Teens, Mobile & Games An Overview of Pew Internet Data Amanda Lenhart FTC Brownbag May 28, 2009

1. Teens, Mobile & GamesAn Overview of Pew Internet DataAmanda LenhartFTC BrownbagMay 28, 2009

2. Methodology • RDD surveys with teens 12 to 17 and a parent or guardian • Sept-Nov 2007 (n=700) • Nov-Feb 2008 (n=1102) • Focus groups

3. Teens and their tools • 77% of teens 12-17 own a game console • 74% of teens 12-17 own an iPod or Mp3 player • 71% of teens 12-17 own a cell phone • 60% have a desktop or laptop computer • 55% have a portable gaming device like a DS or a PSP

4. Mobile phone ownership growing • Mobile phone ownership is way up: • 45% of 12-17 year olds had them in 2004 • 63% in 2006 • 71% in early 2008. • Computer ownership is stable at least over the past two years • 88% of parents have mobile phones • 75% of adults have a mobile phone • Caveat: Concept of “ownership” varies from device to device

5. Who has a mobile phone? • Age is very important – huge bump up in mobile phone ownership at age 14 • 52% of 12-13 year olds have a mobile phone • At age 14 jumps to 72% • By 17 - 84% of teens have a mobile phone • No gender differences in ownership • No significant difference in mobile phone ownership by race/ethnicity • Some differences by socio-economic status – but mostly a minor bump up in the highest income and education brackets. • Internet users more likely than non users to have a cell phone – thought 50% of non-users have a phone.

6. Teens and phone use • 88% of teens talk to friends on a landline • 67% of teens talk to friends on a cell phone • 94% of teens with cell phones use them to talk to friends • 58% of all teens have sent text messages • 76% of teens with cell phones have sent texts Daily: 51% of teens with cell phones talk to their friends on the cell phone every day 43% of teens send messages through online social networks daily 38% of teens send text messages to each other daily 32% of teens talk on their landline everyday 29% spend time with friends in person 26% send instant messages everyday 16% send email daily

7. Teens and phone use: Voice • Girls more likely to talk on any kind of phone – landline or mobile. • Age isn’t a factor in landline use • Older teens with a cell phone much more likely to talk on cell phone everyday; • Younger teens with a cell phone tend to use them for voice calls a few times a week or less • Suburban kids a little less likely to talk on cell phone everyday; no difference by locale in cell phone ownership.

8. Teens and text messaging • Text messaging daily up since 2006 • 27% of teens texted daily in 2006 • 38% text daily in 2008 • 54% of social network users have sent texts or IM through a social network site. • Girls more likely than boys to text • Older teens 15-17 also more likely to text message. • No racial/ethnic differences in texting • Slight bump up in frequency of texting by income • Not using twitter yet, via mobile or any other way. • Not really going online w/ phone; but this is changing

9. What teens aren’t using:Likelihood of Twitter use by age

10. Other mobile devices Portable game players (Nintendo DS, PSP) • Owned predominately by younger teens 12-14 (67% vs. 44%) • Drops at age 14 • Boys more likely to own (61% of boys have one, 49% of girls) • No difference in use by Race/Ethnicity or SES • PSP: Skype calling and IM, internet, RSS feeds • DS(i): Pictochat (w/in 30-65), wireless gaming (30-65ft), WiFi gaming,

11. 97% of teens play video games 50% of teens played games “yesterday.” 86% of teens play on a console like the Xbox, PlayStation, or Wii. 73% play games on a desktop or a laptop computer. 60% use a portable gaming device like a Sony PlayStation Portable, a Nintendo DS, or a Game Boy. 48% use a cell phone or handheld organizer to play games. October 18, 2008

12. Most play many games 80% of teens play five or more different game genres, and 40% play eight or more types of games. Girls play an average of 6 different game genres; boys average 8 different types. October 18, 2008

13. Game Genres We asked about 14 different game genres 74% play racing games (NASCAR, Mario Kart) 72% play puzzle games (Tetris, Solitaire, Bejeweled) 68% play sports games (Madden, FiFA, Tony Hawk) 67% play action games (GTA, Devil May Cry, Ratchet & Clank) 66% play adventure games (Legend of Zelda, Tomb Raider) 61% play rhythm games (Guitar Hero, DDR) 59% play strategy games (Civilization, StarCraft) 49% play simulations (The Sims, Rollercoaster Tycoon) More…. October 18, 2008

14. Game Genres, Cont. 49% play fighting games (Super Smash Bros, Tekken, Mortal Kombat) 47% play first person shooters (Halo, Counter-Strike, Half-Life) 36% play role playing games (Final Fantasy, Knights of the Old Republic) 32% play survival horror games (Resident Evil, Silent Hill) 21% play MMOGs 10% use virtual worlds October 18, 2008

15. MMOGs and Virtual Worlds • 20% of teens use MMOGs • 30% of boys have played them; 11% of girls • 10% of teens use virtual worlds • Boys just as likely as girls • Younger teens more likely than older teens: 13% of 12-14 year olds; 8% of 15-17 year olds. • Daily gamers more likely to play MMOGs and in Virtual worlds Image courtesy of rosefirerising via flickr under creative commons

16. Amanda Lenhart alenhart@pewinternet.org http://www.pewinternet.org Thank You!