You may not fancy yourself an esports champion or a crack shot in Call of Duty, but new research suggests older Australians are increasingly looking to video games to stay social and keep their minds active during COVID.
The study by the Interactive Games & Entertainment Association (IGEA), in conjunction with Bond University, found that 42 per cent of Australians aged 65 and up kept their minds active with games during the pandemic, with 87 per cent of senior participants believing video games may increase mental stimulation and 81 per cent saying games might help fight dementia.
For 55-year-old Lyn Murnane (pictured) – an avid gamer from Bacchus Marsh, Victoria – online video games like Conan Exiles, Valheim and Icarus have helped her stay in touch with friends by playing together on evenings and weekends.
Lyn says games have a lot to offer older Australians, even mobile games such as Words with Friends.
“My mum’s 85, and she’s always loved Bejeweled and all those sort of puzzle type games, Tetris even – she’s still playing some of those things on her phone.
“I think it’s about that connectivity – it keeps your brain active, obviously, playing the game, but also keeps those collaborative, networking, conversational connections happening. I think there’s absolutely lots of value in that,” she says.
Retirement-age adults played an average of 61 minutes of games per day, according to the survey.
