Casual Gaming Replacing TV Viewing, Survey Says

 
The study – commissioned by the firm Real Networks and conducted by Harris Interactive -- determined that 31 percent of those over18 preferred online gaming to TV.
 
What’s more, 21 percent of those polled said they would rather game online than watch movies on TV, choosing games instead. An astonishing 35 percent would rather game online than go to the movie theater. 

Surprising Findings

According to Michael Schutzler, senior vice president, Real Networks commissioned the study to understand its customers better, and the company was very surprised by many of the findings, especially the report’s break-down of the numbers for women older than 40.
 
“Nearly half -- 49 percent -- would play casual games rather than go to the movie theater, 32 percent opted for them over movies at home, and 37 percent chose them over watching TV,” said Schutzler.
 
Working with women's lifestyle expert Jennifer Louden, Real Networks is utilizing the Harris findings and other research to improve the sales and advertising for its downloaded games.
 
"Effective advertising in casual games requires an added level of sensitivity," said Schutzler. "It's clearly an effective way to reach this important audience, women over 40, but it can't disrupt the experience."
 
Women also react positively to sponsorship and to interstitials between levels of games, he said.
 
Schutzler said Real Networks began offering games six years ago. "It really wasn't going well," he added. "Then just for the heck of it we tried 'Bejeweled.' It immediately sold hundreds of times anything else we ever offered."
 
The good news for the industry comes as the group, the Poker Players Alliance, is lobbying Congress to insure that online gaming is not banned in the U.S. 

Letter Writing

The group has produced a letter writing campaign that involves more than 100,000 of its online members, and is designed to open the eyes of the legislature, but also hopes that U.S. senators will reconsider passing the Online Gambling Enforcement Act.
 
Michael Bolcerek, president of Poker Players Alliance, believes that every member of his group should contact their Congressman and Senators to make their voice heard.
 
This campaign has definitely stoked interest, as the number of visitors at the online Poker Players Alliance Website is increasing. The website has an online form visitors can fill out and send to their Representative. What’s more, Poker Players Alliance group is generating many new members every day, said Bolcerek.
 
“The Senate is currently on recess,” said Bolcerek. “The timing is right for this campaign.”

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