When Exponential Interactive, an advertising intelligence provider, analysed the actual behaviour of more than two million Brits viewing Grand Theft Auto content online, the results were rather surprising.
Here are the key conclusions:
The GTA audience are 33% more likely than the average internet user to have children; and 2x more likely to be married (and less likely to be teens or young gamers)
GTA fans are 63% more likely than the average gamer to be interested in running
They're also 5x more likely to be interested in arts and literature than bars and clubs
They're likely to be more interested in adventure and trekking holidays than the usual gamer holiday favourite of gambling
Compared to the video game genre as a whole there is a distinct spike in GTA interest among 55-64 year olds
Films and TV with high correlation among GTA fans are Finding Nemo and The Big Bang Theory
The GTA player is also much more likely to be shopping for suits and briefcases than average gamers
So, do you fit the GTA player profile? Let's see, I have almost completed GTA V (having played every other variation of the game since the very first overhead view version was released way back when) and am just waiting for the final heist to go down. I am, indeed, married with kids. I have no interest in running or taking trekking holidays. I do, however, like arts and literature, but can also be found hanging around the bar in my local pubs with alarming frequency. Finding Nemo? No thanks. Big Bang Theory? You betcha! Suits and briefcases though, c'mon, really?
Seriously though, as a games developer how much research do you do and how much weight do you apply to potential player demographics during the planning, coding and marketing phases of a new game release?