A reader has argued that games companies should try to appeal more to older people, noting that the average age of gamers is edging towards 40. The reader, a father of two, says publishers remain fixated on appealing to younger fans despite this demographic shift.
Kids' gaming habits
The reader describes their own children's interests, noting that between YouTube, Minecraft, and Roblox, they see little value in what kids enjoy. They say Minecraft is good in theory since children are making things themselves, but most of the time they just mess around and use it as an excuse to talk to friends online.
As parents, they are strict about screen time but acknowledge limited control, as children do these things at friends' houses. The reader has tried to interest their kids in traditional console and PC games, but it has never really taken. Pikmin 4 caught their eye for a while, but it was always a distraction rather than a long-term interest.
Publishers' focus questioned
The reader suggests two options: make more games appealing to kids or give up entirely and focus on adults. They say most publishers, including Sony and Microsoft, gave up making games aimed at kids years ago, which is likely a main reason for the current situation.
They note that games are so expensive to make that publishers cannot risk making something that only appeals to under-15s. They point to the average age of gamers being 37 and getting older, questioning why publishers do not lean into that audience more.
Missed opportunities
The reader cites Star Wars Zero Company doing better than expected because Star Wars and strategy games appeal more to middle-aged people. They also mention graphic adventures, computer role-players, 3D platformers, rhythm action games, and rail shooters as genres older gamers enjoy but which are now mostly made by indie developers.
They express frustration at publishers, especially Sony, spending time and money on live service games aimed at a youth market that isn't there. They suggest publishers may not appeal to older gamers because they know they won't spend as much on microtransactions, despite being the biggest audience.
