New research reveals games are bringing Aussie families closer together
More than ever, parents are looking to video games as a way of connecting with their kids.
Following on from the news that Aussies officially love playing video games, another study has come out providing key insight into the gaming habits of the Australian public. Commissioned by Xbox Australia and conducted by research company Telsyte, the study focuses on the role of video games and other digital media in bringing Aussie families closer together.
The study's findings highlight a significant shift in the way parents think about video games these days. Parents used to consider Nintendo and PlayStation tools of the devil, but this new research indicates that 49% of Aussie parents believe that playing video games with their kids and watching streaming services together has a positive effect on family bonding.
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Also interesting is the fact that video games proved to be the most popular form of family entertainment among Australian families, with 40% of those surveyed ranking video games as their favourite family activity. This trumped streaming TV and movies from services like Netflix and Stan, which only topped the list for 34% of surveyed families.
Telsyte's research suggests video games are going to play a bigger role in family bonding in the future, too. According to the study, 35% of families surveyed admitted that they play video games together more often this year than last year, while 45% of game-playing households claimed gaming together inspired more conversation between family members. There's no disparity between Mum and Dad, either, as both parents are equally likely to sit down for a quick play session with their kids.
It's great to see studies like this highlighting the positive impact games can have on everyday life, especially for parents concerned about the explosive popularity of digital media. Really, there's no reason why a couple of races in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe can't be just as effective at bringing families together as a game of backyard cricket. And as a bonus, you don't have to worry about washing the mud off dirty clothes afterwards, either.
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