Social Games Unpopular With Teens Who Prefer Virtual Worlds 6 to 1
New York, June 22, 2011 – SuperData Research, the research provider specialized in online gaming, announces its most recent study of the habits of young online gamers, titled Teen Online Gamers in North America. Building on a massive survey sample of over 5,000 teens, the report finds that kids aged 13 to 17 strongly prefer virtual worlds over social games.
Despite social games like CityVille and Pet Society grabbing the bulk of the headlines, it is virtual worlds like IMVU and Meez that draw most interest from teenagers. “As early adopters, this demographic will set the tone in the very near future. Catering to their needs and wants is critical in building a sustainable entertainment business,” says Janelle Benjamin, Director of Research at SuperData Research.
Despite a growing focus on this desirable audience segment among social game companies, only 16% of online gaming teens admits to ever spending money on social network-based games. “Teenagers are as important as they are difficult to read. Preferences can vary enormously,” according to Benjamin.
Among other things, the report analyzes familiarity with downloadable content, preference of online gaming devices, and purchase behavior among teenagers, and is now available on the SuperData Research website.
Methodology
The report Teen Online Gamers in North America builds on a dataset compiled from 5,186 American and Canadian households with online teens between 13 to 17 years old who played an online game within the past week.
