Nielsen: 360 has most 'active users' in 2009, Wii has fewest

[ccohen322]

http://www.industrygamers.com/news/w...-says-nielsen/

Nielsen Games has released new data regarding video game usage in the U.S. during the first half of 2009. Although June marked the fourth consecutive month of sales decline, that doesn't mean people are playing less. In fact, it's the opposite - Nielsen found that gamers are playing more this summer than last, and total console usage minutes in June were up 21% year-over-year. The average console gamer played 768 minutes on consoles in June.

June data indicated that Xbox 360 is the most active console, with a 6-month trend showing Xbox 360 with the highest active users. Trailing the pack by a good margin in terms of active users is Nintendo's Wii, which is even trailing its predecessor, the GameCube. Check out the chart below.

We think this trend is attributable, at least in part, to the major influx of "casual" gamers and female gamers on the Wii. Nintendo's console is hugely successful, but its audience just isn't the same as the rabid, hardcore gaming audience typically found on Xbox 360 and PS3. In fact, the Wii has double the number of female players on Xbox 360, and more than Xbox 360 and PS3 combined (see chart below).

Overall, Nielsen found that the transition to the current generation of consoles is in full effect. The data shows that Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii accounted for 50% of total share of minutes in June 2009, while last generation consoles (PS2, GameCube, Xbox) made up only 31% of total minutes. Somewhat surprisingly, use of even older consoles (PS One, Atari 2600, Nintendo 64, Sega Genesis, etc.) accounted for the remaining 19%.

[michealo]

can't get to the link, but is the graph accurate in depicting 360 at ~11.5 and PS3 at ~10?
that's a pretty small gap compared to the wii.
odd that wii has the largest userbase and the lowest usage.

[MA16v3]

can't get to the link, but is the graph accurate in depicting 360 at ~11.5 and PS3 at ~10?
that's a pretty small gap compared to the wii.
odd that wii has the largest userbase and the lowest usage.

I think it pretty much confirms all the sentiments of Wii owners here, and shows that it is pretty indicative of the public at large.

[HuskerGuy]

It looks like USA Today has a completely different chart at its link:

http://content.usatoday.com/communit...ing-games-up/1

Can anyone copy/paste that here? I'm not sure why they're so different.

Edit - Actually the chart covers "Usage Minutes Percentage" not the "Active User Percentage" above. Here's the text of the article.

Total minutes spent with video game consoles in June 2009 went up 21%, compared to June 2008. On average, console gamers played 768 minutes during the month.

Other trends from Nielsen:

-- Slightly less than 50% of gameplay came from adults 18-up.
-- Teenagers (ages 12 to 17) accounted for 25% of June game time, the largest single percentage; ages 6-11 (20%); 18-24 (18%); 25-34 (17%); 35-44 (8%); 2-5 (7%); 45-54 (4%) and 55-plus (2%).
-- The Xbox 360 and PlayStation 2 tied for the most played consoles (about 22% of all video game play minutes). But six-month trends show the Xbox 360 has the highest active users. Next most played: the Wii (about 18%), PS3 (10%), Xbox (about 6%) and GameCube (about 2.5%).
-- PlayStations are played by males and females evenly, while the Xbox 360 skews to males and the Wii to females.

[maley]

It looks like USA Today has a completely different chart at its link:

http://content.usatoday.com/communit...ing-games-up/1

Can anyone copy/paste that here? I'm not sure why they're so different.

Edit - Actually the chart covers "Usage Minutes Percentage" not the "Active User Percentage" above. Here's the text of the article.

The OP pic is per capita. Basically there are less PS3s but they get played a ton. PS2 is tied w/ 360 in total time because there are so many PS2s still out there. (this is the one your link is talking about)

But the per capita one is a better indicator. 360/PS3 users are playing A LOT more games than Wii owners. As a PS3/Wii owner, PS3 probably gets 90% of my time.

[twonunpackmule]

*Warning* TLG joke coming *Warning*

This proves that 360 owners spend less time with the ladies, and more time gaming.

PS3 owners are superior!!!

------

I'm sorry.

[Onslaught X]

Who's the one sodomizing funny now, bitch?!

[twonunpackmule]

Who's the one sodomizing funny now, bitch?!

I know. I'm all covered in shit.

[Shadow1019]

Am I seeing that right that the original Xbox is the third most played console from January to June 2009 and that it was played more than the PS3 in January?

That just doesn't make much sense to me.

[murphjp]

Am I seeing that right that the original Xbox is the third most played console from January to June 2009 and that it was played more than the PS3 in January?

That just doesn't make much sense to me.

I find it surprising the original Xbox is above the PS2. I don't know anyone who has played an original xbox in the past 18 months.

[chaz_uk]

I mentioned this on midnighters forum but from what I can seethere is the Gamecube is doing better than the hugely more successful Wii.

Is that right? (I may be barking up the wrong tree here)

[KTA]

I find it surprising the original Xbox is above the PS2. I don't know anyone who has played an original xbox in the past 18 months.

Guessing Halo 2 still has a loyal BxR userbase...

[miDnIghtEr]

360 is the first next gen console to pass the ps2!?!?!!??! good for them.

[Bane]

Guessing Halo 2 still has a loyal BxR userbase...

Halo 2 is, apparently, the only reason MS still supports the original Live system

[Jimbo976]

Not suprising. I've had a Wii for a almost a couple of years now and I'm not sure if i've turned it on in 2009.