I was watching breakfast TV this morning waiting for the Golden Globes coverage when they ran one of those 'we're all getting really old' stories. I can't quite recall the figures but apparently in a few years time a quarter of the UK population will be over 60. The report went on to suggest that, due to pension shortfalls, we'd all end up working til we're 70 - probably in B&Q, a retailer that makes it a policy to employ mature and experienced people who can then spend their final days on Earth misdirecting customers to the plumbing aisle. I'm not sure what use a clapped out technology journalist will be to them in 35 years time, but I'm already penning my application letter.
Anyway, the report got me thinking about videogames and how they're almost exclusively aimed at young men. Not only does this policy cost the industry over 50% of its potential market on gender terms alone, but in a few years time, it's also going to cut out a huge audience on the age side of things too. I wonder, are forward-thinking publishers already having brain-storming sessions in order to address the challenge of the grey gamer? Wired.com ran an article this week on how the ageing population in Japan is bringing about some major cultural changes. Have Namco, Nintendo, Capcom and Konami et al caught the zeitgeist?
Older people (what's the politically correct terms these days?) make a pretty good market for games publishers. They have a naturally sedentary lifestyle, which means fewer hobbies competing for their leisure pound. Many have a decent disposable income, but (if my elderly relatives are anything to go by) will also appreciate the thriftiness of a videogame investment - £30-40 for dozens of hours of entertainment isn't bad.
The social element of the MMORPG genre could also be a boon. Loneliness and isolation are problems often faced by those over 70. With a massively-multiplayer game, however, it's easy to maintain a strong, varied social circle without leaving the home. Videogames are also a hell of a lot more stimulating than watching TV - dozens of studies have concluded that mentally challenging activities can maintain cognitive abilities and stall the onset of dementia. These will surely be key marketing themes in the coming era of mature gamers.
And in ten years time, the key problem with attracting an ageing population won't be technophobia, as it probably is now: the explosion in home PC use over the last decade has built a knowledgeable demographic of mature computer users. No, the problem will be content. What will an older, computer-literate population demand from its games?
What will you want to play when you're in your late sixties? Will you still be blasting gangstas and driving Mustangs? Actually, you probably will - it'll be a nostalgic pursuit in a few years. Or, if you're already a mature gamer, what are you playing right now?
I just wonder if anyone in the industry is thinking about this... about you.
