55% Of Indian PC Gamers Think Being Called A 'Gamer' Is Smart & Cool, And No Longer A Bad World

The gaming industry has come a long way over the past few decades. Heck, it¡¯s come a long way since even five years ago.

It¡¯s not a taboo to be a gamer anymore and Indians are now aware of it, and revelling in it to say the least.

A new study, commissioned by Dell, shows that being identified as a gamer is no longer derogatory, even right here in India. And the industry is recognising this new stage in Indian society, according to a recent KPMG report. The country¡¯s gaming scene expected to add 190 million gamers and become a $1 billion industry by 2021, from the $290 million it is today. All thanks to the local gamers that have a new level of self respect.

You can bet that today¡¯s gamer is not the basement-dwelling virgin loner stereotype portrayed pretty much everywhere. In fact he¡¯s the office worker with two kids, she¡¯s the woman at the gym that works hard to stay fit, they¡¯re ¡°regular¡± people¡¯s spouses, siblings, and friends. The only difference is they find more pleasure in videogames than you do.

Shoot that ¡°gaming is for children¡± taboo in the head

According to the study, a comfortable 55 percent of Indian gamers ¡°feel smart or cool¡± when being called that, with 51 percent saying the title excites them. The only, negative point here is that we¡¯re a far cry from the world average of 91-92 percent of gamers completely unashamed of their passion, but hey at least we¡¯re getting there.

However, while the gaming community has widened its net to enfold many types of people, not everyone around them is as open-mind. Sadly, at least 12 percent of the gamers polled said they felt judged by their friends and family. Which is really strange in itself, considering no one¡¯s going to judge you if you said you were binging on a Netflix show all weekend.

Thankfully, this hasn¡¯t stopped gamers from embracing their passion, even online. The camaraderie that social media communities for gamers offer has them more willing to share experiences with outsiders. At least 39 percent of indian gamers said they¡¯ve introduced three to four friends or family members to gaming, and 40 percent have brought more than 5 into the fold.

What drives gamers?

More often than not, Indian gamers turn to their PCs and consoles to relax (58 percent) and spend time with friends. A slightly smaller 51 percent say that it¡¯s a particularly good stress buster. I mean, have you ever tried mowing through a horde of zombies? It¡¯s so therapeutic.

Everyone likes to be good at something they do, but that drive for gamers may be more to avoid embarrassment than competitiveness. About 28 percent of gamers said they didn¡¯t care about their skill level, however, only 6 percent were brave enough to identify themselves as ¡°noobs¡± (slang for newbie, basically someone who kinda sucks at a game). Meanwhile, 13 percent identified as just above noob level, 28 percent called themselves casual gamers, 37 percent said they were ¡°pretty darn good¡±, and a respectable 17 percent said they believe they can compete with pros.

Diversity is lacking, but it¡¯s getting there

Once entirely a man¡¯s world, gaming has since opened its arms to the feminine variety, or at least that¡¯s what the gamers questioned believe. At least one in two Indian gamers say they have a female friend who also plays, and 80 percent said they don¡¯t care what gender players they¡¯re matched with online. Of course, only the female gamers here would actually know how often that holds true.

No, gamers aren¡¯t hermits

When not gaming, 68 percent of gamers say their attention is spent on music, while 57 percent say they hang out with family or friends. Traveling (56 percent) the literary arts (40 percent), and sports (58 percent) are also popular alternatives.

Gaming has its benefits too. At least half of all Indian gamers say their experience makes them more strategic thinkers. Those who play between 10 to 140 hours a week claim they have improved reaction times, problem-solving ability, and even better peripheral vision.

The sacrifice defines the commitment

The study indicates gamers spend a median of six to nine hours a week playing, but plenty even manage 20 or more hours a week. Players say they know gaming is a priority for them when they¡¯re willing to give up sleep (37 percent) or food (32 percent) for it. And yet, less than one out of two say they would skip a holiday celebration or social commitment to stay home and play.

On a side note, it¡¯s important to remember the study polled 5,673 video game enthusiasts across 11 countries, between the ages of 14 to 87. Of these, only 587 were from India, so a lot of the statistics (most likely the gender acceptance stats for one) are skewed. However, it¡¯s otherwise a pretty good overall indicator of why gamers are pretty dang awesome.