Gamer bug bites deep in NZ
Craze regular part of life for young and old, study finds
Socialising, stress relief and finding ways to pass the time are increasingly being done in the virtual world — and Kiwi gamers are spending an average time of 85 minutes a day playing on devices.
A study of more than 2000 New Zealanders revealed that 98 per cent of families had a device and eight out of 10 owned more than one game device.
The study, by Australia’s Bond University and the Interactive Games & Entertainment Association, found that 67 per cent of New Zealanders played video games. The pastime is popular across all ages, with 44 per cent of those aged over 65 playing. The average age of players age is 34.
The lead author and professor of communication and media at Bond University, Queensland, Dr Jeff Brand, said the findings showed “interactive games have become a huge part of our culture”, and while the key reasons remained playing for fun and to pass time, games increasingly served other uses.
“New Zealanders are playing for social connectedness, whether that be family or friends. They’re playing to reduce stress, to be challenged, to learn, to keep the mind active, or for cluding maths, science and reading.”
The study is the fifth done since 2009 and looks at the demographics of Kiwis who play games and their habits, behaviours and attitudes.
The impact of this increased screen time is not always seen so positively. Last year, online activity was suggested as a reason for children starting school without the ability to speak in sentences.
However, Professor Stuart McNaughton, director of the Woolf Fisher Research Centre at the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Education, said technology wasn’t always to blame.
He said a range of factors could affect what affect technology had, including whether screen time was appropriate or excessive and what else the child could be doing to learn.