In the past, teenagers used to enjoy games, but now people in their 30s and 40s have emerged as the main consumers of various gaming content. (image: E-Mart)a
SEOUL, May 2 (Korea Bizwire) — Video games, which were previously considered the sole domain of children and teenagers, have recently become sensational among people in their 30s and 40s due to the influence of the “retro trend boom.”
According to an analysis of customer data conducted by E-Mart Inc. for three years from 2017 to 2019 in January and April, the number of customers buying video games in their 30s and 40s increased by 55.8 percent.
In the same period, customers in their 30s and 40s accounted for 81 percent of total video game purchases, which was a 4 percent rise.
The reason video games are so popular among people in their 30s and 40s instead of those in their teens and 20s is not only because retro-style game machines that stimulate nostalgia among the X and Y generations have emerged in the market, but also because games are increasingly being actively launched as exclusive titles targeting adults, as the market is considered an important contributor to healthy leisure life.
E-Mart, for example, introduced “NEOGEO mini” in September last year, which allows users to enjoy more than 40 kinds of retro games.
The “3040″ sensation can also be easily found in the title of the games sold.
According to an analysis of sales of PlayStation game titles sold by E-Mart for two years between 2018 and 2019, a variety of adult titles, including “God of War,” were found to be driving sales.
Adult-only games accounted for 31 percent of the sales of PlayStation games sold at E-Mart in 2018.
In the past, teenagers used to enjoy games, but now people in their 30s and 40s have emerged as the main consumers of various gaming content.
Thanks to the purchasing power of the 3040 generation, E-Mart’s overall sales of video games jumped 57.7 percent on-year in 2018. Now, game consoles have even become a typical wedding gift.
D. M. Park (dmpark@koreabizwire.com)
