26% of gamers cut TV watching, 20% plan to do so

The Ziff Davis Digital Gaming in America survey found that 26% of gamers had cut their TV watching over the last year, and a further 20% expect to do so this year. Television ratings provider Nielsen Media ignited a storm of controversy among network executives last fall when it reported a 7.7% decline in prime-time viewing by men aged 18 to 34. Nielsen cited growing competition from video games and DVDs. Studies have shown that the average game player is 29 years old. The research also found that game players are not just sitting in their living rooms. Half said they play games on their cell phones, for an average of 4.4 hours a week. They also spent an average of $19 in the last 60 days on phone games, the study found.