US Console Usage Mirrors TV Peak Times

A large part of US video game usage is taking place when people would traditionally be watching television, according to a new report from Nielsen.

The State of the Console report shows that penetration of video game consoles in the US grew nearly 19% during the fourth quarter of 2006, with consoles now in more than 45.7 million homes.

The Nielsen research reveals that video games are having a profound impact on the way people spend time watching TV, as most consoles are connected to the main or second set in TV households and are used during traditionally peak TV usage time periods.

The Nielsen data also reveals that console usage peaks and ebbs in an almost identical pattern to that of traditional TV dayparts.

For example, among men aged 18-34, TV usage peaks between 9pm and 9.59pm, with an estimated 10.9 million watching TV.

Console usage peaks between 10pm and 10.59pm, with 814,000 mean 18-34 active users.

The report says that: “Among key console demographic groups, the reach and frequency is quite staggering.

“Three out of every four boys aged 2-11 (75.8%) used an in-home video game console for at least one minute in the fourth quarter of 2006. Those boys 2-11 averaged 2 hours and 30 minutes of usage per usage day.

“Almost half of all men aged 18-34 used a console at least once for a period of one minute or more during the fourth quarter (48.2%, or 16.1 million). Men 18-34 who did use their console, averaged 2 hours and 43 minutes per usage day.”

Nielsen Media Research: www.nielsenmedia.com