"it is time To me to go, it is necessary to put to bed the grandson... " - such strange message has somehow come to me in the chat-channel on Battle.net in far 1999. My acquaintance on game from Germany has forgotten to send this message privately. Nevertheless two ten players from all Europe, were on the channel, at all were not surprised and have easy continued the conversations. The phrase has appeared unexpected only for me. Civilised community has paid no attention to it, no less than the explanatory of the acquaintance, that to it... 64 years.

Already then on-line entertainments were taken advantage"in the West by people of all age. The homebrew myth that in MMORPG and other network games teenagers have a good time exclusively, has collapsed for any year. Since only dialogue in game starts to be beyond game process, I ask to the interlocutor a cautious question:" How old are you? ". And it is quite justified: in one of the most popular in world MMORPG EverQuest , numbering 420 thousand subscribers, to the most younger player - 9 years, and to the senior - 78.

the Statistical pastoral

The Age statistics of players in the USA, annually given Entertainment Software Association (ESA) , will strongly surprise Russian mums and the daddies who have given the house computer in the full order of children: it appears, they miss quite good entertainment which was already mastered for a long time by their transatlantic contemporaries.

From all players who are whiling away leisure behind the computer, 30 % - are more younger 18 years, 25 % - at the age from 25 till 35 years, and 41 % - are more senior 35 years (!). However, this statistics does not surprise our compatriots choosing American server in MMORPG . They have already oriented for a long time and, as a rule, get over to Europe where middle age of players in online yet does not exceed 23 years.

By the way, in the world of consoles of the statistican absolutely another: 38 % of players - are younger than 18 years, 40 % - in an average category, from 25 till 35 years, and only 22 % - are more senior 35 years. In general, it is logical - among Rs-games much more intellectual games. However this border is washed away on eyes: many new multiplatform projects provide the general of a server for owners of computers and prefixes (for example, NFS: Underground ).

As to on-line games here we observe the whole ball of paradoxes. Most surprising of them consists that these entertainments are not divided into age categories on genres as it occurs in a real life. It would Seem, the virtual bridge should be destiny of adult people, however on www.okbridge.com , the largest server of a bridge whom only you will not meet - from Bill Gates and Warren Baffet to 10-year-old child prodigies.

And on the contrary - it is difficult to us to imagine solid mens and the aunts running one after another with swords and spears. In real they, of course, are. These are so-called "tolkien fans", in the people tenderly called "tolkinutye". But in online, apparently, nobody constrains the instincts, does not look at age and sincerely ignores concepts about solid behaviour. Do not trust? And for a long time you have ceased to play Smack the Pingu ?

the Artful design of destinies

The Second paradox - adult people much more in those network entertainments, which offline analogues, as a rule, destiny of children of younger school age (the same penguin). And here the curious teenagers who have got to the Network, last just there where they should not be neither on age, nor under the law. Though in gamblings on the Internet play mainly adult (middle age of 31,7 years), inflow of young hunters of good luck is rather notable.

Last year the Pensilvansky university has published research according to which 7 % of the minor population of the USA play on-line casinos. 54 % from them - at the age from 14 till 18 years. The system of restriction of access of children to such entertainments is developed, but, naturally, is permanent stumbles about the anonymity easily accessible on the Internet.

Anyhow, these paradoxes are quite explainable - in the virtual world people, as a rule, try to realise those desires which do not find an exit in a reality. Nobody will understand the serious businessman if he starts to jump on office in a knightly armour, swinging a sword and causing on fight of employees. But it is quite admissible in online where it is possible to put on itself any mask.

However external anonymity operates not for long. At some experience the age of companions on game in MMOG is defined without problems. Genre preferences in online are really opposite to a reality, but the behaviour of players, as a rule, completely corresponds to their age (though far not always to a floor, but it it is a separate theme). Ten-pjatnadtsatiletnie - a headache of any on-line game. Extremely active community, ego-tripping in ways quite natural to the age. In assortment - not standard lexicon in large quantities and gently adored PK-ing. For the sake of justice it is necessary to notice, that exceptions in this category (as well as in the others) are, and with them most interestingly to play.

Those to whom of 15-20 years, are focused, basically, on achievements in game. A pursuit of a high rating, clan battles and never-ending duels - at them hobbies. In game with them it is more difficult - if to you to liking quiet style, be ready to sensation, that you "old plane" among a link of fighters, at which always an urgent start. They like to communicate at forums, but the greatest quantity of messages from these progamers appears there only when the game server falls.

Average group - 20-25 years. More counterbalanced category. The emulative spirit is not alien to them, but studying of the game world, and a collecting of rare subjects is pleasant also. At the same time they wish to "hang" in a game chat, including dialogue by not less valuable game element, than a rating and authority of the character. Here theorists who are capable were grouped (and the main thing, find time) to calculate to within the 100-th share of percent any parametres and characteristics of the characters depending on a prorolling and weapon method.

Seniors, from 25 years, strangely enough, the most unpredictable. They can swing days the character, having attended to its growth, but much less attention to mathematics of game and the analysis of variants of development, than their younger friends thus pay. However, their interest to the game world much more low: behind shoulders of years 20 game experience begun for ZX Spectrum or Atari . They have got used to play, but the problem what to surprise them already it is almost impossible. Many of these veterans, having chosen any MMORPG, in a month-two pump over the hero to a maximum then come back to habitual boredom and searches of other game.

And absolutely rare category - players is more senior 50 years. While it is not enough of them, but in due course this quantity will inevitably grow (for ours with you of the abacus, by the way). They are interested in game almost in the same degree, as the smallest gamers, but with accent on dialogue, mutual aid and fair passage. Among them it is a lot of gildmasters, heading serious clans. Their unique lack - the party consisting of such grandfathers and grandmothers, quite can stop in the middle a fantasy landscape, somewhere in Dark Age of Camelot , and to start to discuss in a game chat political events in the Near East and dynamics of the prices for oil.

the Family contract

It is Sometimes amusing to observe of the whole families, getting out to have a good time in online. I play some years Diablo II , DAoC and Neocron with one American family from California. The head of the family, 36-year-old John - the businessman. It works much, but every evening gives pair of hours to the on-line characters. Bekky, its 34-year-old wife - the housewife. With it we play most of all - game time approaches.

In a family two children. One 3 year so it yet does not apply for the post near the family computer. And here the oldest daughter of 16 years, and it... Too ignores hobby of the parents for network games. "And what she loves, how in general has a good time?" - I have asked somehow at Bekky. "Goes in for sports and reads much," - the answer has followed. Such here strange families meet in the USA...

But that surprises us, is counted, planned for a long time and realised by such software giants, as Microsoft. last year the company has made a marketing course which has strongly surprised inhabitants. Under the agreement with the company Budweiser , 300 games hookups Xbox have gone to travel on thousand bars and clubs of the USA. A contingent at these institutions especially adult, but it has not prevented visitors of haunts of vice to battle with enthusiasm on Xbox in a pursuit of prizes from Microsoft and Budweiser.

While all were surprised, analysts from Yankee Group have declared, that, in their opinion, it is exclusively competent strategy before an exit Xbox Live - the console intended for games on the Network. The matter is that is the most effective Xbox resists to the competitors ( GameCube from Nintendo and PlayStation 2 from Sony) in online. And audience MMORPG, as well as lush institutions, generally the adult.

Moreover, this audience gradually gets a woman's face. By data America Online , the most inveterate players on the Internet - women are more senior 40 years. The well-known American old women, delusion of historical sights on either side of Atlantic, get over in online. So if you pulls to younger company, is better to play Russia. The great bulk of our on-line players stays at the age of 17-25 years whereas as a whole in the world of 73 % have age from 18 till 34 years.

The Another matter, that in Russia it is possible to count the on-line game Universes on fingers of one hand, let alone that MMORPG only one: " Sphere " from " Nikitas " and " 1C ". Two age groups - Here prevail 15-20 and 25-35 years, and the majority is more senior 20 years. The reason, most likely, in a problem with payment of game at the smallest fans of this genre. Not each of them can far lay out a user's payment at a rate of $5 a month (many besides will prefer to buy pair of other toys on this money). And here those who are more senior, having good access to the Internet of the house and on work, do not know problems neither with a communication quality, nor with payment MMORPG.

It is interesting, that on the Russian fans-sites of popular on-line games almost in each forum already there is a theme in which players find out age each other is becomes important for all. Sometimes there are present funny things. Somehow in one clan in Destiny Sphere (www.destinysphere.ru) the management has decided to enter the age qualification for members, very much 14-year-old teenagers have got all.

The Problem has appeared what to check up age of the player on the Internet it is practically impossible. Besides, just these days in a clan there was a subject at the age of 43 years what he fairly admitted. For two weeks a companion is so much flames at a forum also has sworn with such quantity co-clanes, that has blocked monthly norm of all teenagers of together taken. The clan management after that has wisely decided to judge fighting companions not on age, and on mind. That 43-year-old fool has appeared the first excluded from a clan.

* * *

Finding out age of friends on game, Russian fans MMORPG often ask each other and about plans for the future. Summarising votings and interrogations on different game sites, it is possible to see, that our compatriots vigorously move to the American old women in online. Only 12 % consider, that with games it is necessary to fasten after 20 years; 33 % were not defined yet as concepts have no, that will be with them in the future; and 55 % declare, that will always play. The genre will Perhaps, be replaced, they speak, but to leave on-line game only because the mouse drops out of shivering hands, and under an armchair the sand small group lays? For what!

It is interesting:

On-line casino Goldfishka.ru - one of the largest in Russia.

Dark Age of Camelot. If to trust statistics, half from these characters (is more exact, their owners) is more senior 30 years

In EverQuest play about 420 thousand persons at the age from 9 till 78 years.

Old man Starcraft is rather popular in South Korea: in it play 9 million persons, the majority of them at the age from 10 till 40 years.

The On-line bridge on www.okbridge.com. The basic audience is made by people of middle age, but there are also schoolboys.

Top-10 the facts of the game industry (data ESA) More than 50 % of Americans are more senior 6 years play computer and video games.

Middle age of the player in the USA makes 29 years.

39 % from them - women.

Growth of sales computer and video games by 2003 has grown on 8 % and has made $7 billion; moreover - the next years this figure will seriously increase.

In 2003 in the USA it has been sold over 239 million computer and video games (it only legal sales).

63 % of the games sold in last year have ESRB a rating "E" (for all family).

From 20 games - leaders of sales of 2003 - two thirds have a rating "E" or "T" (for teenagers). 92 % of all games have been bought by people is more senior 18 years.

96 % of parents declare, that pay attention to in what games their children play. 60 % - at least once a month play together with children.

The Overwhelming majority of players prefers to play the companies of friends or relatives, 25 % from them are content with a society of the spouse (spouse) or parents.

Marina Orlova
the Source: www.igromania.ru