Why are senior citizens embracing video games?
Video games are often known as something for young people, but older people are a big part of the industry’s customers. According to 2016 research conducted by the American Association of Retired Persons and the Entertainment Software Association, 38% of Americans aged 50 and up play video games. Half of the people who said they play online games in the 2016 study said they play more online games now than they did five years ago, on various platforms. It includes phones, consoles, and computers, and they play them more now than they did then. “We’re seeing a rise overall,” Alison Bryant, senior vice president of research at AARP, said of video game players aged 50 and up.
Bryant declined to provide updated figures, citing an AARP study due out this year on the subject. Some types of cognitive stimulation have been proven in studies to prevent or decrease the development of degenerative neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. Experts suggest that video games can provide brain exercise for seniors because of their sophisticated controls and quick speed.