Market research firm the NPD Group has released a new report claiming that there's been a significant rise in online gaming activity this year.
According to the report, Online Gaming 2009, 25 percent of console and handheld owners now game online, compared to 19 percent in 2008.
PC online gaming experienced "a slight decline" during the same period, although it is still the most widely used platform for online gaming.
"At 50 percent, Xbox 360 remains the console online gaming leader, despite the noteworthy changes among other major console systems," says the report. "For example, use of Nintendo's Wii increased from 18 percent in 2008 to 29 percent in 2009, while PS2 fell dramatically and PS3 moved up from fifth place to third place.
"This is a testament to the strength of Xbox 360, both overall, and particularly in the online gaming sphere."
The report is based on more than 20,000 online survey responses from online gamers aged two and above (parents responded on behalf of the kids). The data was collected between January 6-26 and then weighted to represent the US population.
That's really strange. Parents answering on behalf of their two year old children? I'm pretty sure that most games in Europe have a minimum age restriction of 3+. Bad parenting again today. As if you would allow a toddler to play online. Competition would be of a poor standard... Or are those 50% figures for XBL the people who aren't old enough to set up an account, since the XBL terms and conditions state that you must be at least 13 years old?
With broadband getting cheaper and more widespread and more games supporting online play, there's more people playing them? Amazing bit of research there. Nobody could've seen that coming.
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