Majority of Parents Say Gaming is Educational
According to Microsoft's latest research
A family having fun with their Nintendo DSis.
Microsoft has released the findings from its 'Play Smart, Play Safe Index'. You may recall the Index from 2007. The most recent research "finds that the majority of UK parents view video games positively".
Not only that but, "61% state that games are a great social experience, 52% feel video games bring their families together and 80% see gaming as a vital component in a balanced blend of modern and traditional entertainment."
It gets even better for the industry, as "74% of parents believe that gaming is educational."
Those researched figures just keep coming...
"94% of UK parents feel personally responsible for checking the age rating of the games that their children play, reflecting similar levels of awareness to traditional forms of entertainment such as film, television and music, with 90% of parents monitoring consumption of these established entertainment channels."
And here's one that made us re-examine the entire idea of being a kid: "69% of children want their parents to be more involved in checking the games they play are appropriate.."
However, 47% of the kids "state their parents are not vigilant enough. Indeed, 64% of parents claim to "sometimes allow" their children to play games rated higher than their age range."
Right. That all looks incredibly positive. Incredibly positive... So, what of the sample group? According to notes to editors, "The independent survey of over 2,500 parents in the UK, France, Germany, Italy and the US, and 1,000 children in the UK..."
We have, of course, asked Microsoft's reps if they tell us.
- The breakdown of the sample group used per region.
- How the poll was conducted.
- Who conducted the independent research.
- What the questions asked and the answer options were.
Those pedantic questions aside, as we say, this research all looks awesomely positive.
Not only that but, "61% state that games are a great social experience, 52% feel video games bring their families together and 80% see gaming as a vital component in a balanced blend of modern and traditional entertainment."
It gets even better for the industry, as "74% of parents believe that gaming is educational."
Those researched figures just keep coming...
"94% of UK parents feel personally responsible for checking the age rating of the games that their children play, reflecting similar levels of awareness to traditional forms of entertainment such as film, television and music, with 90% of parents monitoring consumption of these established entertainment channels."
And here's one that made us re-examine the entire idea of being a kid: "69% of children want their parents to be more involved in checking the games they play are appropriate.."
However, 47% of the kids "state their parents are not vigilant enough. Indeed, 64% of parents claim to "sometimes allow" their children to play games rated higher than their age range."
Right. That all looks incredibly positive. Incredibly positive... So, what of the sample group? According to notes to editors, "The independent survey of over 2,500 parents in the UK, France, Germany, Italy and the US, and 1,000 children in the UK..."
We have, of course, asked Microsoft's reps if they tell us.
- The breakdown of the sample group used per region.
- How the poll was conducted.
- Who conducted the independent research.
- What the questions asked and the answer options were.
Those pedantic questions aside, as we say, this research all looks awesomely positive.
Companies:
Microsoft
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