpoint and they explain it correctly there, what they were trying to say is that in the 18-24 age group the wii has the highest percentage while the xbox and ps3 have the highest percentage in the 35-44 and 45-54 age groups respectively, essentially indicating what people in each of those age groups prefers the given console, not that it's the average age of owners.

Who knew? Old Snake has old people playing as him

OM NOM NOM NOM

Aint no SNAKE on this graph, HURRRRR!

Ain't no Snake on this graf HURRR!!!

Well..it is surprising that the PS3 is favored by the old bats...but then again...that may be because they watch so many movies on it.

The Wii is for kids argument is stupid and tired. Jump on any LIVE match and it's easy to see where all of the eleven year olds are hanging out. The Wii crowds are the guys and gals that grew up with games but no longer have 40 hours a week to dedicate to their hobby. Full-time job plus school plus spouse trump gaming time...at least for those of us that would like to keep the spouse and job. Unless you happen to have a job that involves gaming it's pretty hard to find that time anymore.

Your comment is correct and rules.

Ive only beat one game on my wii. Ive beat a few games on my 360 but the majority on my ps3. I am no where near 44. Also i only have about 5 to 10 hours a week to play because i work like 12 hours a day. I dont get home til around 10 at night. Now i dont have kids yet so i guess that should be factored in. But seriously besides metroid prime i havent found anything good on the wii. going to play zelda next and then i think at that point i am done with the wii.

"The Wii crowds are the guys and gals that grew up with games but no longer have 40 hours a week to dedicate to their hobby."

There are a very, very few 360 and PS3 games that you can't just pick up and play for 20 minutes. The simple truth is that the Wii is cheap (price) and is the king of casual gaming at the moment.

@Kodros
Well, you can't pick up and play MGS4 for 20 minutes - you won't even get through a cut scene in that time.

@Evan - Which is why I said:

"There are a very, very few 360 and PS3 games that you can't just pick up and play for 20 minutes. "

OH MY GOOD GOD JOYSTIQ YOUR COMMENT SYSTEM ABSOLUTELY ABSOLUTELY ABSOLUTELY ABSOLUTELY SUCKS!!!

Seriously I think people go to school to fix simple issues like this goddamned site is plagued with.

Aint no SNAKE on this graph, HURRRRR!

Poop...

I know... I sound like a real ass now. I realize. But I just love it...

HURRR!!!

Now I have to refresh the page to see that my comment posted. Otherwise I'd double post by going back and pressing post comment again.

Its not as annoying as the bird, but its more embarrassing.

Let me try

Xbox 360 fanboys

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=1uXPPT1VDnQ&feature=related

Ps3 fanboys

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=V55Zq5whVCI

Wii fanboys

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=fSz4cWiRKPQ

(Not really)

Good Stuff

I don't get it.

Kind of surprised that only one comment in the first 33 (brighenne) pointed out correctly that the average age for all 3 groups appears to be in the 25-34 range. You need to start from the left and add up the % in each age range. Once you hit 50%, there's the average age. There are slight differences in the distributions (the Wii and Xbox seem to be almost equal), but not enough to make any huge statements about the owners.

They are not percentages of the same group. They are percentages of all people in each age group. So 25% of ALL 25-34 year olds own an xbox.

Also see my post above.

Even the simplest Google search brings up many articles and research that shows average age of gamers is currently mid-thirties up from late-twenties five years ago and late-teens more than a decade ago.

If that's the case (Kordova), then why do the percentages for each line appear to add up to 100%? Also, it'd be each company's dream if that percentage of people in the age range owned that console. Each console would have total sales of >100 million units. Finally, do you really think that only about 13% of 18-24 year olds were online for more than an hour last week?

"Other than age, the report shows that both 360 and PS3 owners share similar interests (board games, go-carting)..."

You mean to say that people who own different consoles actually have things in common? Shit, the way fanboys carry on around here, you could've fooled me... ;)

I'm thoroughly convinced that fanboy trolls are either agency-employed by strategic marketing firms, or too young to own multiple consoles.

For example, when I was younger, until I could afford to buy any system I wanted, I was a fanboy for the only one current console (of choice) my parents would allow me to have. So naturally, I resented the other competing consoles, denouncing them for being the inferior product. This, I believe, is the fanboy mindset.

This research shows that I bought the wrong console. I f'n LOVE go-carting AND home decor is fairly important to me.

What surprises me about the comments is that no one has said PS3 skews older because ITS A BD PLAYER! And old guys are the most avid early adopters of AV stuff.

Interestingly, PS3 owners watch less 6 o'clock news and Xbox owners think friends are more important than family. Last one is bizzare.

if that graph is from the report, and not a joystiq creation, then it essentially shows that all the consoles appeal to the same age groups.

Other than at the 18-24 end the 360, PS3 and Wii are all pretty much identical.

If the Wii appeals to more 18-24 gamers than the other two, does that make it more kiddy, or more adult?

They should bundle the ps3 with a gift certificate for a free physical or $100 towards the buyer's 401k.

Also t_m.

These graphs are who is buying the system. Not who the companies are targeting. This is old news but the ace strategy is to target the 18-24 crowd. Because a lot of the same tastes apply to the older guys as well whether it just be literally similar interests or wanting to be that age (or looked at it like that).
And the younger crowds wants to be looked at in those terms too. Of course there are exceptions (please spare us) but I believe it was this strategy that helped the PS2 on it's way to domination.

Note: These are my words but paraphrased from sources I have read over the years.

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New study compares 360, PS3 consumers

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