Ben-DutkaWell, it's the secret of the week: video games are kinda popular amongst teens. No, really.
Now, when I was in high school, I'd estimate that maybe 1/3 of the students played video games, and every last one of them were male. But now, according to a PewResearch Center study , 97% of teens play video games "of some sort," and that includes 99% of boys and 94% of girls (yep, 94%). Of course, the realists will point out that "of some sort" can translate to 15 minutes of Bejeweled before bed, but nevertheless, it's a very impressive statistic considering the industry's past. In addition, it was revealed that 86% of those who play enjoyed their interactive entertainment on a console, while 73% had their fun on a computer. Lastly, we learn that "your civic outcomes aren't affected by how much you play video games," but at the same time, certain types of games can make you more "civic-minded." For the record, playing offline leads to more civic-minded thoughts and behavior while we have to say "not so much" in regards to those who only play online. Hey, we've always said the solo experiences were a bit more in-depth in terms of…well, everything!
So anyway, if you hadn't already guessed, games are a cornerstone of the teen lifestyle these days. …damnit, how come I couldn't have been in high school during this time? 🙁
