New Research Reveals the Important Role Gaming Had on Aussie Gamers’ Lives During Lockdown

Over 75 per cent of Australians who played video games during the pandemic used them to connect with others, says new report Digital Australia 2022 (DA22), released by the Interactive Games & Entertainment Association (IGEA), in conjunction with Bond University. Now in its ninth iteration, the report explores Aussie video game players’ habits and the gaming landscape during the pandemic.

“Video games were not just a vital source of entertainment during the pandemic, but also a means for connection, communication and social interaction between friends and family, as well as education and comfort for children,” says Bond University’s Professor Jeffrey Brand, who has run the Digital Australia series of research for 16 years.

Brand says 70 per cent of the report’s participants lived in an area that experienced lockdown during the pandemic and over a third of those participants said they played more video games in that time. Nearly a quarter (22%) said they used in-game tools to communicate with others.

IGEA’s CEO Ron Curry said the research demonstrated the social and mental benefits of video games and that, for the first time since the Digital Australia research series was launched, the report found that Australians preferred playing video games over watching free-to-air TV, second only to streaming TV and movies.

 “More Australians are turning to video games for social activities and mental health, changing video games from a hobby into a larger cultural touchstone enabling families and friends to remain connected,” Curry says.

“Video games inspire creativity. We see people connected to gaming culture whether that be making games themselves, creating mods, watching streamers, or even attending concerts in-game. Australians love and enjoy games on so many levels and we are seeing the local game development industry evolve accordingly.”

DA22 found that the average Australia gamer is now 35 years old, a year old compared to the previous two reports. They’ve been playing video games for around 12 years, and play an average of 83 minutes a day with most play occurring in the evening. Almost half of Australian video gamers are female, and nearly half use online services for gaming.

The report also found that 77 per cent of gamers agreed that video games can help a person’s emotional wellbeing (up from 74 per cent in DA20), over a third of adults said they met friends through playing video games and the number one reason older Australians turned to gaming was to keep their minds active.

Other findings included that 81% of Australians said they felt less stressed after playing games, 68% said they used games to help stick to a fitness routine and 62% cited that they used games to help stick to a fitness routine.

You can read the full Digital Australia 2022 report here.