Gaming and Libraries Presented by Tyler E. Rousseau

The New Face/s of Gamers Gamers are no longer a stereotype Gamers include both genders Gamers include all ages Gamers include all financial backgrounds Gaming is an official a past time

Gamers are no longer a stereotype

Gamers include both genders

Gamers include all ages

Gamers include all financial backgrounds

Gaming is an official a past time

Attitudes of Gamers Gamers are social creatures Gamers are civic minded Gamers are politically diverse Gamers have many ‘outside’ interests Gamers can health conscious

Gamers are social creatures

Gamers are civic minded

Gamers are politically diverse

Gamers have many ‘outside’ interests

Gamers can health conscious

Just How Big is Gaming? In just the United States 2007 sales reached $18.8 billion In 2007, the top 3 consoles sold over 28 Million in hardware The top ten selling games of 2007 totaled over 27 million There are approximately 111 million consoles being used in the United States

In just the United States

2007 sales reached $18.8 billion

In 2007, the top 3 consoles sold over 28 Million in hardware

The top ten selling games of 2007 totaled over 27 million

There are approximately 111 million consoles being used in the United States

Why the Gaming Explosion? The technology boom The rise of the Internet and wi-fi Casual Gaming market is born It turns out girls like games Video games ‘evolved’ Gaming gets social Gamers grew up ( but didn’t really )

The technology boom

The rise of the Internet and wi-fi

Casual Gaming market is born

It turns out girls like games

Video games ‘evolved’

Gaming gets social

Gamers grew up ( but didn’t really )

Where People Game PC Internet Console Handhelds Cell phones

PC

Internet

Console

Handhelds

Cell phones

Types of Gamer- Casual Do not necessarily own a console Play less time-intensive games or play them in small increments Like simplicity in games Buy less few video games

Do not necessarily own a console

Play less time-intensive games or play them in small increments

Like simplicity in games

Buy less few video games

Types of Gamers- Midcore Own a console and/or PC Play time-intensive games Play more than 7 hours a week Well read in video games Commit to storylines but do not feel the need to always finish a game

Own a console and/or PC

Play time-intensive games

Play more than 7 hours a week

Well read in video games

Commit to storylines but do not feel the need to always finish a game

Types of Gamer- Hardcore Have more than one console and/or PC Consider gaming their primary hobby/past time Spend upwards of 20+ hours per week playing games Play games thoroughly and multiple times Will spend what it takes to get game

Have more than one console and/or PC

Consider gaming their primary hobby/past time

Spend upwards of 20+ hours per week playing games

Play games thoroughly and multiple times

Will spend what it takes to get game

Currently popular consoles Nintendo DS Nintendo Wii Xbox 360 Playstation 2 Playstation 3 Playstation Portable (PSP)

Nintendo DS

Nintendo Wii

Xbox 360

Playstation 2

Playstation 3

Playstation Portable (PSP)

So What’s the Big Deal? What does this mean for gaming companies, politically? What is the ‘can of worms’ and what is spilling out?

What does this mean for gaming companies, politically?

What is the ‘can of worms’ and what is spilling out?

Genres of Games Action/Adventure Shooter Fighting Racing Sims Sports Puzzle Music MMOs Minigames

Action/Adventure

Shooter

Fighting

Racing

Sims

Sports

Puzzle

Music

MMOs

Minigames

Myths About Gaming Video games have led to an epidemic in youth violence Evidence links violence in video games to aggression Children are the primary market for video games Girls do not play video games There is no educational purpose to video games Video games are socially isolating Most video games are rated Mature

Video games have led to an epidemic in youth violence

Evidence links violence in video games to aggression

Children are the primary market for video games

Girls do not play video games

There is no educational purpose to video games

Video games are socially isolating

Most video games are rated Mature

Facts about Gaming Gaming can be good Gaming can be bad Not all games are for kids There is a limit Games provide opportunities Gaming has a large audience Gaming can keep a person’s mind sharp Games can be educational

Gaming can be good

Gaming can be bad

Not all games are for kids

There is a limit

Games provide opportunities

Gaming has a large audience

Gaming can keep a person’s mind sharp

Games can be educational

Educational aspects in gaming Literacy Spatial Reasoning Logic Real-world applications Encourages the Scientific Method

Literacy

Spatial

Reasoning

Logic

Real-world applications

Encourages the Scientific Method

How to host a party Tournament Demo Potpourri Round Table Premiere

Tournament

Demo

Potpourri

Round Table

Premiere

Considerations for party/tournament Game ratings “ Official Ref” Time Limit or limiting entrants Console v. player ratio Have other activities Food Physical space (noise and room) Sponsors Prizes/Awards Displays Promote!

Game ratings

“ Official Ref”

Time Limit or limiting entrants

Console v. player ratio

Have other activities

Food

Physical space (noise and room)

Sponsors

Prizes/Awards

Displays

Promote!

Picking the right game for a tournament or party Multiplayer Consider time investment Learning curve Rating Age appropriateness Consider the gamer you’re targeting

Multiplayer

Consider time investment

Learning curve

Rating

Age appropriateness

Consider the gamer you’re targeting

Making a gaming program for the library

Considerations for Building a Video Game Collection Consoles Funds Selection Ratings Product Safety

Consoles

Funds

Selection

Ratings

Product Safety

Collections… consoles Find what your patrons are playing Find what potential patrons would want Consider longevity of console Street Cred vs. reviews Just games or consoles as well?

Find what your patrons are playing

Find what potential patrons would want

Consider longevity of console

Street Cred vs. reviews

Just games or consoles as well?

Collections Funds Requires a sincere investment Requires annual funds Consider ‘jello fund’ Replacement costs

Requires a sincere investment

Requires annual funds

Consider ‘jello fund’

Replacement costs

Collections… selection Requires knowledgeable selectors Get your gaming community involved Needs to current and fresh What about ILLs

Requires knowledgeable selectors

Get your gaming community involved

Needs to current and fresh

What about ILLs

Collections… product safety Where are you going to shelf the games Loaning period Housing the peripherals Check in and check out procedures Fines for overdue and non-returns

Where are you going to shelf the games

Loaning period

Housing the peripherals

Check in and check out procedures

Fines for overdue and non-returns

Keeping Up with Games www.ign.com www.gamestop.com Fanboy Blogs “ Official” console sites EGM (Electronic Gaming Monthly) Game Informer Magazine

www.ign.com

www.gamestop.com

Fanboy Blogs

“ Official” console sites

EGM (Electronic Gaming Monthly)

Game Informer Magazine