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NPD: Kids embrace downloadable games

Market-research firm study reveals children aged 2 to 14 increasingly go online for content, gaming by far more popular than music, videos, ringtones.

Children are the future, as it is said, so traditional brick-and-mortar retailers may be disquieted to know that an increasing number of the younger sect are turning to digital distribution to secure their entertainment pastimes. Such are the findings of market-research and stat-tracking firm The NPD Group, which released the results of its most recent Kids & Digital Content study today.

The study, which surveyed thousands of women with children aged 2 to 14, focused on the acquisition of media ranging from games to movies to music videos across four devices: computers, portable digital media players, cell phones, and gaming systems. NPD did not reveal specific figures for an increase in game-related digital downloads, but it did note that music downloads versus brick-and-mortar purchases were up 10 percent from a year ago.

Overall usage of gaming consoles, portable media players, and laptops rose as compared to a year ago, according to NPD's survey, thanks primarily to increased usage by those within the 9-14 age group. In particular, gaming has seen widespread adoption among the entire sampled group, with 85 percent of the group using their devices for play. By comparison, 60 percent use the devices for music, roughly 33 percent for videos, and 22 percent for ringtones.

"Although the most dramatic increase in usage of these devices happens at about age 9, playing games appears to be an activity that first engages young kids with the digital world," commented NPD analyst Anita Frazier. "Our study finds that 82 percent of kids ages 2 to 5 play games on one or more of the devices surveyed."

NPD's study also found that kids are increasingly using devices for tasks outside of their primary purpose. Namely, the research firm found that an increasing amount of cell-phone users were using the device for music and picture sharing. With gaming systems, NPD found that kids within the specified age group spent 12 percent of their time watching movies.

44 Comments

  • XeonForce

    Posted Jan 11, 2009 10:59 am GMT

    I work at gamestop, and I have never seen anyone younger than five ask for an xbox live points card, so if a two year old can download a game online, doesn't that mean they would have to have their parents credit card? lolz... crafty kids...

  • Leo_Colt

    Posted Jan 10, 2009 8:49 am GMT

    I agree with razgriz. Also, kids won't have to pester their parents to go take them to a store to buy the game.

    Still... nothing beats the smell of a freshly opened box, with a smooth and pristine manual and game inside. Digital downloads will likely increase, although hard copy will never become fully obsolete however, due to the fact it's the most reliable and not prone to ZOMG!1 DELETION!1!11 which does put a lot of people off.

    The thought of 2 year olds doing this is just bizarre though.

  • grigjd3

    Posted Jan 8, 2009 3:12 pm GMT

    Kind of makes sense - what with the lack of physical mobility most kids have. Much easier to just download a game from home. @beardmoen, what's with the hate? I bet people have thought of you that way too.

  • razgriz_101

    Posted Jan 8, 2009 2:32 pm GMT

    Lol i think its cause they dont need a proof of ID to get age restricted games really xD.But im probably wrong there could be the really young ones getting old Sonic games or Vtec learning or something

  • beardmoen

    Posted Jan 8, 2009 1:33 pm GMT

    As long as it keeps little snot nosed stuck up bastards out of my game store, let those 2 year old jerks download all they want.

  • thenarkallaptar

    Posted Jan 8, 2009 11:35 am GMT

    I can see a little homeless two year old in line at a soup kitchen because he had spent all of his money on DLC and games.

  • kytomasi

    Posted Jan 8, 2009 10:43 am GMT

    @HUNTER-VENOM

    LMAO "children aged 2 to 14 have money to buy online stuff? that's new to me lol." i was said the same thing. 2 year olds huh...

  • Yoshilila

    Posted Jan 8, 2009 9:19 am GMT

    well just to say this... as a 2 year old i was one heck of a sonic the hedgehog gamer... I played against one of my dads friends and after i won the guy started braking the controller (man Sega was some awesome console)... these days i have no memorie of it the only thing i get to see is the video my mum made cause she thought it was kind of funny

  • CamiKitten

    Posted Jan 8, 2009 9:09 am GMT

    LOL yeah I think they need to adjust the ages "2-14". 2 year olds are not doing the dl content, but their parents are. For Vtec gaming and other learning tools. I've never even seen a 2 year old operate a tv remote control lol.

  • DullBozer

    Posted Jan 8, 2009 7:51 am GMT

    At 2 you are in the process of learning how to use the toilet, the don't "go online for content", i think we can transfer those numbers to "new parents". As for digital downloads, of course its the future, weve known this for years.

  • gamerkiduri posted Jan 8, 2009 7:47 am GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    gamerkiduri

    Posted Jan 8, 2009 7:47 am GMT (hide)

    im 13 and i play gta4 etc. in fact im the best gamer

  • isaacmj

    Posted Jan 8, 2009 6:18 am GMT

    Kids should play those family friendly downloadable games instead of killing hookers on GTAIV

  • DrKill09

    Posted Jan 8, 2009 5:54 am GMT

    That's cause all they need for online games is to swipe their dad's credit cards, lol!

  • Rhubarb9

    Posted Jan 8, 2009 5:00 am GMT

    "children aged 2 to 14"

    I hope thats some super child friendly wii service....

  • raahsnavj

    Posted Jan 7, 2009 10:34 pm GMT

    Well, the type of games that are available as DLC (VC, Wii Ware, XBLA, etc) tend to be more accessible and a good entry point for gamers than a lot of the casual trash that charge 4 times as much...

  • ceetizzy

    Posted Jan 7, 2009 9:50 pm GMT

    Little brats..... I jokes!

  • kkkkknaruto posted Jan 7, 2009 9:46 pm GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    kkkkknaruto

    Posted Jan 7, 2009 9:46 pm GMT (hide)

    360 will drive this, i got hope for da ps3 but they are taking too long to get good like they don't even have prepaid cards in canada how lame is that or a movie service even lamerr

  • HyruleanLink

    Posted Jan 7, 2009 9:08 pm GMT

    Go figure.

  • jessdevilboy21

    Posted Jan 7, 2009 8:52 pm GMT

    lol,,

  • zoso1019

    Posted Jan 7, 2009 8:51 pm GMT

    @ Inconnux

    *stands up and salutes*

  • aDhAmMe13

    Posted Jan 7, 2009 8:50 pm GMT

    OK that's good news. Now, with them influenced enough already, by the time they grow up, you one will be putting the blame on video games again. Because simply, they wouldn't be able to.

  • Tranceplant

    Posted Jan 7, 2009 8:35 pm GMT

    I know that kids play Halo 3...
    -_-

  • Dreski83

    Posted Jan 7, 2009 7:40 pm GMT

    I'm okay with kids having favorite sorts of media; but something about download material being extremely popular with teens under 15 bothers me like kids with cell phones... something just doesn't fit...

  • OICWUTUDIDTHAR

    Posted Jan 7, 2009 7:33 pm GMT

    Fester420.

    I was thinking the exact same thing.

  • daabulls23

    Posted Jan 7, 2009 7:14 pm GMT

    Not too surprising. Why go to a store and buy a CD when you can just download it for the same or cheaper price? It's also much more convenient and faster for a parent to buy online rather than take the time to actually go to the store.

  • CorruptGamerGX

    Posted Jan 7, 2009 7:14 pm GMT

    Yawn.

    Why is this even important?

  • Inconnux

    Posted Jan 7, 2009 7:12 pm GMT

    *** "my god this gives me more reasons to blame parents for kids being brought up wrong. like 90% of the games there talking about are pirated/torrent file. there turning into us. you see what u've done cheapskates? soon gamestop / eb games and every PC game store gonna go out of the PC market because of your refusal to pay and play." ***

    That's pure crap, I and 15 million other steam subscribers buy their downloads.

  • mariomusicmaker

    Posted Jan 7, 2009 6:42 pm GMT

    here you pay me 60 bucks, and if you get a key logger, ***** you, your games are gone

    sounds great to me....

  • aura_enchanted

    Posted Jan 7, 2009 6:11 pm GMT

    my god this gives me more reasons to blame parents for kids being brought up wrong. like 90% of the games there talking about are pirated/torrent file. there turning into us. you see what u've done cheapskates? soon gamestop / eb games and every PC game store gonna go out of the PC market because of your refusal to pay and play.
    furthermore in another study the average hacker was between the ages of 14-16. most get caught b/c they cant write clean code properly and just lift it off an actual hacker (for a fee) are kids are turning into bloody cyber criminals. and its all a lack of parents knowing what there doing which is letting them get away with it.

  • akiwak

    Posted Jan 7, 2009 6:10 pm GMT

    So i guess it's true that within 10-15 years all media will only be available via download....making buying hard copies of anything obsolete.

  • Gohansephiroth

    Posted Jan 7, 2009 5:41 pm GMT

    wow kids that young are downloading games? darn kids, get off my lawn!

  • HUNTER-VENOM

    Posted Jan 7, 2009 5:37 pm GMT

    children aged 2 to 14 have money to buy online stuff? that's new to me lol.

  • xerxes5678

    Posted Jan 7, 2009 5:24 pm GMT

    The main problem with PC games on discs is SecuROM, which is essentially a legal virus imo.

    A lot of my friends get their games off of Steam, or off pirate sites (no SecuROM virus on either).

  • Inconnux

    Posted Jan 7, 2009 5:00 pm GMT

    #1 reason why I buy my games online (via steam) is because I don't want securom installed on my system. If it isn't available via steam (without securom) then the company has lost a sale.

  • jrabbit99

    Posted Jan 7, 2009 4:41 pm GMT

    I like these studies. It they as a whole show the rise of gaming as a socially acceptable past time.

  • Nerkcon

    Posted Jan 7, 2009 4:41 pm GMT

    From "2" to 14? Was that a typo?! O.O

    I know it's not the age that really matters and it's how mentally mature you are but... is this why I meet a lot of people who beg for things and type in very VERY basic chatspeak for words in MMORPGs? O.O If I knew they were that young I would have never insulted a beggar!

  • Media_Mind

    Posted Jan 7, 2009 4:24 pm GMT

    ya

  • GatCloudX

    Posted Jan 7, 2009 4:12 pm GMT

    but if its something like Lumines or puzzle quest then i dont mind downloading it. Or a psone classic or Wipeout HD

  • GatCloudX

    Posted Jan 7, 2009 4:09 pm GMT

    im 17 i buy DLC but when it comes to music i love to buy cds because you have something awesome to hold in your hand. The artwork the lyrics book the actual cd. ITs awesome!!!!!!. But if its a big game then id rather buy it in cd form(ex. burnout paradise,warhawk). Mostly because i dont want to waste hardrive space and upgrading is not in my budget right now for my psTRIPLE

  • LosDaddie

    Posted Jan 7, 2009 4:06 pm GMT

    Just release the Dec sales, NPD.

    We are anxiously waiting for it!

  • Shtinky

    Posted Jan 7, 2009 3:59 pm GMT

    Children 9-14? ...Isn't that like 95% of GameSpot's core demographic?

  • paintballer2012

    Posted Jan 7, 2009 3:59 pm GMT

    LOL 2 year olds playin XBL ha think of the language lol

  • Alpha-Male22

    Posted Jan 7, 2009 3:15 pm GMT

    Oh yeah, I forgot to add: of course children "embrace" downloadable gaming! It's marketing video games right in their homes. They don't have to be in the store to nag their parents, and they don't have to pay for the games so by all means, kids are going to love those downloadable titles.

    I'm still trying to imagine a child aged 2-5 gaming on Xbox Live...the headset...the insults...the pwnage of a 3 year old sticky nading you on Halo lol.

  • Alpha-Male22

    Posted Jan 7, 2009 3:11 pm GMT

    2 year olds go online :S

    That's ridiculous!

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