Online Games Have Stickiest Websites
Posted on June 18, 2004
A Nielsen//NetRatings report found that online games have the stickiest websites. Surfers spend more than two hours on online gaming sites during the month. There was more time spent on this category than sport sites and news sites during May 2004. More than 46 million or nearly one in three online Americans visited an online game site during May.
Slingo was the stickiest online game site in May with surfers spending an average of four hours and eight minutes on the site. Visitors to EA Online spent an average of two and a half hours on the site, while visitors to MSN Games spent about two hours on the site. Rounding out the top five stickiest online game sites in May were AOL Games and Jigzone.com which kept visitors on their site for nearly two hours and one and a half hours, respectively.
"The diversity of online game offerings showcases the popularity of games in the U.S.," said Kaizad Gotla, Internet analyst, Nielsen//NetRatings. "Ranging from sites that offer original games to content sites that offer the latest information on popular console and PC games, the gaming industry's presence online is indisputable."
Table 1: Nielsen//NetRatings Stickiest Online Game Sites*, May 2004 (U.S., Home and Work)
| Brand or Channel | Time Per Person (hh:mm:ss) |
|---|---|
| 1. Slingo | 4:08:38 |
| 2. EA Online | 2:29:40 |
| 3. MSN Games | 2:04:26 |
| 4. AOL Games | 1:51:51 |
| 5. jigzone.com | 1:34:50 |
*For sites that met Nielsen//NetRatings minimum sample size standards.
Online Game Demographics
The study found interesting results for online gamer demographics. Middle-aged women were the largest demographic group for online game sites (see Table 2 below). Fifteen percent of online gamers were women between the ages of 35 to 49, comprising a larger percentage than their male counterparts and teen males.
"Contrary to popular belief, the online games category is not dominated by males or by teens," continued Gotla. "Rather, the popularity of online games appeals to a broad demographic online, especially among middle-aged women."
Table 2: Nielsen//NetRatings Detail Gender Demographic of Online Game Sites Visitors, May 2004 (U.S., Home and Work)
| Ages | Male Unique Audience Composition (%) | Female Unique Audience Composition (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 -- 11 | 3.7 | 3.5 |
| 12 -- 17 | 9 | 5.7 |
| 18 -- 24 | 4.6 | 3.5 |
| 25 -- 34 | 8.8 | 7.8 |
| 35 -- 49 | 14.4 | 15.2 |
| 55 -- 64 | 4.1 | 6 |
| 65+ | 2.4 | 2.7 |
Overall, the gender make-up of the online game audience is nearly equal. Of the 46 million online game users in May, 51 percent were male while 49 percent were female (see Table 3 below). Kids aged 2 to 11 made up seven percent of the audience, while teens aged 12 to 17 made up 15 percent of online gamers. Those between ages 35 to 49 made up the largest age demographic for online games with 30 percent or 13.7 million users in May 2004.
Table 3: Nielsen//NetRatings Detail Demographic of Online Game Sites Visitors, May 2004 (U.S., Home and Work)
| Category | Target | Unique Audience Composition |
|---|---|---|
| Gender | Male | 50.8% |
| Female | 49.2% | |
| Persons -Age | 2 -- 11 | 7.2% | 12 -- 17 | 14.7% | 18 -- 24 | 8.1% | 25 -- 34 | 16.6% | 35 -- 49 | 29.6% | 55 -- 64 | 10.1% | 65+ | 5.1% |
Source: Nielsen//NetRatings, May 2004