What Non-Gamers Often Misunderstand About Gaming

1. What Non-Gamers Often Misunderstand About Gaming Anyone who has ever mentioned gaming as a hobby has probably felt the need to follow it up with an explanation. That reaction alone says a lot. Many non-gamers still carry assumptions that no longer reflect how gaming fits into everyday life. These views are rarely meant to be dismissive, but they often come from seeing only part of the picture. Recent data paints a clearer view. The Interactive Games & Entertainment Association’s 2024 Australian Gamer Survey shows that the average Australian gamer is 35 years old, with more than three-quarters of players aged over 18. Even so, long-standing ideas about who plays games and how they play continue to stick around. “Gaming Is Only for Kids” One of the most common gaming misconceptions is the idea that people eventually outgrow video games. Australian research suggests the opposite. According to IGEA’s 2024 findings: ● Around 67 percent of Australians play video games ● The average player age has increased to 35 ● Nearly half of Australian gamers are women ● ABS data from 2023 shows gaming has overtaken hobbies like gardening and craft among adults

2. In a Discord community I run with more than 60 members from Melbourne and Sydney, the average age sits in the early thirties. Members include healthcare workers, educators, developers, and small business owners. One member, a surgeon in his forties, spends his lunch breaks tending a virtual farm in Stardew Valley. Another, an accountant in Parramatta, plans her Destiny 2 sessions around weekend footy and family time. For many adults, gaming fits into small pockets of the day: ● A quick session after the kids are asleep ● Puzzle games during a morning commute ● Casual co-op on a Saturday afternoon while dinner cooks ● Mobile games while waiting for appointments Rather than replacing other activities, gaming usually sits alongside them. Just like choosing a comfortable desk or an ergonomic gaming chair for a home office, most players adjust their setup to suit their lifestyle, not the other way around. “Gamers Lack Motivation or Productivity” This belief often comes from how gaming appears from the outside. Sitting with a controller can look unproductive when compared to more visible activities. Australian research tells a different story. A 2023 study by RMIT University’s Digital Ethnography Research Centre found no evidence that moderate gaming negatively affects workplace performance. Adults who played between 1 and 3 hours per day reported comparable, and in some cases higher, job satisfaction than non-gamers. Dr Daniel Golding from the University of Melbourne’s Centre for Media and Communications explains that gaming fulfils the same role as many other leisure activities. It provides stress

3. relief, mental engagement, and social interaction. The stigma largely comes from the fact that gaming is active rather than passive. Findings from the Australia Institute’s 2024 Work-Life Balance Survey also show that gamers experience similar levels of life satisfaction to those who relax by watching sport, gardening, or socialising. From my own routine, gaming is part of a balanced schedule. Between a full-time marketing role in Melbourne, parenting two primary school-aged children, and daily responsibilities, gaming happens in a planned window. Dinner, homework, and bedtime come first. Gaming fills the space afterwards, much like a run along the Yarra or an evening of television might for someone else. “Gamers Play Non-Stop for Hours” Another assumption is that gamers spend entire days glued to screens. While extended sessions do happen occasionally, especially around major releases, they are far from typical. IGEA’s 2024 Australian Gaming Habits report shows: ● The average adult gaming session lasts about 1.6 hours ● Most gamers play fewer than seven hours per week ● Only a small percentage exceed 20 hours weekly ● Evening play between 7 and 10 PM is most common Within my Final Fantasy XIV community of over 50 Australian players spread across multiple states, playtime follows a similar pattern. Weeknight sessions usually run for two hours. Casual players log in briefly a few times a week. Weekend players may spend a few hours on a Saturday.

4. Real life often interrupts. People log off to deal with family needs, work calls, or unexpected household issues. No one questions it because everyone understands. For players who enjoy longer sessions, comfort becomes important. After experiencing lower back pain, I switched to an ergonomic gaming chair in Australia from Xallking. It helped make longer weekend sessions more comfortable without feeling physically drained afterwards. This stereotype often survives because extreme cases attract attention. Charity streams and professional esports training are highly visible, but they do not reflect how most of Australia’s 17 million gamers actually play. “Gaming Is Not Social” The idea that gaming is antisocial no longer holds up. Modern gaming is deeply connected to online and offline communities. Bond University’s 2024 research into digital social connections found that most Australian gamers regularly play with others. Many use gaming to stay in touch with friends across different states, and a significant number form long-term friendships through gaming spaces. ACMA’s 2023 report on digital engagement also highlighted how gaming communities provide meaningful social interaction, particularly for people in regional and rural areas. When I relocated from Melbourne to Perth in 2019, gaming helped maintain friendships that distance would have otherwise weakened. A weekly online D&D session became a constant. Over the years, those online connections turned into real-world meetups, weddings, and shared experiences beyond games.

5. Within my Final Fantasy XIV group, social interaction extends well beyond gameplay. Voice chats, shared watch nights, and annual meetups are common. Even single-player games spark conversation through forums, streaming platforms, and group chats. Seeing Gaming in Context Gaming is not a universal hobby, and it does not need to be. Many assumptions simply come from a time when games were less accessible and audiences were smaller. Today in Australia, gaming is: ● Widespread across age groups and professions ● Flexible enough to fit into short breaks or planned sessions ● Socially connected through online and in-person communities ● Economically important, contributing billions to the local economy ● Shown in research to support problem-solving and stress management when played in moderation When stereotypes are set aside, gaming becomes easier to understand. It is not something that needs defending or explaining away. It is simply one of many ways people choose to relax, connect, and enjoy their time.